Pew Research Center 
 
 Social & Demographic Trends 
 
 War and Sacrifice in the Post-9/11 Era 
 
 The Military-Civilian Gap 
 
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 As the United States marks the 10th anniversary of the longest period of sustained warfare in its history, the overwhelming majority of veterans of the post-9/11 era (96%) are proud of their military service. At the same time, more than four-in-ten (44%) report that they have had difficulties readjusting to civilian life, and 37% say that - whether or not they have been formally diagnosed - they have suffered from post-traumatic stress. While post-9/11 veterans are more supportive than the general public, just one-third (34%) say that, given the costs and benefits to the U.S., the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq have both been worth fighting. 
 
 The nation's post-9/11 wars have been fought by an all-volunteer active-duty military made up at any given time of just one half of one percent of the U.S. population. More than eight-in-ten (84%) of these modern-era veterans say the American public has little or no understanding of the problems that those in the military face. Most of the public (71%) agrees. Many Americans also acknowledge that since the 9/11 attacks, the military and their families have made more sacrifices than the public at large. But even among this group, only 26% say this gap is "unfair," while 70% say that it's "just part of being in the military." 
 
 These are among the principal findings from a comprehensive new study by the Pew Research Center, based on two nationally representative surveys conducted between July 28 and Sept. 15 - one of the nation's military veterans and another of the general public. A total of 1,853 veterans were surveyed, including 712 who served in the military after the attacks of Sept. 11, 2001. The general public survey was conducted among 2,003 adult respondents. 
 
 Read the full report for these key findings: 
 
 • Attitudes of post-9/11 veterans 
 
 • Fighting a decade-long war 
 
 • Re-entry into civilian life 
 
 • The public and the military 
 
 • A profile of the modern military ||||| Only one in three veterans think the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq were worth fighting, according to a new poll Wednesday. 
 
 As the U.S. marks the 10th anniversary of the invasion of Afghanistan this week, 34 percent of post-Sept. 11 veterans said in a Pew Research Center survey that combat in Afghanistan and Iraq was worth it, given the costs and benefits to the nation. 
 
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 On the other hand, 33 percent said the two wars were not worth fighting, Pew found. 
 
 While the poll indicated that 96 percent of modern-era vets felt “proud” of their service in the military, it also revealed the burdens of military service. 
 
 Just less than half of the veterans, 48 percent, said they have felt strains in family relations since leaving the military, 47 percent said they frequently felt irritable or angry, and 44 percent said they had problems reentering civilian life. Almost 37 percent of the vets said they have suffered from post-traumatic stress as a result of military service. 
 
 But even despite these hardships, 82 percent of recent veterans said they would advise a young person to enlist in the military. 
 
 According to the poll, 88 percent of post-Sept. 11 veterans indicated that serving their country was an important reason why they joined the military. For almost three out of 10 modern-era veterans, the economic downturn was also a significant reason — 28 percent said difficulty in finding jobs was a big reason they enlisted. 
 
 More than eight in 10 suggested that the American public has little or no understanding of the problems armed service members face. The majority (71 percent) of the nonmilitary respondents agreed with this, but only 26 percent of the public said this gap was “unfair,” while 70 percent said that is “just part of being in the military.” 
 
 The survey was conducted between July 28 and Sept. 15 among 1,853 veterans and 2,003 nonmilitary respondents.
– Friday marks the 10th anniversary of the US invasion of Afghanistan; with an eye on the decade-long effort, the Pew Research Center asks veterans: Were the Afghanistan and Iraq wars worth it? Just 34% of post-Sept. 11 veterans say yes, while another 33% say no (Afghanistan is considered slightly more worthwhile than Iraq, according to the poll). Even so, 96% say they are "proud" of their military service, and 82% say they would advise young people to enlist, Politico reports. The survey also illustrates the hardships of military life: Since leaving the service, 48% say their family relations have been strained; 47% say they've often felt irritable or angry; and 44% say they've had trouble coming back to civilian life. A full 84% say the American public doesn't understand the problems they face—problems which, for 37%, include post-traumatic stress. Click for the complete findings.