People in the military generally have a higher achievement level than their age-group peers not in the military.
The percentage of whites in the military is no lower than in the general population.
That depends on how you measure "achievement." Arguably, education itself is the biggest barometer of achievement when you're in your a teen or young adult, since it generally (not always but generally) indicates higher income potential later. On education, military members do lag, although they have a higher high school completion rate, due to the army's sensible requirements:
83% are enlisted members.
The median age looks to be about 25. 77% are between 21 and 39, 16% are 17-20, and 7% are 40 and over.
Among the entire group, 5% are listed as "other" (incl. no high school completion), 76% have a high school diploma only, 7% have "some college," 7% have a GED, and 5% have a bachelor's. Only 0.6% have a postgraduate degree.
In the general population, on the other hand, among the 18-24 age group, 16% are listed as no high school completion (comparing just 18-24 yr. olds in the general population with the entire enlisted group of all ages), but only 32% have a high school diploma only and 35% have "some college", and 16% have a bachelor's. The 18-24 yr. old group already looks better than the enlisted group of all ages.
Among 25-34 yr. olds, 11% have no high school completion, 27% have high school diploma only, 19% have some college, 34% have a bachelor's and 9% have a postgraduate degree.
Among those on active duty (48%), 39% are minority, 14% female. In those in guard (33%), 26% are minority, 13% female, and in those in reserve (19%), 41% are minority, 23% female.
