war

Northern states have provided a shrinking supply of military recruits over the past four-plus decades, while the south’s contribution has grown. Washington, D.C., North Dakota and Massachusetts send the fewest recruits per capita into the armed services.

Due to the intense nature and duration of the post-9/11 conflicts, the United States has needed to help an increasingly large pool of veterans who require long-term medical and mental health care. More than 1 million Americans served in the Iraq war alone.

The death of Osama bin Laden and the 10th anniversary of the 9/11 attacks have prompted public reflection on the costs, both political and economic, of the wars and counter-terrorism operations that have taken place during this era.