According to wikipedia 86.68% of Americans in 2009 graduated high school. Except in a few very unusual circumstances, (pretty much) all military members have a high school diploma.
So assuming more than 86% of military have high school diplomas, this would mean the average intelligence level of military is higher than that of civilians.
This is obviously a very brief and vague argument, which assumes that higher education means higher intelligence, and so on.
Also, according to Educational Attainment in the United States: 2009 - Detailed Tables - U.S. Census Bureau
17% of civilians had a bachelors degree.
Accorfing to wikipedia, about 20% of the military are officers. Assuming all officers have 4 year degrees or higher, (which not all do, but most do, even a lot of LDO's now have 4 year degrees) plus all of the enlisted that have a 4 year degree, this would yet again mean the average intelligence of military is higher than civilian. Although it is true a degree does not measure intelligence, I think it can be assumed that the more education a person has, the smarter they become.
Everyone on here refuting my claim that the AVERAGE military member is more intelligent than the AVERAGE civilian is forgetting that most of the people they work with are probably above average in IQ. Don't forget all the high school dropouts and the "lower IQ jobs" that are a vast majority of Americas service industry and all those not on here seeking degrees and so on in your assesment of the "average" civilian.
I could go on and on but I think I made my point for now.
Consider this: why does the military have an IQ type test required score in order to enlist? The bottom 30% are weeded out. This increases the average score by raising the curve... although it is true that not everyone of military age takes the exam.
So assuming more than 86% of military have high school diplomas, this would mean the average intelligence level of military is higher than that of civilians.
This is obviously a very brief and vague argument, which assumes that higher education means higher intelligence, and so on.
Also, according to Educational Attainment in the United States: 2009 - Detailed Tables - U.S. Census Bureau
17% of civilians had a bachelors degree.
Accorfing to wikipedia, about 20% of the military are officers. Assuming all officers have 4 year degrees or higher, (which not all do, but most do, even a lot of LDO's now have 4 year degrees) plus all of the enlisted that have a 4 year degree, this would yet again mean the average intelligence of military is higher than civilian. Although it is true a degree does not measure intelligence, I think it can be assumed that the more education a person has, the smarter they become.
Everyone on here refuting my claim that the AVERAGE military member is more intelligent than the AVERAGE civilian is forgetting that most of the people they work with are probably above average in IQ. Don't forget all the high school dropouts and the "lower IQ jobs" that are a vast majority of Americas service industry and all those not on here seeking degrees and so on in your assesment of the "average" civilian.
I could go on and on but I think I made my point for now.
Consider this: why does the military have an IQ type test required score in order to enlist? The bottom 30% are weeded out. This increases the average score by raising the curve... although it is true that not everyone of military age takes the exam.
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