Who They Are
DEPARTMENT OF THE ARMY UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
PERSONNEL
The ARMY is the largest of the armed forces. Its percentage of blacks is more than double that of the national population
--SEX Men 84.5% Women 15.5%
--RACE White 58.4% Black 26.3% Hispanic 8.9% Other 6.4%
--RANK Enlisted 84.1% Officers 13.6% Warrant officers 2.3%
--AGE 17 to 19 -- 20 to 24 -- 25 to 29 -- 30 to 34 -- 35 to 39 -- 40 to 44 -- 45 to 49 -- 50 and over --
Enlisted -- Officers --
FAMILY
Slightly more than half of ARMY personnel are married, and just under half have children. On average, soldiers are just over 24 years old at the birth of their first child
--MARITAL STATUS
Married 51.5% Unmarried 48.5% Percentage married to other service members: 11% Women married to other service members: 17.8% Men married to other service members: 3.2%
--CHILDREN
Have children 47.1% Have no children 52.9% Both parents in the military: 12,000 Single parent: 36,000
RESERVES
--The Army Reserve has the highest percentage of minority officers, 25%
--46% of Army Reserve and 52% of National Guard members are married. Very few reservists-1.6%-are married to another service member
--30% of reservists have children. The average age at which reservists have their first child is relatively high: 27 in the Army National Guard and 35 in the Army Reserve
--5.5% are single parents
UNITED STATES NAVY
[PERSONNEL]
The NAVY had the highest percentage of minority recruits last year, 43%. Overall, 37% of sailors are minorities
--SEX Men 85.9% Women 14.1%
--RACE White 62.8% Black 19.0% Hispanic 9.7% Other 8.5%
--RANK Enlisted 85.5% Officers 14.0% Warrant officers 0.5%
--AGE 17 to 19 -- 20 to 24 -- 25 to 29 -- 30 to 34 -- 35 to 39 -- 40 to 44 -- 45 to 49 -- 50 and over --
Enlisted -- Officers --
[FAMILY]
The NAVY has the lowest percentage of members married to another person in the military as well as the highest percentage of single parents
--MARITAL STATUS Married 46.2% Unmarried 53.8% Percentage married to other service members: 6.6% Women married to other service members: 9.1% Men married to other service members: 2.0%
--CHILDREN Have children 42.7% Have no children 57.3% Both parents in the military: 7,300 Single parent: 29,000
[RESERVES]
--19.6% are women, more than 5% percentage points higher than those on active duty
--Just 26% of reservists are minorities, substantially lower than the active-duty Navy. Blacks comprise 14% of the reserve
--63% of Naval Reserve members are married, but only 2% are married to another service member
--45% have children. The average age at which naval reservists have their first child is 29
UNITED STATES AIR FORCE
[PERSONNEL]
The AIR FORCE has the highest percentage of women in the military, and has the smallest percentage of minorities
--SEX Men 80.8% Women 19.2%
--RACE White 75.5% Black 16.2% Hispanic 5.0% Other 3.3%
--RANK Enlisted 80.6% Officers 19.4%
--AGE 17 to 19 -- 20 to 24 -- 25 to 29 -- 30 to 34 -- 35 to 39 -- 40 to 44 -- 45 to 49 -- 50 and over --
Enlisted Officers
[FAMILY]
The AIR FORCE has the highest percentage of married members. On average, Air Force members are the oldest when their first child is born: 27
--MARITAL STATUS Married 59.9% Unmarried 40.1% Percentage married to other service members: 16.1% Women married to other service members: 24.9% Men married to other service members: 5.9%
--CHILDREN Have children 47.7% Have no children 52.3% Both parents in the military: 12,500 Single parent: 17,500
[RESERVES]
--The Air Force Reserve and Air National Guard have the highest average ages in the military. More than one-third are older than 40
--The air reserves have the fewest minorities. 80% of the Air National Guard is white
--The Air Force Reserve and Air National Guard have the highest marriage rates, 66% and 62%, respectively
--Half of all Air Force Reserve and Air National Guard members have children
UNITED STATES MARINE CORPS
[PERSONNEL]
The MARINE CORPS has the highest percentage of males in the services and the youngest average age
--SEX Men 93.9% Women 6.1%
--RACE White 67.9% Black 15.0% Hispanic 13.1% Other 4.0%
--RANK Enlisted 89.9% Officers 9.0% Warrant officers 1.1%
--AGE 17 to 19 -- 20 to 24 -- 25 to 29 -- 30 to 34 -- 35 to 39 -- 40 to 44 -- 45 to 49 -- 50 and over --
Enlisted Officers
[FAMILY]
Among the military, MARINES are least likely to be married or have children. Women in the Marines are most likely to be married to another service member
--MARITAL STATUS Married 42.9% Unmarried 57.1% Percentage married to other service members: 8.7% Women married to other service members: 26.3% Men married to other service members: 2.2%
--CHILDREN Have children 31.5% Have no children 68.5% Both parents in the military: 2,200 Single parent: 5,500
--The Marine Corps has the youngest reserve force. Almost two-thirds of its members are younger than 25. About 6% are older than 40
--Less than 5% of Marine reservists are women; about one-third are minorities
--Like active-duty Marines, comparatively few reservists are married, only 30%
--Marine reservists are the least likely to have children. Only 17% are parents, and the average age at which they have children is 26
Figures are for the four principal armed forces and their respective reserves under the Department of Defense. The Coast Guard, formerly part of the Department of Transportation, is now part of the Department of Homeland Security. During wartime, the Coast Guard can be assigned to the U.S. Navy.
Source: Department of Defense