More surprising, perhaps, marriage rates among second-generation males were also an increasing function of immigrant sex ratios. This suggests that higher sex ratios also raised male earnings and the incomes of parents with young children. Changes in extended family structure associated with changing sex ratios complicate the interpretation of these findings. On balance, though, the results are consistent with theories in which higher sex ratios increase male competition in the marriage market. Equal opportunity policy and market forces have made the military a distinctive institution in U.S. society.
Blacks are well represented in the military, compared to the civilian sector.
Integration of both work groups and housing started earlier and proceded more rapidly in the military. And, unlike many civilian jobs, the military provides medical care for both soldiers and dependents. While one might look for impacts of such relatively equal opportunities on a number of child outcomes, Brown focuses on the test scores of children in eighth grade. Data from the National Assessment of Educational Progress suggests that, while white children from military families score slightly higher than do their civilian counterparts, black children from military families do significantly better than their counterparts. The test score gap is about 40 percent smaller in the military than in civilian schools.