According to the AP, the US military service academies have seen a dramatic rise in applications.  The US Naval Academy has received over 15,000 applications for a mere 1,200 slots (and has already received another 8,000 applications for next year’s class).  It is possible this is attributable to a poor economy, as the academies offer “free” education and a guaranteed job after graduation.  The economy has also been cited as a reason for higher retention in the US military as a whole, despite the high deployment rates and ongoing combat operations.