Data: U.S. Census Bureau; Note: Periods of service are not mutually exclusive, so values may add up to more than 100%; Excludes veterans who served in other time periods not listed; Chart: Axios Visuals
About 31% of veterans living in Des Moines served after 9/11 in Iraq and Afghanistan, according to data from the U.S. Census Bureau.
Zoom out: Veterans who served in the last 30 years now make up the largest group of living veterans in the U.S., according to Pew Research Center.
Fewer people have military experience since the draft ended in 1973.
In 1980, 18% of adults had military experience, compared to 6% in 2022.
Yes, but: More diverse groups are helping fill those gaps, including women and Latino and Black adults, Pew reports.
Editor's note: This story was corrected to say about 31% (not a majority) of veterans living in Des Moines served after 9/11.