Looking at the numbers generated by our veterans is shocking for many reasons.
First, the number of living veterans from all of the 20th century wars into our current conflicts is amazing. They are strong and resilient. These brave men and women keep the memory of their service alive.
Second, it’s absolutely shocking to see the numbers of veterans who served in two or more conflicts. These veterans are incredible patriots, dedicated to their mission and country.
Number of Living Veterans from Each Conflict
Right now, there are approximately 23.3 million veterans – a staggering number, regardless of the way you look at it. Though it is quite sad and not all that surprising, the number of living veterans from World War I are shrinking.
What also is surprising is that it’s clear how massive the earlier conflicts were just by looking at the remaining veterans. Further, it shows just how much war has changed even since the Vietnam War.
|
Total Number of Living Veterans |
23,300,000 |
|
Operations Iraqi Freedom and Enduring Freedom |
433,396 |
|
Operations Desert Shield and Desert Storm |
615,133 |
|
Vietnam War |
8,054,993 |
|
Korean War |
3,256,925 |
|
World War II |
3,525,769 |
|
World War I (less than) |
50 |
Number of Living Veterans that Served in Two and Three Wars
Whether these veterans were “lifers” or volunteers, it’s moving to see how many served in multiple conflicts. These people are the backbone of our military.
They go where they’re needed. They go where their country needs them.
|
Both Gulf Wars |
740,000 |
|
Korean War and Vietnam War |
245,000 |
|
World War II and Korean War |
182,000 |
|
Vietnam War and Both Gulf Wars |
50,000 |
|
World War II, Korean and Vietnam War |
92,000 |
Number of Living Veterans by Race and Ethnicity
These numbers show not only how diverse our armed forces are but also shows a small slice of who we are as a nation.
|
African Americans |
2,300,000 |
|
Hispanic |
1,100,000 |
|
Asian |
276,000 |
|
American Indian or Alaskan Native |
160,000 |
|
Hawaii Native or Pacific Islander |
27,000 |
|
Non-Hispanic White |
18,300,000 |
Total Spent on Veterans Benefits Compared to the Total Spent in OEF and OIF
In Operation Enduring Freedom and Operation Iraqi Freedom, there is an allotment for veterans’ services, but its small.
There is no doubt that wars are expensive, but the aftermath of conflicts – meaning, the ongoing care and treatment for veterans – also has a considerable cost attached to it.
|
Total Spent on Veterans Benefits (billion) |
$95,600,000,000 |
|
Total Spent in OEF and OIF (trillion) |
$1,283,000,000,000 |
