The face of the American military is changing. Far fewer people serve today compared with a generation ago, and the percentage of Americans with military experience has fallen by more than half since 1980.
Meanwhile, the profile of those who serve is vastly different than it once was. Today’s troops are more diverse and face new challenges, both while they’re in uniform and after they leave the service.
American Homefront is a major public media initiative that reports on the lives of military personnel, veterans, and their families. Our long-form stories chronicle the challenges and successes of the military and veteran communities.
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More Vietnam vets now qualify for disability benefits, but it may be years before they see the moneyVeterans suffering from certain medical conditions became eligible for "presumptive" VA disability benefits last year. But the claims they're filing have added to the agency's huge backlog.