Value orientation and political attitudes among future military and civilian elites

An urgent issue in many Armed Forces is the possibility of a widening ”gap” between the military and the civilian society. In this study we have asked military cadets and civilian students in 13 countries to answer questions on basic values and attitudes, and have compared the results on, among others, the following themes:

– Are the values and norms that the groups see important for the military institution also important in their personal lives (here education of their children)?
– Do the groups believe that military leaders share the common goals of the country’s population?
– Are military personal generally more traditional, more right-winged, and more materialistic?
– Do cadets in countries which have replaced conscription by all-voluntary forces have a more right-wing orientation than cadets in countries which have retained conscription?