I enlisted a year before 9/11 so I am just speculating here but I chose to enlist because I was done with HS and had very few prospects for a job and I knew I would just flunk out of college. So I chose the military as something to do to see the world and learn some skills that would help me in the future. The patriotism/ protecting my family/ country was a distant second.

So my theory is that kids that enlist are in the same boat as I was. They have just completed 12 years of statist indoctrination, watched all the movies celebrating war, are praised by friends and family for the idea of enlisting, and have few job prospects (especially with today's economy).

Just my .02