What social class/type of person is going to military academies?

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OneNerdyLesbian@reddit

I know a guy who went to the Air Force academy, and he was middle class. I have a feeling that's probably pretty representative.

As to why people choose it, in the case of the guy I knew it was because he wanted to be an elite pilot. The military academies also don't charge tuition though, so that's probably a draw. Instead of tuition, you have to commit to serving for a certain number of years.

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throwfar9@reddit

You also receive a salary while a cadet/midshipman. I think it’s 50% of O-1 under 2 base pay.

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Ok_Bar4002@reddit

The salary is kinda a joke. It’s like E-5 pay but they take back nearly everything. You have to pay for uniforms, athletics (football game attendance is mandatory but you also must buy your seats), computers, etc. it’s still a good deal to have extra money beyond the full ride but it’s only a few hundred dollars a month (increases every year but it’s like $200 as a plebe and $500 as a senior).

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throwfar9@reddit

Looked it up. It’s $1452.90 per month. Plebes get a lot less due to uniforms. I don’t recall NROTC getting any pay, but could be wrong. I think NUPOC candidates get something their last year in college. When I was at OCS we were paid straight E-5 base unless prior service. It was for only 16 weeks though, and there was no football or computers involved.

Another big bennie these days too is you have a guaranteed job on graduation. O-1 base plus allowances is pretty good.

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MSXzigerzh0@reddit

How did he get a political sponsorship?

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PseudonymIncognito@reddit

You apply for it. Most representatives and senators have their office handle it and they accept open applications.

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coffeeman220@reddit

Its not really hard you just reach out to a local congress person and ask for a letter. Its more of an administrative thing for most cadets unless you're actually connected then your congress person can help you get in even if you are not the most competitive.

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OneNerdyLesbian@reddit

I have no idea since I wasn't particularly close to him or anything. I'm assuming he wrote a convincing letter or our representative or something.

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fighter_pil0t@reddit

Overlaps strongly with the type of kids who wear vineyard vines.

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Apart_Insect_8859@reddit

I feel like there is a disjoint between military "academies" and military "school" causing the issue here.

The academies have a pretty prestigious rep and are for upper middle class people aiming for officer positions, or are from legacy military or political families. They have a long history of tradition, carry significant weight, and attending gives you a bit of old world veneer. They are better than an elite university for certain careers and for certain fields.

Military school is often a misnomer for an behavioral intervention school, i.e. the sorts of schools that juvenile delinquents are sent to when regular school cannot handle them. Such places usually have nothing to do with the military, but because of the common threat to "send you to military school!" if you misbehave, the types of schools get blurred.

As for people who just join the military, without the academies, I agree that the two major pools are lower middle class people who know how to work the white collar systems to get a relatively easy position in exchange for free college, and lower class people who need a job that will provide food, lodging, and training.

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No_Key8587@reddit (OP)

I just wanted to clarify, I was talking about enlisted AND academies (officers).

Enlisted, it seems one of the data sets I read, was that it was largely all middle class. So I guess a broad generalization is that it is middle class people for whom college is on the table, they want to college, and desire to be socially mobile (perhaps moving from middle class to upper middle class).

Officers/Academies, I guess I was wondering if they were coming from more upper class, because most the people I know of who went to the academies were at minimum upper middle class, going to private schools etc... With which I was also wondering, if you are well off financially, what is the draw to then go be an officer. Is there a level of social prestige that money can't buy?

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fixed_grin@reddit

Enlisted skews towards the broad middle of the income distribution because a lot of the things that will disqualify you from enlisting are heavily heavily correlated with poverty. And the people at the upper end rarely want to enlist.

Serious health problems, criminal record, addiction, bad academics, etc. All way overrepresented in the poorest 20-25% of families.

Really, one of the biggest common factors for people joining, enlisted and officers, is having family in the military.

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flp_ndrox@reddit

I personally know a legit rich kid who went to Annapolis and an middle class (dad owned a business, mom was a school principal) kid who went to West Point.

You have to have grades and not just know a guy to get so it's pretty egalitarian compared to a lot of places in the world.

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LetterheadClassic306@reddit

from what i've seen academy kids often come from military families or upper middle class backgrounds where service is a tradition. west point especially pulls from good high schools because admissions is brutal - you need grades and a congressional nomination. some choose it over ivy leagues because it's free and guarantees a career. enlisted has more working class but not as poor as people think.

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New-Process-52@reddit

Some wr erich aome are.idielclas.

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seatownquilt-N-plant@reddit

the one person I knew who went to West Point had a podiatrist for a father. And I know that the two children in that family had modest trust funds to support their living costs in university and pay tuition.

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BlameDaJuice666@reddit

I think there’s a strong argument for saying the Academies ARE elite. They generally and collectively only admit 8-13%/year (per whatever google source you want to use) and I agree with the people saying it’s the middle->upper middle class sending kids there. But here’s something else to consider about the enlisted social economic background. I myself and many I personally knew came from middle to upper middle class backgrounds. But that isn’t to say a healthy mix isn’t present. There were plenty of poor kids too both within the Officer and Enlisted groups. I served in both.

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EatLard@reddit

My cousin who went came from a solidly middle class family without the kind of connections one usually needs to be accepted to a school like that. She applied, met all the requirements, and got in.

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FrequencyHigher@reddit

The idea that you need connections to get an appointment at an academy is often linked to the need to get a Congressional nomination to be admitted, but those are rarely given for political reasons anymore and they certainly don’t guarantee admission. Most Congressmen have a parallel application/interview process, and it is more of a mechanism of making sure all states are represented at the service academies. If you have a bad resume, a congressional nomination will not get you admitted. The admission process is actually much more merit based than most elite private schools.

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Sooner70@reddit

I’ve probably known more kids who went to military academies than I know who went to any other single school. It’s downright common in “my circle”.

My circle? Veterans.

For whatever reason, the children of vets send their kids to military academies. Did the (usually) dad’s go to an academy? I’ve no idea. That’s not generally something that comes up in conversation (but where their kids are going absolutely does).

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GandalfTheGrey46@reddit

Middle class in my experience (I know two men who did). I speculate middle class because you have to have pretty good grades and athletics plus it really helps to know someone important like a politician to recommend you. Middle class families are much more likely to encourage that, provide the resources, and have the connections or know how to build the relationships. Im sure there are exceptions but it would be easier for a middle class family.

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Yeahboyeah@reddit

perhaps socially mobile lower middle class trying to climb up (free college is a benefit)

I graduated in '76 from a suburban high school that would also be considered middle class/lower middle class but no one said they were going to an academy. There were plenty of dropouts that may have gone into the Army though. Vietnam had a lot to do with making a career in the military. Also this was Portland. Other parts of the country undoubtedly had fewer options so that;s where their numbers probably came from.

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schmatteganai@reddit

I know a lot of people who went to service academies. While there are lots of cultural and professional reasons why people choose to attend them, there are some major trends in students:

-People from military families who are highly motivated to serve, and smart and athletic enough to get into a service academy. These are more likely to be children of people who were officers, but I know lots of people whose parents were enlisted who went to service academies for the same reasons. People at service academies whose parents are wealthy tend to be in this group, since otherwise they would probably choose another elite school, and maybe do ROTC. ROTC scholarships aren't guaranteed full rides like a service academy appointment is, and you aren't guaranteed a commission after completing ROTC. There are also major social reasons why people with military connections would value going to a service academy over ROTC, and you're much more likely to reach flag officer rank as an Academy graduate than as an ROTC graduate. Children and sometimes grandchildren of people who were awarded certain high military honors have preferential admission to service academies.

-People who are smart and athletic who need a full scholarship to afford college, and/or who are personally highly motivated to join the military, or highly motivated to do specific jobs, like be an astronaut or a fighter pilot, that service academy graduates have a much higher chance of getting. These people's parents can be anywhere on the economic ladder; service academy students can't officially have dependents, but they do get paid a small stipend, so some people from poor families send money home while they're studying.

-Smart people from poorer families who enlisted right out of high school, who get recommended for service academies by their commanding officers

-People who are strong athletes who don't think they'll be able to go pro (it's theoretically possible to get service commitment waivers or delays to play sports professionally, but very, very few people get them), and find the idea of serving in the military appealing. Student athletes at service academies get a more rigorous education and professional training than a lot of athletes in other highly competitive programs do, where athletes might be pressured into choosing majors that aren't in their professional interest. You have to have a strong work ethic to play a sport like football or basketball at a service academy, but you don't need to be as naturally gifted as you would to make the team at many of the other top-tier sports school. Some people find this very motivating.

I'd say most people at service academies come from middle-to-upper-middle class backgrounds, but that's mostly because those people are more likely to know that service academies are a good educational and career option, and because graduates of service academies tend to be upper middle class later on, and children of service academy graduates are more likely to apply and attend. People who are academic geniuses or professional-level athletes are less likely to choose to attend a service academy, partly because they're more likely to get full scholarships other places, but also because the curriculum and service requirements aren't conducive to professional athletic careers or highly-specialized academic careers- service academy graduates have more general educations in order to prepare them to be military officers.

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JuanMurphy@reddit

For the academies the admission standards are pretty difficult. You have to have high GPA/Test scores and have the connections to get a congressional appointment. Know several that went. Mostly middle class or private school as well as children of senior leaders in the services.

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RedLegGI@reddit

All kinds of Americans but generally the highest achieving tend to go to West Point or the Naval Academy.

As for the makeup of the enlisted side, I served with business owners, college graduates, and people who just wanted to serve. There were some who’d fit the stereotypes, but they were definitely not the majority.

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Scrappy_The_Crow@reddit

Former USAF officer here.

To start off, it seems you might have a misunderstanding that to be an officer, you must have graduated from a military academy of some variety. This is not correct. Roughly, ~75% are Reserve Officer Training Corps (ROTC) at public and private colleges/universities, and the rest are split between public service academies (e.g. West Point, Annapolis, AF Academy) and Officer Training School (OTS). There are private military academies (e.g. Citadel, VMI) and public service academies (listed above); as for "choose an academy," you must apply for, be sponsored by a Congressman, and be accepted to go to one of the public service academies.

The overwhelming majority of ROTC officers I knew were middle-class. Proportionally, I knew more lower-class officers from the Air Force Academy than ROTC.

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langstonfleury@reddit

Citadel and VMI are not private. They are Sr. Military Colleges along with Virginia Tech, Norwich, North Georgia and Texas A&M. All have significant military history in wartime. From the Citadel’s first shots of the civil war to Texas A&M supplying 14,000 officers in WWII. More than the Westpoint and Annapolis combined.

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Scrappy_The_Crow@reddit

Citadel and VMI are not private.

Thank you for the correction.

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Penguin_Life_Now@reddit

I am in my 50's I grew up in rural Louisiana near a military base, and knew a few guys that applied for the academies, 2 were admitted as wait list and did not go, one went to the Navy Academy. I am not sure of his exact family situation, I know he was a nice guy, was being raised by his grandparents living in what I would call an upper lower class small house, in high school he drove a then circa 15 year old Ford Pinto. One of the other two was a classic boyscout, similar economic situation, parents were divorced, he spent time with both has mother and father, both families were working class, semi self employed. The 3rd one was 5th generation military and had been raised his entire life to be an officer in the Army (his father was a Major at the time, later promoted to Lt. Colonel before he retired), I think the son made the same rank before retiring a few years ago.

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langstonfleury@reddit

My little brother and I were cadets at one of the Sr. Military Colleges. I didn’t take a commission. My brother is now a Lt. Colonel in the Marine Corps. We grew up middle class.

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PriorSecurity9784@reddit

The type of person going to the military academies is definitely different than the type of person who enlists.

A much better student for one.

And whatever standard you have for what “middle class” means, free college is still very meaningful for most families.

Even professional families making $150,000+ will struggle with tuition that’s $40-80k/year, so the option to graduate without debt, get some specific training, probably get grad school paid for… it’s a good deal if it fits with your personality and career goals.

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Fire_Mission@reddit

Also middle class, generally.

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shelwood46@reddit

There are private military schools, both for high school and college, and there are the actual military academies run by the military branches. For the latter, you need a letter approving you and commit to serving in the military after you graduate, but there is no tuition. That tends to be a mixed economic bag but mostly high achievers with great academic records. The private military school, especially the high school ones, tend to be upper middle class to rich kids. A lot of students got kicked out of other private prep schools and this is... well, punishment. Some start out there, for various reasons. I knew one woman who married a doctor and he immediately sent her 13-year-old son off to board at Valley Forge to get rid of him. The kid hated it.

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Beginning-Olive-3745@reddit

Everyone I've known that have made it were upper middle class. Half of them had Father's who were alumni. Regardless of how I personally felt about them, they were outstanding academically and athletically, well behaved, serious about school. Same with those that did ROTC in college.

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BigRichard1990@reddit

The percentage of legacies at USMA is about 8-10%. Those children know what they have to do to get in, but don’t have specific slots guaranteed, unless your parent won the Medal of Honor. They tend to graduate at higher rates and have longer careers.

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Adjective-Noun123456@reddit

I know a couple of VMI grads and a West Pointer. They were all middle class.

And why do people who do go to elite schools choose an academy over... an elite university?

Because they wanted an officer commission.

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hx87@reddit

Or because they wanted a more "military" college experience than say, going to MIT and doing ROTC.

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No_Key8587@reddit (OP)

well I guess if I had more characters, is an officer commission viewed as moving up the social ladder?

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raobuntu@reddit

The military academies are also considered good schools. For example, West Point has a long and storied history as an engineering school.

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Imaginary-Hyena2858@reddit

Really depends on where you're at on the social ladder, but military officers by default are not necessarily seen as some form of prestige until the higher ranks. Worth noting however, there's a major distinction within the officer ranks between academy grads and other forms of commission. Academy grads is a sort of good ol boys club and typically are more likely to be fast tracked to the more prestigious positions

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Popular-Local8354@reddit

Officers are definitely in the educated professional class

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Thereelgerg@reddit

Most people that commission never attended a service academy. Only a small minority do.

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NatAttack50932@reddit

They could still do ROTC, but there is a certain excess of public prestige for those who are attending one of the military academies

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Local_Whereas7211@reddit

My daughter graduated from a military service academy in 2024. One thing I've heard about elite civilian universities (think Ivy League) versus military service academies is that a military service academy cadet or middie could survive at an Ivy League school but probably not vice versa.

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Curmudgy@reddit

How much of that is because of the physical requirements?

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ayebrade69@reddit

Some go to play for the football teams

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Imaginary-Hyena2858@reddit

That's like a very miniscule percent

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the_urban_juror@reddit

The Naval academy has 36 sports teams, including football (roster limit of 105) and only 4,400 total students. It's still a minority of students, but the percentage of student-athletes at the academies is significantly higher than most universities.

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Quirky-Invite7664@reddit

And cheerleaders!

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ExitingBear@reddit

At the military academies, students are required to participate in sports. Not all will be at the intercollegiate level, but at least intramural.

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TheBimpo@reddit

Like 100 of them play for the football team. This is a fraction of the student body.

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No_Key8587@reddit (OP)

well the person i knew from an elite private school played lacrosse for them so...

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Dave_A480@reddit

Upper middle class. Generally relatives of retired senior officers.

Most of the US military's officers come from the ROTC program, which offers assistance with paying for 'regular' college in exchange for military training during college and service afterwards.

The academies - West Point, USNA, USAFA - are all highly selective and require political sponsorship.

The applicants tend to be legacies, and among the officer community they have a reputation for favoritism towards each other.....

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PacSan300@reddit

Yeah, the one guy in my class who got into West Point indeed had political connections. If I remember correctly, his dad was some diplomatic attaché in the past.

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throwfar9@reddit

I only know the Navy, but most of its officers don’t come from NROTC. FY2020 numbers, 39% were NROTC. Ten percent were Academy, 28% were OCS. And about 20% were the forgotten sources: ODS for all staff corps except Supply and Civil Engineering, and LDOs.

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Dave_A480@reddit

The Navy is it's own beast.

For the Army and Air Force, ROTC is the overwhelming majority, then Academy, then OCS picks up the leftovers....

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throwfar9@reddit

True. The Marines use a lot of Navy staff corps roles, although not all. They don’t have LDOs that I know of.

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Roadhouse699@reddit

Most Army officers come from ROTC.

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Sabertooth767@reddit

The Navy is a special case though because its ROTC cadets are shared with the USMC.

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throwfar9@reddit

Which would lower the percentage of naval officers from that source. The USNA also shares with the Corps, which reduces its contribution. The effect is to raise OCS as a percentage.

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Limp_Dragonfly3868@reddit

Although the academies require political sponsorship, that is requested by the family. It’s not limited to kids who already know their representative.

None of the kids we know who’ve gotten in are related to retired officers. It’s kids with normal parents. Parents occupations have been things like teacher, engineer, accountant, pastor.

The kids have been exceptional. The parents have been normal.

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throwfar9@reddit

Political sponsorship due to Congress having the vast majority of appointments. You don’t have know the rep or senator, but you do go through them. When I applied long, long ago my rep required the Civil Service exam as a first screen( o doubt that’s the case now. There also used to be 100 nominations reserved to the president for applicants from active duty families. I used that one too. Did not receive an appointment due to my eyesight. I later was commission through OCS in a staff corps.

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ancientastronaut2@reddit

I'm confused because Op says military academies specifically in the title, which is what you answered to, but then just says enrolling in the military, which is two entirely different things.

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Complete_Aerie_6908@reddit

Last paragraph ties it back to the title. I had to read it twice myself.

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Illustrious_Code_347@reddit

Upper-class people. Not elite 1% billionaire-level rich, but upper-class nonetheless — the sons of surgeons and lawyers and upper management at successful companies.

That's my perception of the military academies at least. They are extremely hard to get into, so the people who do get into them are typically highly educated, successful students who went to good schools, private or public, and whose parents demanded academic success of them... and the children of the upper-class are generally better educated people, that's just a fact whether we like it or not. The children of the upper-class are also more well spoken and know how to speak and act in more formal settings, all of which the military wants in its commissioned officers, and all of which comes across in an application.

I don't think they all necessarily went to elite private schools. There are very good public schools in America... But the thing is, those are the types of kids whose parents can afford to just up and move to a good, expensive town solely because the school system is good. And that happens a lot.

Anyway, I suppose social classes exist everywhere, but less so in America compared to elsewhere. There is still a lot of mobility in America in the lower-middle class to lower-upper class range. Social classes only become very stark when it's the poorest of the poor and the richest of the rich. Everyone in between can really move around quite a bit and a family's wealth can change enormously from generation to generation.

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No_Key8587@reddit (OP)

Yes. Your last bit is what I find interesting about the latest military discourse (i think it was a podcastor saying they are sending poor kids to die!), in that the military (along with colleges) is sort of the one way people who are socially mobile to move up, however the people at the economic bottom don't even have the military really on their radar.

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Free-Sherbet2206@reddit

Why do you think military academies are not elite? At least for engineering, they are always some of the top schools. I don’t think most lower class students would have the resources to gain admission. Students have to have resources to be able to meet the admissions criteria. I had a friend that went to west point and I remember her hiring a trainer in order to meet the physical criteria.

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CalmRip@reddit

Was waiting for somebody to point this out. An Academy education is not exactly second-tier.

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Free-Sherbet2206@reddit

I think because they don’t have graduate programs, they aren’t usually ranked against other top schools. So people don’t usually associate them with Harvard or Yale. My university does not have any doctoral programs, so it is usually ranked against the military academies.

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No_Key8587@reddit (OP)

They also aren't research universities (to my knowledge). Like I don't really ever hear about "engineers at the Air Force Academy have solved this problem!". So if you are not into sports or the military, they are not on your radar.

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Free-Sherbet2206@reddit

I just checked and my school is nestled between west point and the naval academy for engineering programs where the highest degree is not a doctorate 😊

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royalhawk345@reddit

Without looking, Rose Hulman or Harvey Mudd? I remember my high school advisor pushing those two a lot.

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Free-Sherbet2206@reddit

Cal Poly, those other ones are at the top

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royalhawk345@reddit

Gotcha, didn't know calpoly was like that

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Free-Sherbet2206@reddit

I believe rose hulman was #1

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Mayor__Defacto@reddit

The early US railroads had a very clear path from West Point to Railroad Engineer. It was essentially the only formal training in what we would now call civil engineering available in the US at the time.

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moose098@reddit

Especially before the Civil War, West Point was basically an engineering school. They did drilling and the like, but a lot of it was mathematics and drawing. It makes sense given the warfare of the day that focused on fortifications.

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RingGiver@reddit

The people who are most disproportionately likely to go are people who have a family member with a military background.

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jedooderotomy@reddit

The Air Force Academy (and I assume the other Academies) is highly competitive and difficult to get into. It requires high grades, test scores, athleticism, community service... and you also have to get a recommendation from a congressperson.

Basically, only the types of kids who could also get into Ivy-League schools (but perhaps a bit more of an emphasis on athleticism?).

It's a free college education, and the academies are respected as being a good education. It also comes with a required number of years of service, though...

Anyway, the types of kids that are getting into the academies are the same kinds of kids who would be getting into very good colleges, so oftentimes kids from middle-class to upper-class upbringings.

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Reasonable-Record494@reddit

Of the people I've known, middle to upper middle class. Not super rich, so free college still matters (especially with the elite schools now being $80-90K a year), but well off enough that they went to very good public schools or to private school (but usually not boarding school).

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Prechrchet@reddit

I graduated from a school that was designated as a "Senior Military College" by the US Department of Defense, which is different from being one of the Academies, but is also more intensive than your typical ROTC program at another college. Most of the cadets there are from middle class backgrounds. Their stated reasons for attending are simply that they want to serve their country by becoming an officer in the US Armed Forces.

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RickySlayer9@reddit

all social classes, a very specific personality type of person

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Weightmonster@reddit

When we think about the military cadets, we think very smart, disciplined, athletic, and competitive. We don’t think about class.

It’s hard for me to find hard data on this. Since everyone gets a full scholarship financial aid data isn’t available.

The only hard data I have is that a great majority are out of state, which suggests not low income.

My feeling is that military academy cadets skew upper middle to upper class. Probably most come from the upper 20-40 percent of household income.

The military academies are extremely selective. You have to be a strong student, civic minded, and athletic. Preferably a top student athlete. You need a recommendation from a congress member. You need a solid advanced education. You have to attend school fulltime, on campus for 4 years. And commit to 5 years of the military.

It would be really really difficult for a low income student to navigate all of that. Their school may not offer strong academics and sports.

You pretty much need to a have a family member who graduated or hire someone.

If a low income student is a tippy top student, they could get a free ride to many other schools. They would likely choose some place closer and more flexible so they could help out more at home.

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GlobalTapeHead@reddit

Military academies are very elite institutions. You’re not getting in there unless you’re well connected or a legacy.

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elphaba00@reddit

This was back in the 60s, but my mom had a cousin sent off to military school because he was the kid who was always picking fights. He'd come to my grandparents' farm for a visit, and he'd immediately start swinging on people. Apparently my grandma told my mom, "If he hits you, hit back."

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Early_Apple_4142@reddit

Usually higher class if going some where like West point, Annapolis, or Air force academy due to the need for government official endorsement to get in. You can get into some of the smaller ones like Citadel, VMI, etc. without an endorsement but most still get them.

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SabresBills69@reddit

Admissions to the academies is actually limited and done by zip codes/ congressional districts so you can't have half the class from 3 states.

Getting in is hard.

Joining the military on existed sude is voluntary sndvtendsvto run in families for some. Others its an opportunity to get out.

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Turbulent_Bullfrog87@reddit

My maternal grandfather went to the Air Force Academy. Iirc, he had to be approved/recommended for the spot by his state senator/congressman/elected official. His family is from the northeast. I think they were lower middle class. He served in the Air Force for ≈25 years and eventually became a colonel. He went to night school during the later years & once he left the service he went into management. He’s been retired for a number of years; I’m about to get on a plane to go to his 80th birthday party. He & my brother (who very much takes after him) are the smartest people in my family.

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No_Owl_8576@reddit

People with money and connections

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angrysquirrel777@reddit

This isn't true in my experience. I know and still talk to quite a few people who went to academies and none of them "had money". They are all middle class to upper middle class from suburban Ohio.

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No_Owl_8576@reddit

I'm sure most of the capable people come from exactly that. But there are others......

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angrysquirrel777@reddit

Well sure, it's easy to be pessimistic. I personally know like 7+ officers in the military and have no doubts on how smart any of them are.

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No_Owl_8576@reddit

Fair enough

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CODMAN627@reddit

So those going to military academies usually come from families with generations of military service. If you’re able to go you’re not really poor you’re probably from an upper middle class background. Likely the person going to an academy has done ROTC.

Thing about the academies is that they are not like regular schools you can’t just apply to go to these schools, you’ll need the sponsorship of a senator or representative in congress. Getting into these things is a big deal.

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LineRex@reddit

It's an anecdote, but almost all of my first cousins entered the military. It's exactly split between "lived in a trailer court" going right into infantry and "went on vacation once a year" going into academy. Everyone went to public school though, except for my cousin who went to a private catholic school, he got into West Point.

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Mayor__Defacto@reddit

The military academies are quite difficult to get into; it requires some level of political connection, as you need a congressional Nomination most of the time, and each Member can only Nominate so many people annually to each Academy.

Even among those Nominated, they only take 8% of applicants.

So you’ll find a lot of people who attended private schools and come from either moderately wealthy families, or families with a history in that service.

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angrysquirrel777@reddit

I know probably 4 or 5 people who went to the Air Force academy from high school in Ohio.

One was a officers kid, the other kid went to West Point.

The other three were middle class kids with no major military background but found it to be a good career choice. Theye were all in high school ROTC.

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WaywardJake@reddit

I went to a private Baptist military school (as a co-ed), and my brother attended an all-boys military school. We were raised upper-middle class. The students at my school who went on to attend a military academy (I did not, and neither did my brother) and/or become career military came from a mix of upper, upper-middle, and middle-class families.

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socabella@reddit

Military academies are middle to upper middle class, from my experience. Straight to the military, no academy, has a wider range of social classes.

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I_Owe_Suzanner@reddit

The people I have met personally who attended military academies have been from good schools, public and private. In all cases their grades and character were excellent. When you heard they got in, you thought "makes sense".

One common element is a strong desire to attend and a very intentional process of getting an appointment from their local US House Rep or Senator, including visits to meet them. The process starts years in advance.

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TheMuffler42069@reddit

Troubled youts

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Trialbyfuego@reddit

Don't forget about ROTC which is where most of the officers come from. They also have their own demographics and stereotypes (good ones)

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Limp_Dragonfly3868@reddit

The kids we know who’ve gotten into the military academies are middle class. Decent public schools, but not necessarily the best in the city.

It’s very hard to get in. It’s kids who are smart, athletic, hardworking and focused.

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Adept_Carpet@reddit

There is definitely some variety. A lot of them are from longtime military families, they are all very talented across a variety of dimensions (academics, athletics, leadership, etc). All of them were competitive at high ranking non-military colleges, some of them could have gone anywhere they chose.

Typically the poorest of the poor and the richest of the rich are less likely to go, but there are exceptions.

I would say upper middle class is probably the most common origin, but I don't have data on that.

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thewineyourewith@reddit

In the US, military service is generally seen as quite noble. Servicemembers and their families make great sacrifices because they want to keep us safe. Whether the US military actually keeps US citizens safe is a whole nother issue. But it’s understood that the individuals themselves are separate from the politics to which the military is beholden.

Enlisted servicemembers generally are lower middle class people who want a stable job with good benefits and good post-service prospects. Enlisted personnel can become officers if they complete certain requirements within a certain time.

Officers are generally from the upper middle class and above. Many of them have a family connection to the military. Some professions favor military service; if you know you want to go into one of those professions then it’s best to start out in the military. For example, many politicians start out in the military, even better if they’re JAGs. A lot of JAGs go on to have very lucrative positions in private practice especially in areas like government contracts.

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martlet1@reddit

Usually relatives of people who were officers in the armed forces or a kid who wants to be an officer rather than an enlisted soldier

Officers make more money and have more responsibilities that need specialized training.

Also military academy high school classes can convert to credits for ROTC. (Not sure what they call it)

My friends kid went to West Point to play hockey and now he’s a major in the army.

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big_sugi@reddit

The academies have very high admission standards, so it’s tough to get in without going to a good school first.

They also require a recommendation from a member of Congress, US Senator, or the Vice President. They don’t normally know these people, but they at least need contacts and connections to get the request in front of the government official, which limits opportunities for students from poor backgrounds. I note, however, that even poor communities have people with political connections that can be leveraged, so it’s not an outright bar.

As to why? The military academies are free, they’re very prestigious, and they provide a big career boost for both career military and those who want to serve but may not necessarily want to make it a career.

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