Why are military officers, of all people, so libertarian compared to the general population?
1. They are more educated (possessing, at a minimum, a Bachelor's degree by age 23).
2. They are encouraged and, to some extent, required to remain non-partisan or apolitical while representing the military in-and-out of uniform--a habit that softens their political biases over time.
3. They serve in the center of a multicultural cyclone where they are exposed to levels of sociopolitical diversity most Americans will never experience. This promotes political enlightenment that allows them to support Second Amendment, BLM, and transgender rights at the same time while finding a political home only in third parties.
SOURCE: Currently serving with an MA in Military Studies.
