This paper argues that the military plays an extremely important role in youth labor markets by providing not only jobs but also experience and training which can later be transferred to the civilian labor market. Following the introduction, section II examines the military's demand for labor; its fluctuations due to secular, cyclical, and seasonal variables; and its impact on the youth labor market. The military is an important factor in the youth labor market, and it is becoming an important one also in the minorities and women's labor markets. Section III considers the supply side effects of military service by discussing the flow between the military and civilian youth labor markets, the variables that affect the decisions of enlisting or leaving the military, and the human capital accumulation gained through military work experience that can then be used in the civilian manpower pool. Sections IV and V explore the military's impact on youth unemployment, focusing on demographic trends over time and the black unemployment problem. In section VI it is concluded that the paper's findings have several implications for the measurement and collection of data on the youth labor market, specifically in the areas of (1) youth unemployment rates which should include military as well as civilian labor, (2) aggregate labor force statistics which should be subdivided to reflect factors such as age and race, and (3) special labor force data which should acknowledge an individual's military experience. (ELG)