▁also ▁serves ▁as ▁a ▁means ▁of ▁social ▁rest ruct uring . ▁Lower ▁classes ▁could ▁gain ▁status ▁and ▁mob ility ▁within ▁the ▁military , ▁at ▁least ▁after ▁lev ée ▁en ▁mas se ▁after ▁the ▁French ▁Revolution . ▁Also , ▁the ▁officer ▁corps ▁became ▁open ▁to ▁the ▁middle ▁class , ▁although ▁it ▁was ▁once ▁reserved ▁only ▁for ▁nob ility . ▁In ▁Britain , ▁becoming ▁a ▁military ▁officer ▁was ▁an ▁expectation ▁for ▁' second ▁sons ' ▁who ▁were ▁to ▁gain ▁no ▁inheritance ; ▁the ▁role ▁of ▁officer ▁was ▁assumed ▁to ▁maintain ▁their ▁noble ▁class . ▁In ▁the ▁United ▁States , ▁military ▁service ▁has ▁been / is ▁advert ised ▁as ▁a ▁means ▁for ▁lower - class ▁people ▁to ▁receive ▁training ▁and ▁experience ▁that ▁they ▁would ▁not ▁normally ▁receive , ▁prop elling ▁them ▁to ▁higher ▁in comes ▁and ▁higher ▁positions ▁in ▁society . ▁Jo ining ▁the ▁military ▁has ▁enabled ▁many ▁people ▁from ▁lower ▁so cio e conom ic ▁dem ograph ics ▁to ▁receive ▁college ▁education ▁and ▁training . ▁As ▁well , ▁a ▁number ▁of ▁positions ▁in ▁the ▁military ▁involve ▁transfer able ▁skills ▁that ▁can ▁be ▁used ▁in ▁the ▁regular ▁labor ▁market ▁after ▁an ▁individual ▁is ▁dis charg ed ▁( e . g ., ▁pilot , ▁air ▁traffic ▁controller , ▁mechan ic ). ▁ ▁Police ▁▁▁ ▁The ▁militar ization ▁of ▁police ▁involves ▁the ▁use ▁of ▁military ▁equipment ▁and ▁tact ics ▁by ▁law ▁enfor cement ▁officers . ▁This ▁includes ▁the ▁use ▁of ▁arm ored ▁personnel ▁carri ers , ▁assault ▁rif les , ▁subm achine ▁guns , ▁flash b ang ▁gr