America 250 Military The Disconnect

The story of the U.S. is intertwined with its military history, from its creation in 1776 to the expansion of its physical borders to its role in the global political and economic order. But in a nation that often lionizes an idea of military service, the vast majority of American adults don’t serve, or aren’t very connected to the people who do and their families. Those who do serve often end up coming from generations of the same families, or the same communities, from certain states more than others. It’s a concentration that can make the responsibilities and burdens of military life land disproportionately on them.