Science Buzz is supported by the National Science Foundation.
Copyright © Science Museum of Minnesota, 2004-2013, except where noted.
REVISED
A. 0
B. 1-3
C. 4-6
D. 7+
Follow up questions:
Are you a veteran? Did all of your veterans serve in wars?
Science Buzz is supported by the National Science Foundation.
Copyright © Science Museum of Minnesota, 2004-2013, except where noted.
I knew today was Veterans' Day, but when I was choosing the daily question last night I just decided to go on with "business as usual." This morning on the ride into work I questioned, "why am I posting a question that has nothing to do with Veterans' Day?" Then I realized it might be because I can only think of 2 veterans and I don't know either that well. They are not in my family, or even in my close friends' families. I have been blessed not to have someone I love go to war but I have also been deprived of having someone I love in the military, selflessly serving our country.
Just like yesterday, I have uncovered a bias that ordinarily might not matter or come up in conversation but this assignment has made me very self-conscious of how my personal experiences shape the way I view the world and what I see as important.
I hope you'll excuse my switching up the questions so abruptly. The question I posted last night about abortion will be moved to tomorrow. So don't worry if you've already started collecting data on it.
Today, please tell us about your veterans. Share more about your connection to our soldiers. Happy Veterans' Day.
How many veterans do we know?
We know nine between our relatives and friends. Three were in the service during peace time and six served during war time. They served in WW1, the Korean war, Vietnam and in Iraq.
For my brothers, it was not a surprise that they went into the service. They attended a high school with a ROTC program For those who served in Vietnam, they were called to service based on their selective service numbers. My cousin went into the service and ended up in Iraq. He has made a career of his military service.
I am not a veteran. I was attending college at the time of the Vietnam war and so I was deffered. I had mixed feelings about this.
Did I avoid my responsibility? I look at the people that served espcially in Vietnam. The fact that after all these years they do not want to remember that time by talking about what happened to them in Vietnam. I was safe. I had family close by and the biggest worry that I had was, what grades will I get? I can't go back and change history but it does make wonder if did my best to serve my country.
One of my close friends was called to serve in Vietnam and was lucky not to be injured during his time overseas. We kept in touch through recorded messages. He came home and had some troubles. He has been sucessful in his work after several failed attempts, but I think there are residual effects. He has problems with close personal relationships. You don't get close to people when you are not sure that they will be there after missions.
Today let us offer those veterans that we know, a personal thank you for all that they did.
grandpa thank you for sharing. I have heard others of your generation express feelings of guilt for being in college or not being eligible to go to war in Vietnam. However its also interesting that those who went to Vietnam would rather not talk about it.
It seems kind of a like a Catch-22 for your generation.
Do you think there will be a similar divide between military and non-military for the generation who has come of age during the Middle East conflicts from 2001 - the present?
How many veterans do you know?
My answer is B: 1-3.
My brother is a vet.
MY GRANDPA IS A VETRAN.
MY UNCLE IS A VETERAN AND I LOVE HIM AND EVERYTHING HE DOES IN THE AIRFORCE! I LOVE YOU UNCLE DAVID! <3
How many veterans do you know?
A. 0
B. 1-3
C. 4-6
D. 7+
My Answer: C. My dad is a vet. No he didn't fight in any wars. He was the cook for the Navy and the army. Both my grandpas are vets. They both fought in wars. One of my grandpas was with the first troop to enter into the Concentration camps when the WW 2 ended. One of my friends' spouses is a vet who fought in Iraq. A friend of mine is a vet but didn't fight she was a nurse.
So far I've had no responses.
How many veterans do you know?
B. I know 2.
One served in peace time, one in time of war. When I found out my friend was a vet, I was surprised. She was in the airforce and served for quite some time. I had my stereotype of who served in the military, and she forced me to reexamine these.
I had one friend respond on Facebook. She said D. she knows 7 veterans.
How many veterans do you know?
A. 0
B. 1-3
C. 4-6
D. 7+
Follow up questions:
Are you a veteran? Did all of your veterans serve in wars?
A) - 0
B) - 3
C) - 1
D) 13
1-3
Question: veterans
My answer: D, no I'm not a veteran, and no, not all of my veteran friends/relatives served in wars.
My friends answers:
D, no, no
B
D, no, yes
D (7). No am not a vet! 4 served in war! 2 in Vietnam (1 Army/1 Navy-both survived); 1 in Afghanistan twice (he made it home) and 1 in Iraq twice (she will be home in Dec)! OOps make that 8- nephew-in-law served in Afghanistan and came home and Desert Storm also!
D. I'm not a veteran. Yes, all have served in a war -- or "police action" -- although there seems to be very little difference to me.
D, no, no
me-D: I come from a military family. as an immigrant family, my grandfather felt it was an honor to serve and protect the country in which he made his home. he required all 7 of his children to serve in a branch of the military. i grew up in a city with 4 airforce bases and one army base, so many of my classmates from high school went on to serve in the army or air force.
3 D's
1 C
Question: How many veterans do you know?
Me: B 1-3
One of them served in the war in Afghanistan, but his service was non-combat. The other did not serve in a war.
Even though I'm anti-war, I believe that if citizens go and serve in the military this country, as a country, owes them a huge debt.
How many veterans do you know?
A. 0
B. 1-3
C. 4-6
D. 7+
For me, its D.
Follow up questions:
Are you a veteran? Did all of your veterans serve in wars?
I am not a veteran. My dad served in Korea. Interestingly, the veterans that first came to my mind all served in wars, as I didn't think of the people I know who served in the military but didn't serve in a war.
Pete
---
C. Before 9/11, the last member of my family to serve was my grandfather, who was part of the West German occupation after World War II. Then 9/11 happened and we're suddenly a military family. Four of my cousins have served in Iraq or Afghanistan. One is in Kabul now. I am acquaintances with some Vietnam-era vets, but I don't know them terribly well and did not include them in this count.
Friends
--
D. I know more than 7, easily. There are a lot of folks in the SCA that are either currently serving or have in the past. My father was in the Army. I have a couple folks I know in the SCA over in Afghanistan.
C; Iraq/Afghanistan, Korean War. As far as I know they have all been discharged and are living civilian lives
D. Uncle in Vietnam, Godfather in Vietnam, Dad served in Germany during Vietnam, Brother in Iraq a couple years ago (and have met a few of his fellow soldiers including the one who lived with him in their CHU), deceased Grandfather in WWII.
[Brother] is still in the Nat'l Guard, and hopefully wont have to go on another tour of duty before his time is up in a few years.
D. I was able to list 7 older-generation relatives off the top of my head, I'm sure there are a few more I am forgetting. When it comes to the next generation, though, I could only think of 3 and I'm only sure of 2: [Above]'s Brother, and my cousin. I think my mechanic might also be a vet.
Yes they served in wars, most of them. Probably spanning most of the wars in the past 50 - 60 years. Only one I know currently serving is my cousin.
D. Tons from WWII to present through work. Both grandpas in WWII. Dad and uncle in vietnam. I know very few personally who are or have served in the current wars.
B: I have a cousin in the marines who I am pretty sure served in this war but i'm not sure. A skydiver friend who I think served in Vietnam. My step-grandfather was a nuclear physicist who worked on the atom bomb. He was in the air watching when Hiroshima exploded but, I don't think he was actually affiliated with the military per se so i'm not sure that counts.
D, lots of family members including my grandpa & uncle & friend's siblings
I had two more friends and family respond to the veteran question, both said B.
D-7 or more.
Several of these are older (extended) family members, some of whom served in Vietnam others of whom were stationed in Europe during the Cold War. My grandfather was in the merchant marine during WWII and told me some astonishing stories in the year before he died.
I have a few friends with siblings in the military, one of whom served in Iraq. Finally I have an acquaintance that I met a few years ago but only see occasionally now who was a sergeant first class in the 101st airborne division. He served in Iraq and Afghanistan and had very moving stories to tell in between extremely candid and non-PC observations about the world.
I asked 6 people about this question.
B-2
C-1
D-3
The three that were 'D' were either older or from a military family.
I just learned from a FB post my aunt sent in response to this question that my grandfather was in the military. I followed up with a question asking her where, when, what branch. How is it that I didn't know that?!?
Results for Question #11: How many veterans do you know?
A) 0 veterans, 0 responses
B) Between 1 - 3 veterans, 16 responses
C) Between 4 - 6 veterans, 8 responses
D) 7 or more veterans, 42 responses
Total responses: 66
Why do you think so few people knew 0 veterans?
Do you think those who knew 0 veterans were embarrassed to respond?
Or are there so many that have served our country that it is unlikely to not know someone who served?
Post your thoughts on the results...
Graph 11Courtesy Experimonth
Post new comment