Compulsory Military Service and Future Earnings: Evidence from a Natural Experiment

Using Israeli census data, and the random assignment of Arab males to military service, this study provides new evidence on the long-term effects of military service on the earnings of veterans. Among Druze men, we find an economically and statistically significant positive effect of 23% on their wages. The unskilled experience a slightly higher premium. The positive effects are large and intensify over time. Skill enhancement and usual human capital accumulation do not explain the positive effect of military service. Networking during service is proposed as a likely explanation.