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"Gallantry in Action": Evidence of Advantageous Selection in a Voluntary Army

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  • Javier A. Birchenall
  • Thomas G. Koch

Abstract

A voluntary army's quality exceeds or falls below a drafted army's average quality depending on whether selection is advantageous or adverse. Using a collection of data sets that cover the majority of the US Army soldiers during World War II, we test for adverse selection into the army. Rather, we find advantageous selection: volunteers and drafted men showed no significant difference in fatalities, but volunteers earned distinguished awards at a higher rate than drafted men, particularly after the attack on Pearl Harbor. Analyses at the level of units concur with our findings based on enlistment records.

Suggested Citation

  • Javier A. Birchenall & Thomas G. Koch, 2015. ""Gallantry in Action": Evidence of Advantageous Selection in a Voluntary Army," Journal of Law and Economics, University of Chicago Press, vol. 58(1), pages 111-138.
    • Handle: RePEc:ucp:jlawec:doi:10.1086/682906
    DOI: 10.1086/682906
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    Cited by:

    1. Thomas Koch & Javier Birchenall, 2016. "Taking versus taxing: an analysis of conscription in a private information economy," Public Choice, Springer, vol. 167(3), pages 177-199, June.

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