Radical Change Underway in the Demographics of the Country. Our Veterans are Dying

By Ray

We'll soon be living in a country of new immigrants and with few people with a memory of having served their country in the military. No wonder

About 411,000 military veterans live in Minnesota, according to the 2005-2007 American Community Survey. Eleven percent of Minnesotans ages 18 or older are veterans. This figure includes those who served only during peacetime as well as those who saw combat.

The number of veterans has fallen by 12 percent since 2000, reflecting mortality among those who served in World War II and Korea. The 1990 census found about 152,000 Minnesotans who served in the Second World War. This number fell to 96,000 in 2000 and 58,000 in the 2005-2007 American Community Survey. The number of Korean War veterans has declined 20 percent since 2000.

As of 2005-2007, about 144,000 Minnesotans were veterans of the Vietnam conflict. This is now the largest conflict-era population. Mortality is also taking a toll on the Vietnam generation; the number of Vietnam veterans dropped 5 percent since 2000.

The decline in the number of veterans of wars of the 1940s through the 1970s has been offset somewhat by the growth in the numbers from more recent conflicts in the Gulf Wars and Afghanistan. About 54,000 Minnesotans are veterans with service after 1990. About 21,000 served after September, 2001.

Source: State of Minnesota