The Multicultural Military: Military Service and the Acculturation of Latinos and Anglos

Abstract

Using the Latino National Political Survey, this article examines whether military service helps explain the responses given by Latinos to questions on acculturation. The data show that Latino veterans (and particularly draft-era veterans) had more friendships with Anglos (non-Hispanic whites), spoke more English at home, were more likely to experience discrimination, and were also more likely to correctly identify Cesar Chavez. Service in the volunteer military, however, was related only to the first two questions. In addition, there is evidence that Anglo veterans were more familiar with Latino culture. The article concludes that the end of the draft may have eliminated a useful forum for intercultural and intracultural learning for both groups, although the volunteer military does have an impact on Latino acculturation.