The dawn of a new century found our nation at war in Afghanistan and Iraq in the aftermath of the terrorist attacks on 9/11. Nearly two million Americans have now served in these wars, risking their lives to protect our country and preserve our freedoms.1 Their service is not mandated by government, but is a voluntary act of courage, conscience, and commitment. These servicemen and women join the ranks of approximately 45 million Americans before them who have served in America's wars from the War for Independence to the present day.2 They reflect the ethic of the inspirational Founding Father and pamphleteer, Thomas Paine, whose words inspired a citizen movement for independence and prompted more Americans to take up their muskets to serve — "if there be trouble, let it be in my day, so that my children may have peace." This ethic of service echoes down the ages as a sergeant who lost his leg and was being airlifted out of Kandahar, Afghanistan in 2003 repeated the words of Nathan Hale — that he regretted he had but one life to give for his country.3 When Americans think of service to country, they first think of our nation's veterans. Continue reading the Introduction >>

The central message of this report is that a new generation of veterans is returning home from Iraq and Afghanistan without sufficient connections to communities, is enthusiastic to serve again, and points the way forward for how our nation can better integrate them into civilian life. Although the 1.8 million veterans are from every corner of our nation, they are strongly united in their perspectives regarding civic responsibilities and opportunities as they return home. What's more, the findings show that OIF/OEF veterans are underutilized assets in our communities, and their continued service is likely to improve their transition home. We believe there is significant potential to increase volunteering and civic engagement among this generation of veterans. Continue reading the Executive Summary >>