Does Military Service Make Individuals Susceptible to Political Violence? Attitudinal and Behavioral Evidence

Does military service make individuals susceptible to political violence? Anecdotal accounts suggest that military service may be tied to radicalization toward political violence. A nationally representative survey of veterans and servicemembers compared to civilians shows that veterans’ and servicemembers’ attitudes toward political violence reflect those of the larger society. However, current and former servicemembers have different patterns of attraction and engagement with extremist ideologies and groups as compared with civilians. Servicemembers and veterans are more likely to be attracted to anti-government groups and causes that have been associated with violent acts, especially those espousing ideologies related to defending against perceived violations of the Constitution and/or Constitutional rights. Their greater willingness to commit violence on behalf of favored causes makes them attractive targets for recruitment to these groups.