Cheryl Miller of AEI has written a fascinating new report on the limited capacity of ROTC programs in New York city, and she makes the case for expanding and revamping ROTC in keeping with the evolution of the post-secondary student population. She offered a preview of the report in a brief blog post:

The young men and women of New York City represent a huge untapped pool of talent that could help the military meet the challenges of the post-9/11 security environment. However, expanding the ROTC footprint would have a more significant impact than just improving military effectiveness. An essential aspect of a healthy citizenry, especially in a republic such as ours, is the will and capacity to perform some form of public service—with none being more fundamental than that of putting one’s life on the line as a member of the armed forces. With an all-volunteer force whose members are increasingly drawn from a narrower segment of the American public, that choice is no longer fully available to the whole country, making it less likely that the public can truly appreciate the sacrifices made by those who do serve. These are trend lines that can, and should, be reversed.

I recommend taking a look.