[Vision2020] Military Independents on the Rise

[Tom Hansen]

Courtesy of the Army Times at:

http://www.ArmyTimes.com

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Military independents on the rise

By Brendan McGarry - Staff writer

Political party affiliation has fallen sharply among those wearing the
uniform today, a new Military Times survey shows.

An exclusive survey of some 1,800 active-duty troops shows the percentage
of self-identified Republicans has decreased by one-third since 2004, from
60 percent to 41 percent, while the percentage of self-identified
independents has nearly doubled to 32 percent during the same period.

These career-oriented officers and mid-grade and senior enlisted members
are still far more conservative than liberal, but they are less likely
today to identify with the GOP, the survey shows.

Much of the shift appears to have occurred only very recently, with the
percentage of troops identifying themselves as Republican dropping nine
percentage points from 2008 to 2009 and the percentage of those calling
themselves independents increasing 10 points over the same period.

Respondents are also more pessimistic about the mission in Afghanistan,
more optimistic about Iraq and virtually divided about President Obama’s
performance as commander in chief.

Complete results of the unique survey, now in its seventh year, will
appear this coming Monday in Army Times, Air Force Times, Navy Times and
Marine Corps Times.

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Seeya round town, Moscow.

Tom Hansen
Moscow, Idaho

"The Pessimist complains about the wind, the Optimist expects it to change
and the Realist adjusts his sails."

- Unknown