The Relationship between Military Service and Childbearing for Men and Women

Using data taken from the 1997 National Longitudinal Survey of Youth (NLSY-97), we examine the relationship between military service and childbearing for both men and women. Using a fixed-effects procedure on longitudinal data, we find that military service reduces the fertility of male and female recruits. The negative effect of military service is much larger for women than for men. In addition, the negative effects of military service on childbearing persist after service members leave the military, although the effects diminish over time. Overall, even though military service may not lead to lower completed fertility, the evidence suggests a delaying effect on childbearing.