How common is it for an American to know someone who has fought in a war?
Does everyone have a schoolmate, family member, or friend who has been in one, or is it more uncommon than that?
43 comments
Of course I know him. He’s me!
Oh, and my grandpa, and my other grandpa, and my brother and my other brother. I won’t get into any other non familial relationships.
I think it’s pretty common. So many people I know and love have been in wars. My dad, both grandfathers, my brother, friends and acquaintances.
I think it is safe to say it is much more unusual not to know someone who has been in a war.
Extremely common.
Yes, several people
Me, and by default a bunch of my friends who went with me. I was a combat medic for 8 years with several combat deployments.
I knew a guy who survived the Ukrainian war by fleeing.
And my great grandpa was on a sub in ww2
Yes. Everyone knows lots of people that went to war. Some that went to more than one.
I personally have
Its very common for most people to know at least one person.
Hell my High school History teacher faught in Vietnam so you can guess what a large portion of the class was about.
both grandfathers, my father, myself, and many family and personal friends
Both my grandfathers were WWII vets, my father served in Vietnam, I’ll skip the friends non direct family members in order to keep this short.
yeah, one of my regulars at work always tells me about the shit he got up to in the Middle East during the 00’s
I think you’d be hard pressed to find someone that doesn’t know anyone that’s been in a war.
Both my grandfathers were run WW2 and my dad was in Vietnam. My college roommate died to an ied in Afghanistan.
both grandfathers (ww2), brother in law (Afghanistan), father in law (iraq), and many friends in Afghanistan.
I know many including my spouse.
Almost everyone’s dad or granddad was in Vietnam or Korea or WWII.
Yes. I’m a woman (50 yrs old) and also a gamer and I swear half my Xbox friends are veterans.
Have three uncles that fought in Vietnam.
Very common but I guess it depends on how you qualify it. A lot of service members, even ones who deployed to combat zones, never actually engaged in combat
Grandpa was in WW2.
I would think you’d be hard pressed to find somebody who doesn’t know someone who has been part of a war, unfortunately. Both my grandpas were drafted, my husband did a tour in Iraq when he was not far out of high school, several other members of my family and former classmates were also somewhere over in the Middle East. So to answer the question: it’s very very common.
Common. Our military is huge. More common in certain parts of the country too especially poorer communities or communities near a base.
And the US is almost always in war unfortunately. 😥
My late great-grandfather fought in WWII, and my grandfather was in the US military during the Vietnam war… in Germany.
I know four generations of service people WW2, Korean War, Vietnam war, Desert Storm
My dad was a Nam but he wasn’t a soldier. He was a radio operator. I imagine most people know at least one person that’s been in a war considering how many wars we’ve had.
Yes. Relatives served in WWII, Korea and Vietnam. A good friend served in Iraq.
My grandfathers, uncles, parents (my mother was in the Women’s Army and an aide to a general), cousins etc. I know or knew a lot of people who served in the military.
My dad was in Vietnam, he has passed away now though.
I never met anyone who was in World War I. But I have of all the others that involved US armed services.
I had a college roommate that fought in the Vietnam War. For the Viet Cong. He was just a teen at the time. Many years later, he was in the USA getting a PhD in Engineering.
My grandfather was in WWI.
My dad and Uncle were in WWII. My brother was drafted during Vietnam but was lucky and stayed stateside. I have had friends in the military and I used to date a Marine. So, yes, I have know a few servicemen.
Ive only personally known people who trained others and/or were officers, and had one gpa working in the Italian Navy but I dont believe he was actually fighting. AFAIK none have been on an actual battlefield.
Yes, I think it would be much more unusual not to know anyone who has been to war.
I think it depends where you live. We live in a military community and most of our friends are affiliated which includes special forces.
My neighbor served three tours in Afghanistan.
My dad was in Vietnam, my mom’s dad was in WW2, I have ancestors that were in the US civil war on both sides of the conflict, also a direct ancestor was in the revolutionary war, and also fought in the Jacobite rebellion before coming to America. Oh and there was WW1 and even the war of 1812 that ancestors fought in. I’m the first generation bearing my family name that hasn’t fought in a war.
Depends on your definition of “been in a war”. I’ve known people who served in hostile areas but weren’t one of the people shooting, I’ve know other people that were actual combat veterans.
I suspect that i know more combat veterans than I realize because most veterans will talk about being in the military but combat veterans don’t talk casually about being in combat.
My dad (he was 59 when I came around) was a WWII officer on a troop transport ship in the Pacific Theater. Purple Heart recipient after shrapnel from a Japanese Zero strafing ripped part of his chest off. Despite this, he cited it as the most important time of his life before having kids, and it shaped everything he was from 19 to when he passed at age 91. Dealt with some ptsd and self-medicated until his late 70s.
My friend was in the national guard during Iraq war 2004-ish and suffers from deep paranoia and ptsd from combat and what he saw with civilians over there. He was so full of life and humor before deploying. No physical wounds. He regrets enlisting deeply and we’ve mostly lost touch.
My sister deployed to Afghanistan. While she was just a combat medic, she did engage in combat at some point and won some award. Both of my parents served in the army as well, I don’t know much about the service but my mom freaked when she learned about the award because she knows what you have to do to earn it (I do not, so I can’t say much beyond this)
Yes. I’m elder GenX so my dad and various uncles were in WW2, my grandpa and great uncles were in WW1– and several great-aunts were army nurses and army mathematicians (human computers). And then we get to Korea and Vietnam and Bay of Pigs and Gulf Wars…. it’s sad how much fighting people do.
I also met UK relatives who fought for Great Britain in WW2.
43 comments
Of course I know him. He’s me!
Oh, and my grandpa, and my other grandpa, and my brother and my other brother. I won’t get into any other non familial relationships.
I think it’s pretty common. So many people I know and love have been in wars. My dad, both grandfathers, my brother, friends and acquaintances.
I think it is safe to say it is much more unusual not to know someone who has been in a war.
Extremely common.
Yes, several people
Me, and by default a bunch of my friends who went with me. I was a combat medic for 8 years with several combat deployments.
I knew a guy who survived the Ukrainian war by fleeing.
And my great grandpa was on a sub in ww2
Yes. Everyone knows lots of people that went to war. Some that went to more than one.
I personally have
Its very common for most people to know at least one person.
Hell my High school History teacher faught in Vietnam so you can guess what a large portion of the class was about.
both grandfathers, my father, myself, and many family and personal friends
Both my grandfathers were WWII vets, my father served in Vietnam, I’ll skip the friends non direct family members in order to keep this short.
yeah, one of my regulars at work always tells me about the shit he got up to in the Middle East during the 00’s
I think you’d be hard pressed to find someone that doesn’t know anyone that’s been in a war.
Both my grandfathers were run WW2 and my dad was in Vietnam. My college roommate died to an ied in Afghanistan.
both grandfathers (ww2), brother in law (Afghanistan), father in law (iraq), and many friends in Afghanistan.
I know many including my spouse.
Almost everyone’s dad or granddad was in Vietnam or Korea or WWII.
Yes. I’m a woman (50 yrs old) and also a gamer and I swear half my Xbox friends are veterans.
Have three uncles that fought in Vietnam.
Very common but I guess it depends on how you qualify it. A lot of service members, even ones who deployed to combat zones, never actually engaged in combat
Grandpa was in WW2.
I would think you’d be hard pressed to find somebody who doesn’t know someone who has been part of a war, unfortunately. Both my grandpas were drafted, my husband did a tour in Iraq when he was not far out of high school, several other members of my family and former classmates were also somewhere over in the Middle East. So to answer the question: it’s very very common.
Common. Our military is huge. More common in certain parts of the country too especially poorer communities or communities near a base.
And the US is almost always in war unfortunately. 😥
My late great-grandfather fought in WWII, and my grandfather was in the US military during the Vietnam war… in Germany.
I know four generations of service people WW2, Korean War, Vietnam war, Desert Storm
My dad was a Nam but he wasn’t a soldier. He was a radio operator. I imagine most people know at least one person that’s been in a war considering how many wars we’ve had.
Yes. Relatives served in WWII, Korea and Vietnam. A good friend served in Iraq.
My grandfathers, uncles, parents (my mother was in the Women’s Army and an aide to a general), cousins etc. I know or knew a lot of people who served in the military.
My dad was in Vietnam, he has passed away now though.
I never met anyone who was in World War I. But I have of all the others that involved US armed services.
I had a college roommate that fought in the Vietnam War. For the Viet Cong. He was just a teen at the time. Many years later, he was in the USA getting a PhD in Engineering.
My grandfather was in WWI.
My dad and Uncle were in WWII. My brother was drafted during Vietnam but was lucky and stayed stateside. I have had friends in the military and I used to date a Marine. So, yes, I have know a few servicemen.
Ive only personally known people who trained others and/or were officers, and had one gpa working in the Italian Navy but I dont believe he was actually fighting. AFAIK none have been on an actual battlefield.
Yes, I think it would be much more unusual not to know anyone who has been to war.
I think it depends where you live. We live in a military community and most of our friends are affiliated which includes special forces.
My neighbor served three tours in Afghanistan.
My dad was in Vietnam, my mom’s dad was in WW2, I have ancestors that were in the US civil war on both sides of the conflict, also a direct ancestor was in the revolutionary war, and also fought in the Jacobite rebellion before coming to America. Oh and there was WW1 and even the war of 1812 that ancestors fought in. I’m the first generation bearing my family name that hasn’t fought in a war.
Depends on your definition of “been in a war”. I’ve known people who served in hostile areas but weren’t one of the people shooting, I’ve know other people that were actual combat veterans.
I suspect that i know more combat veterans than I realize because most veterans will talk about being in the military but combat veterans don’t talk casually about being in combat.
My dad (he was 59 when I came around) was a WWII officer on a troop transport ship in the Pacific Theater. Purple Heart recipient after shrapnel from a Japanese Zero strafing ripped part of his chest off. Despite this, he cited it as the most important time of his life before having kids, and it shaped everything he was from 19 to when he passed at age 91. Dealt with some ptsd and self-medicated until his late 70s.
My friend was in the national guard during Iraq war 2004-ish and suffers from deep paranoia and ptsd from combat and what he saw with civilians over there. He was so full of life and humor before deploying. No physical wounds. He regrets enlisting deeply and we’ve mostly lost touch.
My sister deployed to Afghanistan. While she was just a combat medic, she did engage in combat at some point and won some award. Both of my parents served in the army as well, I don’t know much about the service but my mom freaked when she learned about the award because she knows what you have to do to earn it (I do not, so I can’t say much beyond this)
Yes. I’m elder GenX so my dad and various uncles were in WW2, my grandpa and great uncles were in WW1– and several great-aunts were army nurses and army mathematicians (human computers). And then we get to Korea and Vietnam and Bay of Pigs and Gulf Wars…. it’s sad how much fighting people do.
I also met UK relatives who fought for Great Britain in WW2.
He is me