Jason Higgins, assistant professor of history at Virginia Tech, said that repeat deployments during the Iraq War created adverse effects like PTSD and physical injuries, and that a small group of American families directly experience the consequences of war. ^[1] Kathy Roth-Douquet, co-founder and CEO of Blue Star Families, said that military service became a 'cul-de-sac' where people who served beget people who served and married people from families who served. ^[2] Peter Feaver, professor of political science at Duke University, said that in the World War II era every family had someone who served and the military was widely distributed geographically, unlike the concentration seen today. ^[3] The U.S. Army Recruiting Command reported that more than 75% of Army recruits come from families where a relative has served, and that in FY2025 about half of Army recruits came from seven states. ^[4] Peter Feaver, a professor of political science at Duke University, stated that the U.S. founders were concerned with the need for a military to protect the nation while ensuring it did not become a threat to the republic. ^[5] Qwynn Galloway-Salazar stated that the interview panel viewed a veteran as a white male who served in Vietnam, illustrating a disconnect between her identity and the panel's expectations. ^[6] Qwynn Galloway-Salazar, a Black woman who served in the Army Reserves, described crying after a job interview where she felt the panel did not understand her background or fit their stereotypes of veterans. ^[7] The U.S. ended the draft in 1973, a political decision spurred by public opposition to the Vietnam War, resulting in an all-volunteer military force. ^[8]