Study Finds Evidence of Social Disconnect Between Veterans, Civilians

Relatively few Americans have served in the military, and those on active duty are separated, geographically from civilian communities.

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By Carson FrameDecember 22, 2017 9:30 am, , ,

From Texas Public Radio:

Less than half of one percent of Americans are currently on active duty in the military, compared with about 2 percent during the Vietnam era and about 9 percent during World War II.

That may be contributing to civilians’ lack of understanding about military life, with veterans increasingly choosing to associate with one another for friendship and support.

San Antonio is home to Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 76, the oldest VFW post in Texas. It’s a sprawling Victorian-era building, complete with a canteen and outdoor beer garden. On weekday nights, it draws a crowd of mostly veterans and active duty personnel — with the occasional civilian mixed in.

Read more. 

This story was produced by the American Homefront Project, a public media collaboration that reports on American military life and veterans. Funding comes from the Corporation for Public Broadcasting and the Bob Woodruff Foundation.