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>That makes the US today very similar to the US during the Vietnam era or the UK during WWI/II. Not really, no. The average age of a US soldier in Vietnam was
by gozur88 10y ago
>That makes the US today very similar to the US during the Vietnam era or the UK during WWI/II.
Not really, no. The average age of a US soldier in Vietnam was 19. In Iraq it was 28. That's a huge difference, and you don't get an average of 28 without having a lot of guys in their 30s.
- sandworm101 10y agoSoldiers, but which service. 28 seems very high for US army combat troops. Throw in the navy/airforce with all their specialists and I could see higher numbers. The army on the ground is seems far younger than 28. If not, then the differences in culture must be from something altogether more complicated.
- ZanyProgrammer 10y agoThe National Guard and Army Reserve were deployed extensively in the Bush years. I can very readily see that 28 age (and you need a firmer definition of "combat" as well).
- chipsy 10y agoThe "19" figure is mythical - just google "average age of soldiers in Vietnam" and you'll see that the real figures are known to be younger than other recent wars, just not so extreme - around 22-23 years old depending on the exact statistic you're working from. That said, the Paul Hardcastle song "19" is still pretty good. [0] [0] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b3LdMAqUMnM https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b3LdMAqUMnM
- rosege 10y agoor Redgum's I was only 19 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Urtiyp-G6jY https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Urtiyp-G6jY and cover https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ns82tHhJOr0 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ns82tHhJOr0