Data derived from the Southern Youth Study (a randomly stratified sample of 250 black and 409 white males from Southern rural counties with lower than average annual incomes) were utilized to analyze veteran status as a determinant of occupational and educational attainment via the interaction effects between race, veteran status, and residential background. The respondents were young adults who had been interviewed as sophomores in 1966, as seniors in 1968, and again as adults in 1972. The control variables employed were: age (mean age of 21 years); lack of physical handicaps; father's educational level; occupational status of family breadwinner; number of siblings; and education completed. Contrary to expectations generated by Fisher, et.al.'s 1975 findings, no interaction emerged between veteran status and residential background for either occupational or educational attainment, but some interaction effects were found between veteran status and race on educational attainment, which necessitated separate regression analysis for both blacks and whites. With the exception of the relationship between military service and educational attainment for whites, the bridging environment hypothesis was not supported nor was the more general societal assumption that military service enhances one's career, for exactly the opposite effect was observed. (JC)