The 1%

I found myself this past Saturday thinking about the 1 percenters (1%).  No, I am not referring to the ultra-wealthy that many politicians like to rant against.  Rather, I was thinking about the 1% of the population that is serving their country as a member of the U.S. armed forces.  Saturday was Veterans Day and it is a day when our nation pauses to thank all those men and women who have served in the military.  It is estimated that currently 1% of the US population is a member of one of our armed forces. This number has not always been this low.  In past years, and particularly during armed conflicts, that percentage was much higher.  

This country has gotten better in recent years thanking our veterans for their service.  I was on active duty in the Army during the Vietnam era.  When I was discharged, I was told to not wear my uniform as I traveled home.  That was because the Vietnam War was so unpopular that protestors would accost anyone wearing a uniform.  What a sad way for someone who had served their country to be treated.  Many who served during Vietnam did so because they were drafted.  They were not in Vietnam so much by choice as much as they were there because they were drafted and were sent there to fight in an unpopular war.

I recently heard a statistic that was troublesome.  At one time in our Congress, over 70% of our senators and representatives had been in the military.  Today, it is less than 10%.  It is no wonder that veterans are often forgotten when it comes to enacting laws that will improve benefits to those who have served their country.  Unless you have been in the military, it is difficult to understand the emotional, financial, and physical strain that can be put on military families.  These military families deserve much more from this country than they are presently receiving.

            Whether you agree with the policies of our government concerning the use of our military, the fact is that we will always require a military to be trained and ready to protect and defend our country.  Now that we no longer have a draft, the men and women who are in our military are there because they want to serve this country.  This is not only a noble cause but it is one that this country should support with our appreciation and we should ensure that these military families receive the benefits they so richly deserve. 

            So, rather than focusing on the 1% of those in our population that are extremely wealthy, why not focus on the 1% of the population that are giving the rest of us the freedom to live and be successful in the United States…the members of the U.S. military.