---
title: "5. The U.S. military"
description: "Most Americans continue to express positive views of the military: 60% say it has a positive effect, while 36% say its effect is negative. Age Older Americans are more likely than younger Americans to hold a positive view of the military. Adults under 30 are the only age group in which a larger share says […]"
date: "2024-02-01"
authors:
  - name: "Reem Nadeem"
url: "https://www.pewresearch.org/politics/2024/02/01/the-u-s-military/"
categories:
  - "Business & Workplace"
  - "Higher Education"
  - "K-12"
  - "Military & Veterans"
  - "Partisanship & Issues"
  - "Religious Leaders & Institutions"
  - "Tech Companies"
  - "Trust in Government"
  - "Unions"
datasets:
  - name: "American Trends Panel Wave 140"
    url: "https://www.pewresearch.org/dataset/american-trends-panel-wave-140/"
---

# 5. The U.S. military

Most Americans continue to express positive views of the military: 60% say it has a positive effect, while 36% say its effect is negative.

#### Age

Older Americans are more likely than younger Americans to hold a positive view of the military.

[![Chart shows Americans ages 18 to 29 more negative than positive toward the U.S. military](https://www.pewresearch.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/20/2024/02/PP_2024.02.01_institutions_5-01.png?w=310)](https://www.pewresearch.org/politics/2024/02/01/the-u-s-military/pp_2024-02-01_institutions_5-01-png/)

Adults under 30 are the only age group in which a larger share says the military has a negative (53%) than positive (43%) impact.

Seven-in-ten adults ages 50 and older say that the military is having a positive impact, as do 57% of those ages 30 to 49.

#### Partisanship

Similar shares of Republicans (64%) and Democrats (60%) view the military positively. However, there are ideological differences in these views among Democrats.

By a wide margin (68% positive to 30% negative), conservative and moderate Democrats express a positive view of the military. Liberal Democrats are roughly evenly divided (50% positive to 49% negative).

The military is seen positively by 67% of moderate and liberal Republicans and 63% of conservative Republicans.

#### Race and ethnicity

Half or more across racial and ethnic groups also view the military positively: 64% of White adults, 60% of Asian adults, 58% of Black adults and 53% of Hispanic adults say this.

---

**Next:** [Acknowledgments](https://www.pewresearch.org/politics/2024/02/01/institutions-acknowledgments.md)