By 2045, most veterans will have served after 9/11 % ofU.S veterans by era ofearliest service Pre-9/11 Post- 9/11 have started serving after the conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan conclude; they appear in veteran population projections beginning in 2022. "Other peacetime 97 includes those who
Today’s military is comprised of service members who served during a wide range of eras, from World War II to the post-9/11 conflicts. But the share who served in pre-9/11 eras will dwindle in future decades.
In 2015, the largest share of veterans first served during the Vietnam era (33%). Projections from the Department of Veterans Affairs show the waning influence of veterans from the World War II, Korean War and Vietnam eras. By 2045, the largest share of living veterans will have first served in the post-9/11 Gulf War era (35%).
By 2045, most veterans will have served after 9/11  | % ofU.S veterans by era ofearliest service  | WWII Korean Vietnam  | Pre-9/11 Post- 9/11  | Other  | conflict  | War  | Gulf War  | Gulf War  | peacetime  | 2015  | 12  | 5% 8  | 19  | 33  | 23  | 2045  | 35  | 11  | 23  | 27  | (projected)  | Post- Gulf War  | Note: Veterans Affairs categorizes "Post- Gulf War" veterans as peacetime veterans who will  | have started serving after the conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan conclude; they appear in  | veteran population projections beginning in 2022. "Other peacetime 97 includes those who  | served only during peacetime prior to the gulf wars. Veterans who served in multiple eras are  | included in the earliest sera only. Projections are based on estimates of the current veteran  | population and active duty military personnel and incorporate estimates of future military  | separations. Reservists who did not serve on active duty are not included in these  | projections unless they were disabled during training.  | Source: U. S Department of Veterans Affairs Veteran Population Projection Model 2016  | PEW RESEARCH CENTER 