Military Buildup Blamed for Job Losses : Study Cites Arms Race for Net Employment Decline of 1.1 Million

The current U.S. military buildup--the largest peacetime buildup in the nation’s history--resulted in a net loss of 1.1 million jobs across the country, a nonprofit economic research group said today.

Employment Research Associates said it looked at the number of jobs created by a $190-billion military buildup from 1981 through 1985, then estimated the number of jobs that would have been created if the buildup had not occurred and spending and funding patterns had remained as they were in 1981.

The study, titled “The Empty Pork Barrel: The Employment Cost of the Military Buildup, 1981-1985,” showed that most states lost jobs.

“This study shows how much the American people have given up in order to build these weapons--new homes, schools, factories, our investment in the future,” said Marion Anderson, an author of the report and director of the Lansing research firm.

Of the total loss of 1.1 million jobs, Michigan posted a net job decline of 166,000 jobs, many in the auto industry and service sector. Anderson noted many of the 35 states on the losing side of the report were farm states.