Duckworth on power of Gen Xers and Millennials

In a Brut exclusive, Senator Tammy Duckworth tells us how Gen Xers and Millennials are changing the face of the military — and America as a whole.

Transcript

00:00We're generations that grew up with LGBTQ friends.

00:03We are generations that grew up with women serving in the military.

00:07Millennials and Gen Xers have only ever known a military

00:11that women served equally on equal footing with men.

00:22I think there's a generational shift that's happening in the military.

00:27We're the generation that supported the repeal of Don't Ask, Don't Tell.

00:30And so you see the military essentially reflecting where American society is.

00:35It's more diverse.

00:36Women are growing in leadership ranks, so as are minorities.

00:57You have to understand that the Vietnam generation has left the military.

01:01It's no longer there.

01:02And that's the generation that tended to run as Republicans.

01:05And I think the reason more veterans are running as Democrats is because

01:08they are more reflective of this generational shift that's happening,

01:11not just in the country, but in the military itself.

01:13You know, everything that the president has done with the NFL protests and all of that

01:30really, I think, dishonors our military men and women.

01:33Politicization of military men and women and veterans is not something

01:38that anyone who's ever worn the uniform really accepts willingly or readily.