Intro: 

“We will never forget.” That pledge is more than just a promise to honor the lives lost on September 11, 2001; it is also a commitment to the millions of Americans whose lives were forever changed in its wake. Nearly twenty-five years later, the effects of that day still resonate with the young men and women who enlisted, in the health and well-being of an entire generation of veterans, and in the legislation their advocacy has shaped. To fully grasp 9/11’s legacy, we must look beyond the tragedy itself to the lasting ways it has transformed our military, our veterans, and our nation. 

Recruitment and retention

In the year after September 11th, 2001, the U.S. military saw a historic surge in enlistment: nearly 255,000 Americans joined the active and reserve forces. Active-duty enlistment alone hit 181,510 in 2002—a level unmatched in the decades since, about 15% higher than the average between 2003-2022 and about 40% higher than enlistment in 2022 alone. Reserve enlistment also spiked dramatically, jumping 30% from just three years earlier. These strong enlistment numbers reflect a powerful wave of patriotism, driven by the loss of nearly 3,000 people in the deadliest terrorist attack in American history. While reserve numbers would later peak again during the Iraq war in 2008, no year since has approached that post-9/11 active-duty enlistment level. 

History shows that it is often devastating tragedies that inspire Americans to serve, yet it is just as important to recognize the enduring impact of that instinctive call to protect our nation, its people and its freedoms. Nearly twenty-five years later, the post-9/11 generation of service members—now transitioning into civilian life as veterans—carries with them lessons of patriotism, sacrifice and unity. Those lessons will continue to shape our country’s future and honor their legacy not just today, but every day. 

Health and healthcare

The post-9/11 generation also reshaped the profile of veteran healthcare. Between 2001 and 2014, enrollment in VA healthcare nearly doubled, increasing from approximately 20% to 42% of all veterans—even as the overall veteran population declined by nearly 17%. Today, roughly 41% of post-9/11 veterans—about 1.7 million men and women—live with a VA-rated disability, compared to 25% of earlier generations, a higher proportion than any other previous generation. The post-9/11 cohort includes those who served in Iraq, Afghanistan, and other conflict zones, where modern advancements in battlefield medicine and more regular screenings for invisible wounds like traumatic brain injury (TBI) and post-traumatic (PTS) have allowed more service members to survive combat but also left many facing long-term challenges, driving higher reports of disability. Veterans with service-connected disabilities also experience unemployment at a rate about 1.5 times higher than their peers without disabilities (5.2% versus 3.5%). 

While these figures highlight the distinctive challenges of the post-9/11 generation, they also remind us that all veterans live with the lasting physical and psychological consequences of military service. They underscore the need to provide consistent and comprehensive support to every veteran—each of whom answered the call to serve and protect our country at different points in history—by ensuring reliable access to the resources they need. 

Legislative Impact

The needs of post-9/11 veterans have driven major reforms in veterans’ policy, none more consequential than the VA Mission Act of 2018. Although it was enacted to enhance healthcare services for all veterans across generations, many of its key provisions were influenced by the unique challenges faced by the post-9/11 cohort. For example, the Program of Comprehensive Assistance for Family Caregivers (PCAFC), initially created in 2010 to support caregivers of severely injured post-9/11 veterans, was expanded under the MISSION Act to include veterans from all service periods. The law also established the Veterans Community Care Program (VCCP), giving veterans the ability to receive care from community providers when VA facilities are too far or too delayed to meet their needs. These reforms were especially relevant to post-9/11 veterans, who have relied on VA care at higher rates and often needed specialized treatment. 

The MISSION Act also expanded telehealth services and urgent care options for veterans. The law granted the VA broader flexibility to provide telehealth services across state lines and directly into veterans’ homes, a necessary change for those living with PTS, TBI, or other service-related disabilities that make in-person visits difficult. It also explicitly directed the VA to deploy mobile health teams to underserved areas, which are often confronted with geographic challenges that have historically limited access to timely treatment. In addition, the Act created a new urgent care benefit, allowing veterans to walk into community clinics for non-emergency needs without first securing a VA referral. For many post-9/11 veterans and veterans from other generations, these reforms aim to address longstanding barriers by making care faster, more flexible, and closer to home to promptly address their medical issues and mental health needs. 

Conclusion: 

More than two decades after September 11th, the impact of that day continues to ripple through our nation, giving rise to a new generation of veterans we honor today. Keeping our nation’s promise to “never forget” requires more than just remembrance—it demands recognizing the men and women who stepped forward to serve, understanding the challenges they now face and learning how their advocacy has shaped the support veterans receive today. It means telling their stories, championing veteran-focused legislation and ensuring resources remain accessible for every generation of service members. By doing so, we uphold the promise to never forget while honoring the enduring legacy of a generation defined by both tragedy and service.