The Golden Age of the Vietnam Veteran in the VFW

Mortality is not a fun topic. But neither is ignoring demographics and the state of veterans service organizations.

In my short time in the VSO space, I have heard a number of times the average age of a VFW member is 68 or more, that the focus is on Vietnam veterans, and that younger veterans don’t care about the VFW.

To understand the trends behind these observations, I sat down with a former state commander and did a little math.

Vietnam Veterans (1959-1973)

  1. 1968 was the peak year for American troops levels with 536,100. From 1965 to 1971 levels exceeded 150,000 troops for a seven-year period.
  2. A hypothetical private serving in Vietnam, based on the 11B MOS, was 20-years old
  3. Our 20-year-old private in 1968 will be 70 years-old next year. 
  4. American taxpayers receive full Social Security benefits at 67 and must take benefits at 70.
  5. That said, only a small 25,000 Vietnam War veterans will have not reached full benefit age.
  6. According to the CDC, the life expectancy for Americans is 78.8 years. That is the average number of years that a person can expect to live. That means 50% of Americans will reach that age. 
  7. 8,744.000 total U.S. Servicemembers (Worldwide); 3,403,000 Deployed to Southeast Asia
  8. The Third Age of adulthood or the “golden years” is the span from retirement to infirmity and roughly falls between the ages of 65 and 80+.
  9. 2010 was when a 20-year-old in 1965 hit 65
  10. 2031 is when a 20-year-old in 1971 hits 80

So now that brings some clarity and it can be bettered argued that the “Golden Age” of the Vietnam Veteran is from 2010 to 2031.

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