Facts on War Veterans
The United States has a very large population of war veterans and the number increases with every deployment into combat. The socioeconomics and personal conflicts that this subpopulation presents is of importance to the government and citizens as a whole.
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Size
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Over 12 percent of the United States population can be considered veterans of war, making a total population of 24,387,000, according to a 2005 report by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. Vietnam-era veterans make up the largest population with 8 million, followed by the Gulf War with 4.3 million.
Misconceptions
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American veterans are often blamed for the conflicts for which they fought. However, these soldiers are simply doing their job. Many soldiers join during peacetime while others are drafted into service. This phenomena is most noted in the Vietnam era.
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Potential
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The conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan have created a new generation of veterans to rival even the Vietnam era in population. A higher percentage of soldiers are coming back injured rather than killed, as compared to previous conflicts due to increased body armor and protection. The effects on the VA and the population in general are unknown at this time.
Famous Ties
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Many famous people have served as veterans, from Rudolph Valentino in World War I to Pat Tillman in Afghanistan. World War II was notable for having many sports stars join the ranks of fighting men and women. Politicians can also be veterans, starting with our first president George Washington all the way through Senator John McCain.
Potential
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With America's commitments to conflicts around the world and operating as the largest military in existence, the creation of veterans is a foregone conclusion barring legitimate world peace. However, with proper systems in place, the volume of social issues brought on by our service members should be increasingly diminished.
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