Educator | Space Weather Enthusiast | Uncertainty Reduction Enabler | Guardian & prior Soldier
Happy Veteran's Day weekend! I am not a veteran yet because I am still on active duty, but I will be a veteran at some point. So, I want to thank those that served at one point in uniform and have already shifted their service from military service to other noble types of service! Many aspects of our veteran population are important for us all to be cognizant of not just this weekend, but continually. Two of those aspects from this linked article are: 1) The share of the U.S. population with military experience has declined, according to data from the U.S. Census Bureau. In 1980, about 18% of U.S. adults were veterans, but that share fell to 6% in 2022. 2) Fewer members of Congress have military experience than in the past, according to a Center analysis of the 118th Congress conducted after the 2022 congressional elections. In the current Congress, 18% of representatives and 17% of senators are veterans, down drastically from just a few decades ago. I am not sure how much that percentage (% in Congress that are veterans) will change due to this year's elections, but regardless, one way to thank a veteran is to communicate with your Senators and Representatives to ensure that our ~16 million veterans are provided the resources and assistance they need in their individual circumstances (because all are unique). Remember, Veteran's Day is for those (both living and deceased) that have served in uniform in the past. Armed Forces Day (3rd Saturday each May) is for those still serving in uniform. And Memorial Day (last Monday of each May) is for those that died while serving in uniform. So, please consider taking some time to find one of those 16 million veterans (or just 6% of our population) and thank them for their service and see what they need from Congress.
