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Social and Psychological Costs of Military Service · The Infographics Show Podcast

• 0:10
  Speaker 1: Welcome to beyond infographics. Today, we're diving into something really crucial,
• 0:16
  Speaker 1: this evolving relationship between the American public on its military. Yeah,
• 0:20
  Speaker 1: you shared some really fascinating perspectives on this. It seems
• 0:23
  Speaker 1: pretty clear there's a growing distance, right, a real civil
• 0:27
  Speaker 1: military gap that's well worth exploring.
• 0:30
  Speaker 2: Absolutely, and we've got insights touching on you know, who's
• 0:33
  Speaker 2: actually serving, how social shifts are playing out within the military,
• 0:36
  Speaker 2: the whole politics angle, and even the really deep personal
• 0:39
  Speaker 2: impact of service. So our goal today is to kind
• 0:42
  Speaker 2: of connect these dots and really understand the shape of
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  Speaker 2: this separation and importantly what it might mean.
• 0:48
  Speaker 1: It really struck me when I looked at that image
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  Speaker 1: you sent, you know, the young people taking an oath.
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  Speaker 1: It's such a powerful reminder that military service is this
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  Speaker 1: continuous commitment, and how well that commitment aligns with the
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  Speaker 1: under standing in support of the broader society. It's just
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  Speaker 1: so important, it really is. Okay, so let's start by
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  Speaker 1: looking at, well, who exactly is putting on the uniform
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  Speaker 1: and how does that reflect the country as a whole.
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  Speaker 2: Well, fundamentally, the idea is that the military should ideally
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  Speaker 2: reflect the diversity of the nation. It protects, right, Yeah, Geographically, culturally, economically.
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  Speaker 1: The whole picture makes sense.
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  Speaker 2: But what's fascinating and maybe a bit concerning, is the
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  Speaker 2: significant skew in where our volunteers are actually coming from.
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  Speaker 2: You see over forty four percent of recruits they hail
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  Speaker 2: from rural America.
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  Speaker 1: Wow, over forty four percent.
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  Speaker 2: Yeah, compared to urban centers, which is where you know,
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  Speaker 2: the majority of Americans actually live. So this geographic concentration
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  Speaker 2: and recruitment, it's a really key element in this growing
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  Speaker 2: divide we're talking about.
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  Speaker 1: That's a huge point. It suggests a large chunk of
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  Speaker 1: the country might have way less firsthand connection to military life,
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  Speaker 1: just based purely on geography precisely.
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  Speaker 2: And it means that the sort of national understanding of
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  Speaker 2: what military service is might be shaped more by the
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  Speaker 2: experiences of a smaller segment of the population.
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  Speaker 1: And it's not just about who's signing up, is it.
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  Speaker 1: Where are militaries actually stationed also plays a big part
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  Speaker 1: in this visibility or lack thereof.
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  Speaker 2: Oh. Absolutely, And here's where it gets really interesting. As
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  Speaker 2: you said, over three hundred and fifty military bases have
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  Speaker 2: closed since the end of the Cold War.
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  Speaker 1: Three hundred and fifty that's a massive reduction.
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  Speaker 2: It is. It's a significant reduction in the everyday visibility
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  Speaker 2: of service members for countless communities across the country.
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  Speaker 1: So fewer chances for those casual interactions exactly.
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  Speaker 2: And if you link that to the fact that almost half,
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  Speaker 2: nearly fifty percent of all active duty personnel are stationed
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  Speaker 2: in just.
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  Speaker 1: Five states, which states to those again.
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  Speaker 2: Georgia, Virginia, North Carolina, Texas, and California. Okay, so you
• 2:49
  Speaker 2: see how the military presence itself becomes concentrated in these
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  Speaker 2: specific geographic pockets. That leaves huge swaths of the country
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  Speaker 2: with relatively little direct interaction.
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  Speaker 1: And I've heard descriptions of some of these large joint
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  Speaker 1: bases that they can almost become like self contained worlds.
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  Speaker 2: Yeah, that's a fair description. Some veterans use almost like
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  Speaker 2: exclusive gated communities in a way which naturally limits those casual,
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  Speaker 2: everyday interactions between civilians and military folks, except of course,
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  Speaker 2: in those communities right outside the gates, right.
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  Speaker 1: Where the impact is felt very directly.
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  Speaker 2: Oh definitely, in places like say Fayetteville, North Carolina, near
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  Speaker 2: Fort Liberty, the community is deeply, deeply intertwined with the
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  Speaker 2: military deployments, losses. It's all very real there, but.
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  Speaker 1: For someone maybe living in the Midwest or the Pacific Northwest.
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  Speaker 2: That direct personal connection might be much much rarer. It's
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  Speaker 2: just not part of their daily landscape.
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  Speaker 1: In the same way, there was even that anecdote you
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  Speaker 1: mentioned about military members stopping their cars to honor the
• 3:49
  Speaker 1: lowering of the flag Yes, which seemed to highlight maybe
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  Speaker 1: a potential difference in how these everyday displays of patriotism
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  Speaker 1: are observed or perhaps felt in military versus civilian contexts
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  Speaker 1: in some areas.
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  Speaker 2: It's an interesting observation. Certainly it hints at potential cultural differences,
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  Speaker 2: perhaps stemming from that concentration and shared experience within the
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  Speaker 2: military community.
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  Speaker 1: So how does all this feed into those wire social
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  Speaker 1: and cultural gaps we're seeing.
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  Speaker 2: Well, you know, the military, like any huge institution, sometimes
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  Speaker 2: adapts to broader cultural shifts at its own pace, sometimes
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  Speaker 2: a bit slower than the rest of society. Okay, think
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  Speaker 2: about the whole issue of homosexuality in the military. The
• 4:30
  Speaker 2: don't ask, don't tell policy, its implementation and then its
• 4:34
  Speaker 2: eventual repeal that really throws this friction into sharp relief.
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  Speaker 1: Right. I remember there was significant initial resistance wasn't there
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  Speaker 1: from some senior military leaders.
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  Speaker 2: There was. Concerns were voiced about potential negative impacts on
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  Speaker 2: unit cohesion, discipline readiness, the usual arguments. Really, but what
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  Speaker 2: happened after the repeal, Well, subsequent studies actually indicated no
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  Speaker 2: over' all negative impacts in those specific as. Interesting, which
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  Speaker 2: does raise questions, doesn't it about the assumptions that sometimes
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  Speaker 2: underpin institutional resistance to social change.
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  Speaker 1: Yeah, it absolutely does. And we see similar dynamics with
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  Speaker 1: the integration of women into combat roles.
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  Speaker 2: Perhaps very similar. There's been historical debate, strong opinions on
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  Speaker 2: both sides about its potential effects on combat effectiveness. And
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  Speaker 2: this is despite women increasingly demonstrating their capabilities and you know,
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  Speaker 2: holding significant positions of leadership, and public.
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  Speaker 1: Opinion on women in combat roles seems to still kind
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  Speaker 1: of waiver, doesn't it.
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  Speaker 2: It does, And you even see the potential for policy
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  Speaker 2: shifts on this, and even talk about the draft again
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  Speaker 2: depending on who's in the White House. It feels like
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  Speaker 2: these societal evolutions can definitely create points of tension or
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  Speaker 2: maybe misunderstanding between the military sphere and civilian society. That
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  Speaker 2: makes sense, and another really big factor in this social
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  Speaker 2: and cultural divergence. It's the decreasing direct familial connection to
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  Speaker 2: the military for the average American ow so well back
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  Speaker 2: the baby boomer era, a much larger percentage of the
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  Speaker 2: population has someone in their immediate family apparent a sibling
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  Speaker 2: who had served.
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  Speaker 1: Right the draft era and post WWII.
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  Speaker 2: Generation exactly today, with a much smaller all volunteer force,
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  Speaker 2: that direct personal link has just diminished for many many people.
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  Speaker 1: Although it's interesting you also pointed out that those who
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  Speaker 1: are currently serving are still significantly more likely to come
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  Speaker 1: from military families.
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  Speaker 2: That's a key point. It suggests that family tradition, that
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  Speaker 2: legacy of service remains a really powerful driver for recruitment.
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  Speaker 1: So it's almost becoming a more inherited experience in some ways,
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  Speaker 1: less broadly shared across society.
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  Speaker 2: That's a compelling way to put it. Yeah, it's concentrating
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  Speaker 2: within certain families and networks.
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  Speaker 1: We should probably touch on media portrayals too, shouldn't we.
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  Speaker 1: Hollywood's version of a soldier.
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  Speaker 2: Definitely. How Hollywood portrays service members can absolutely shape public perception.
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  Speaker 2: Sometimes it relies on, you know, established stereotypes or focuses
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  Speaker 2: on the most extreme scenarios, which.
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  Speaker 1: Aren't necessarily reflective of the day to day reality for
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  Speaker 1: most troops.
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  Speaker 2: Exactly, it can contribute to that sense of otherness or misunderstanding.
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  Speaker 1: Okay, let's shift gears a bit politics and military service.
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  Speaker 1: This feels like a particularly delicate area.
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  Speaker 2: It really is. The whole concept of neutrality of nonpartisanship
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  Speaker 2: is so deeply embedded in the professional military ethos it's core.
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  Speaker 1: But there seem to be growing concerns lately.
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  Speaker 2: There are concerns about the increasing visibility of senior military figures,
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  Speaker 2: both active and perhaps specially retired, getting involved in the
• 7:35
  Speaker 2: political arena.
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  Speaker 1: Like endorsements and presidential campaigns.
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  Speaker 2: That's a big one. Yeah, it can be particularly risky
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  Speaker 2: because it risks creating the perception, fair or not, that
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  Speaker 2: the military itself is aligning with specific political ideologies, which.
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  Speaker 1: Could erode public trust in its impartiality.
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  Speaker 2: Precisely, trust is paramount, and related to this, we've also
• 7:56
  Speaker 2: seen a noticeable decline in the number of veterans serving
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  Speaker 2: in Congress.
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  Speaker 1: Right, how significant is that decline?
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  Speaker 2: It's quite significant since say, the Vietnam era. There's an
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  Speaker 2: argument to be made that this could have real implications
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  Speaker 2: for military oversight, for how defense policy gets shaped and
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  Speaker 2: maybe even for the attention given to veteran specific issues.
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  Speaker 1: What's the core of that argument that veterans bring a
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  Speaker 1: unique perspective?
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  Speaker 2: Exactly? The argument is that veterans in Congress bring a
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  Speaker 2: unique firsthand understanding of the needs, the challenges, the realities
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  Speaker 2: faced by service members, so.
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  Speaker 1: They can inform debates on defense spending strategy.
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  Speaker 2: Right, potentially leading to more effective oversight, maybe even a
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  Speaker 2: deeper understanding of the human cost involved in decisions about
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  Speaker 2: using force. Studies also suggest they tend to be very
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  Speaker 2: engaged on policy matters across the board.
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  Speaker 1: And history has shown friction between civilian leaders and military commanders,
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  Speaker 1: sometimes due to politics or differing strategic views. Right.
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  Speaker 2: Oh, Absolutely, that tension is almost inherent in the system
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  Speaker 2: navigating those civilian military relations.
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  Speaker 1: It really underscored that vital principle the military's ultimate commitment
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  Speaker 1: is to the American people and the Constitution, not to
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  Speaker 1: any political party or agenda that.
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  Speaker 2: Has to be the bedrocket shouldn't be viewed as just
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  Speaker 2: another special interest group.
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  Speaker 1: So thinking about solutions or at least ways to bridge
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  Speaker 1: this gap, does our current all volunteer force model itself
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  Speaker 1: contribute to the problem, to the isolation.
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  Speaker 2: That's a really important question, and it's debated. Does relying
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  Speaker 2: solely on volunteers inadvertently create a military that's somewhat set
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  Speaker 2: apart from the society it serves. It's certainly worth considering.
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  Speaker 1: Which inevitably brings up the idea of a draft.
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  Speaker 2: It does. The draft is often raised as a potential
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  Speaker 2: way to theoretically reconnect the military and society spread the burden,
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  Speaker 2: though it's fair to say public support for bringing back
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  Speaker 2: the draft is generally quite low.
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  Speaker 1: What are the arguments for it though beyond just representation, Well.
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  Speaker 2: Proponents argue it could distribute the responsibility of national defense
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  Speaker 2: more broadly across different demographics. It might also alleviate some
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  Speaker 2: of the intense strain of repeated deployments that falls heavily
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  Speaker 2: on our smaller volunteer force.
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  Speaker 1: And potentially bring in different skill sets.
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  Speaker 2: That's another point. Yeah, access to a wider range of
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  Speaker 2: specialized skills, tech, medical languages that might be harder to
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  Speaker 2: recruit purely through voluntary means.
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  Speaker 1: What about patriotism, How does that play into connecting troops
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  Speaker 1: in the public.
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  Speaker 2: Patriotism and perhaps nationalism are powerful forces. We saw that
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  Speaker 2: huge surge in the desire to serve right after nine
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  Speaker 2: to eleven, didn't.
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  Speaker 1: We absolutely a real unifying moment in that.
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  Speaker 2: Sense, but that surge has since declined quite a bit.
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  Speaker 2: Maintaining that strong sense of shared purpose and connection is
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  Speaker 2: challenging over the long term.
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  Speaker 1: Are there programs that help bridge this, like ROTC?
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  Speaker 2: Yes, Programs like ROTC and also JROTC and high schools
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  Speaker 2: are seen as really important links between the military and
• 10:54
  Speaker 2: a target population of younger people.
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  Speaker 1: Get expanding those help.
• 10:57
  Speaker 2: Potentially expanding them could maybe lead to more geographically diverse
• 11:01
  Speaker 2: representation down the line, and certainly increase public understanding or
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  Speaker 2: at least exposure to what military service actually involves. It's
• 11:09
  Speaker 2: about building those bridges early.
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  Speaker 1: But beyond these societal connections, we absolutely have to talk
• 11:15
  Speaker 1: about the human cost, the psychological impact of war.
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  Speaker 2: We must. It's crucial conditions like PTSD, depression, suicidal ideation.
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  Speaker 2: These are tragically common among veterans, particularly from recent conflicts.
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  Speaker 1: The statistics are staggering, aren't they, Suicide rates among post
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  Speaker 1: nine to eleven vets being significantly higher than combat deaths.
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  Speaker 2: It's heartbreaking. And beyond PTSD, there's this concept of moral injury.
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  Speaker 1: Can you explain that a bit.
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  Speaker 2: It's a distinct kind of psychological wound. It happens when
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  Speaker 2: someone acts or witnesses actions that violate their own deeply
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  Speaker 2: held moral code during wartime. It's not just fear, it's
• 11:53
  Speaker 2: a sense of having transgress something fundamental.
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  Speaker 1: And that's strongly linked to suicide risk.
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  Speaker 2: Too, very strongly linked to suicidal thoughts. Yes, it highlights
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  Speaker 2: these incredibly difficult internal struggles many veterans face long after
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  Speaker 2: they've left the battlefield. Understanding and addressing moral injury.
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  Speaker 1: Is critical, and the financial cost of care is enormous.
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  Speaker 2: Too, absolutely massive. The projected cost for caring for disabled
• 12:17
  Speaker 2: post nine to eleven veterans run into the trillions of dollars.
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  Speaker 2: It underscores the immense long term societal commitment required after
• 12:25
  Speaker 2: conflicts end.
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  Speaker 1: We also need to acknowledge other burdens, like the disproportionately
• 12:29
  Speaker 1: high rates of sexual assault faced by women and also
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  Speaker 1: LGBTQ plus service members.
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  Speaker 2: Yes, that's a serious issue within the military that demands
• 12:37
  Speaker 2: continued attention and reform, And we shouldn't forget the increasing
• 12:40
  Speaker 2: burden of care that falls on military families, who often
• 12:43
  Speaker 2: become the primary caregivers for their injured loved ones. That's
• 12:46
  Speaker 2: a huge, often hidden cost.
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  Speaker 1: It's just a world away from how these things were
• 12:51
  Speaker 1: viewed historically, isn't it. Even Detailed medical records from say,
• 12:55
  Speaker 1: the Civil War didn't really explicitly address psychological trauma in
• 13:00
  Speaker 1: the way we understand it.
• 13:01
  Speaker 2: Now, not in the same way. No, our understanding has
• 13:03
  Speaker 2: evolved significantly, thankfully, but it also shows there's still an
• 13:07
  Speaker 2: ongoing need for greater awareness, better support systems, and continued research.
• 13:12
  Speaker 1: This has been incredibly insightful, and if you listening are
• 13:16
  Speaker 1: finding this exploration valuable, please do consider giving beyond infographics
• 13:20
  Speaker 1: of five star rating. It really helps others find these
• 13:23
  Speaker 1: kinds of in depth discussions.
• 13:24
  Speaker 2: Okay, so let's try to bring this all together. Thinking
• 13:26
  Speaker 2: about you, our listener, and this broader relationship between the
• 13:30
  Speaker 2: military and American society. What does it all mean? It
• 13:34
  Speaker 2: seems pretty clear that these factors, shrinking representation, those evolving
• 13:38
  Speaker 2: social norms, the complexities around political involvement, they're contributing to
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  Speaker 2: a real widening gap.
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  Speaker 1: Yeah, it really posts a challenge for all of us,
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  Speaker 1: doesn't it. How can we as a society foster a
• 13:48
  Speaker 1: stronger understanding and offer better, more meaningful support to those
• 13:52
  Speaker 1: who serve. How do we actually bridge these divides and
• 13:56
  Speaker 1: ensure we maintain a healthy connection with our military.
• 13:58
  Speaker 2: Maybe thinking about things like the geographic distribution of recruitment
• 14:02
  Speaker 2: and bases, that's one angle, and.
• 14:04
  Speaker 1: Continuing the dialogues around social issues within the military, and crucially,
• 14:09
  Speaker 1: how we engage within support veterans when they transition back
• 14:12
  Speaker 1: into civilian life. Those seem like key areas to focus on.
• 14:15
  Speaker 2: Definitely, we hope this deep dive into these important aspects
• 14:19
  Speaker 2: has given you a clearer perspective on what is truly
• 14:22
  Speaker 2: a multifaceted, complex issue.
• 14:24
  Speaker 1: And maybe for your own reflection, think about the role
• 14:27
  Speaker 1: your own community plays. Is it helping to strengthen connections
• 14:31
  Speaker 1: with military members and veterans or perhaps unintentionally hindering them.
• 14:35
  Speaker 1: What small steps, even locally might create a more understanding
• 14:39
  Speaker 1: and supportive environment for everyone