I enlisted in 1981. Partly for a job, and partly because military service is a family tradition going back at least to the Civil War. I will admit that mostly it was for the job and education, as unemployment in Lane County, Oregon, was over 20% at the time.
The majority of the people in my semi-chosen career field were there for education and experience. I knew few people who enlisted from desperation.
I do know one person now who enlisted in the Army because the Judge gave him the choice of the Army or jail.
He was a kid who made a poor choice, but was otherwise clean. Today that kid, because of the chance he received in the Army, is the Eastern Region IT Security Manager for a major corporation.
While he is still angry at the choice the judge gave him, even he admits that without the army he would be stuck in nothing jobs today.