On November 11, we will celebrate and honor our country’s Veterans and active duty. But who are they?
There are more than 18 million living veterans in the United States, that’s about 6% of the country’s adult population. These numbers are decreasing though, as today only one percent of us will answer the call to duty and enlist.
According to the VA, most of these veterans served in the past 30 years and during wartime. Today, veterans of the Gulf War era now outnumber those who served in the Vietnam era through 1973, 43 versus 30 percent. Of the more than 16 million Americans who served in WWII, just over 120,000 are still with us on Veterans Day 2024.
Who counts as a Veteran? Under Title 38 of the U.S. Code, a veteran is defined as a “person who served in the active military, naval, air, or space service, and who was discharged or released there from under conditions other than dishonorable.” That includes the six branches of the US Military – Army, Marine Corps, Navy, Air Force, Coast Guard, and the recently established Space Force.
Each branch has its own unique history and name and members appreciate being referred to correctly. For the Army, it’s "Soldier," for Marine Corps, "Marine," and in the Navy, it’s "Sailor." "Airmen" serve in the Air Force while "Coastguardsman" are in the Coast Guard. Members of the newest branch Space Force are called "Guardians."
How much do you know about Veterans? Take a Pop Quiz to help break the stereotypes associated with our Veterans and Military service.
But what about those who served in the Reserves and National Guard? Today, we include them in our thanks and free meals, yet generations of National Guard and Reserve members who volunteered to serve their country honorably and with distinction did not receive the honorific of Veteran. Reservists have military training and do an annual 14-day training period; however, a Reservist is not technically a Veteran unless called to active duty by the President or the Secretary of Defense. Today, approximately 65,000 reserve troops are on active duty at any given moment, supporting US military operations worldwide.
Visit the National Guard website, and you’ll find a tribute to its enlistees written by Charles Chappell that includes these words, “Civilian in peace, soldier in war... the stricken have known the comfort of my skill. I have faced forward to the tornado, the typhoon, and the horror of the hurricane and the flood. I saw the tall towers fall - I was there!”Like the Reserve, the Army and Air National Guard members usually serve one weekend per month and two weeks per year. While they train for combat and deploy overseas, they are usually called up for large-scale emergencies, natural disasters, and other events at home. Guardsmen are considered Veterans only if they are deployed on federal active duty for at least 180 days or, by a law passed in 2016, they have served for 20 years.
Women are the fastest-growing group in the veteran population! While women have served in the military in some fashion or another since the Revolution, it wasn’t until 1948 that women were officially recognized as members of the military. Today, more women serve in the Armed Forces than ever before, making up approximately 18% of the total enlistment. In 2000, women accounted for just 4% of the veteran population; today they make up 10%. By 2040, they are expected to make up 18% of the veteran population.
While you’re saying ‘thanks, don’t forget the Veteran’s family and the current 2.6 million military family members around!
They may not wear the uniform, but military spouses, partners and families serve, too. With deployments, frequent family separations, caregiving responsibilities, and everything in between, military life impacts the entire family. Spouses sacrifice career opportunities and often experience high levels of unemployment and underemployment. According to the US Department of defense, military families move every two to three years on average, and military children change schools an average of six to nine times from kindergarten to high school graduation, affecting them academically, emotionally, and socially.
