Today the U.S. military spends nearly four billion dollars every year on military recruitment. Before Sept. 11, this figure was in the millions, with total spending in 1995 at only $600 million. What caused this dramatic increase?

National security that is focused on the nation-state as the main body tends to focus on military might, as seen in the Cold War. The burden then falls upon the military to expand, meaning more weapons and more people. The U.S. military is still a voluntary institution, which means that the Department of Defense has to devise more effective ways to reach its ever-mounting recruitment goals.

Enlistment in the military is based on the premise of free choice, but recruiters often target certain groups and can make one option seem like the only viable choice. An example of the coercive tactics used by the government is the No Child Left Behind Act. The act was a 2001 initiative to boost the education system in the United States, which provides additional funding for schools and requires regular testing. Section 9528 of the act grants military recruiters access to students' private information while threatening to cut off federal funding if schools don't comply. Often, lower income inner cities schools receive the most funding and attract the most military recruiters.

In the military, there is a disproportionate amount of people of color from lower income families.Why are these people so willing to be enlisted, even though they often do not receive high status and die more often at the front lines than their wealthier counterparts? Part of the answer lies in the fact that a recession in recent years has made it more difficult to find jobs. Recruiters promise students an education, good pay and opportunities to advance beyond their means. Limited circumstances often make the military feel like the right choice.

Because of the Privacy Act of 1974, there is an "opt-out" clause written into Section 9528. This clause allows parents and students to request that their information be kept private. But fearing the loss of federal funding or perhaps lacking time and energy to brief students on this clause, most schools never disclose that. And most students aren't aware their information was given out until a military recruiter comes knocking at their front door.