Since Sept. 11, 2001, the U.S. has been in the longest period of sustained conflict in its history. But that burden has been borne by the smallest-ever percentage of the population — just 0.5 percent.
You can see what that means in the chart below, which shows the dramatic decline from decade to decade of veterans among the prime age group for military service — 18 to 34-year-olds.
If you’re having trouble reading the map’s legend, darker colors indicate a higher percentage of veterans in each county.
