The American public has spoken – veterans garner more trust and a better ability to lead in politics than candidates with business or government backgrounds.
What Does the Data Say?
According to poll results released by Gallup, 55 percent of Americans believe that candidates with past military service make them either much more (16 percent) or somewhat more (39 percent) willing to vote for that candidate, as opposed to just seven percent of voters saying veteran status is not as attractive in political candidates. However, 38 percent state that military backgrounds make no difference in determining who they vote for.
In addition, U.S. voters tend to appreciate past government experience (52 percent, with 16 percent stating they’re much more likely to vote for a candidate with prior elected service. But according to Gallup, “significantly more” see past political service negatively (15 percent) when evaluating candidates, which means that veterans show a considerable advantage when looking at the net benefit (percentage more likely compared to percentage less likely).
Backgrounds in business are shown to receive fewer positive results than either military or government careers.
The survey, conducted by Gallup and the With Honor Institute (WHI), examined Americans’ views of veterans and how they recognize their ability to lead and bring people together.
The research study was the first time Gallup and WHI, both non-partisan organizations, have worked together to gauge Americans’ perceptions of veterans’ leadership in public service. The crux of the survey was to find out how the public views “the role of veterans in society and whether qualities associated with service translate into broader public trust.”
The survey also measured Americans’ confidence level in veterans.
Questions explored whether veterans possess sound leadership abilities, steadfast democratic values, and the desire to work through differences with people who might not share the same viewpoint. The survey also studied whether military experience is considered an important qualification for public office.
To conduct the study, Gallup formed a probability-based panel and interviewed more than 2,000 Americans, Aug. 1-15.
Study results also revealed that Americans believe veterans carry positive qualities they wish to see in political candidates. Eighty-three percent of people surveyed said veterans possess strong leadership skills. More than 78 percent think candidates with past military experience can place the nation’s interests ahead of their own partisan or personal interests. About 77 percent believe veterans can function efficiently with people from different backgrounds, and 75 percent believe they can fully grasp complicated global security issues.
In addition, 83 percent said they would trust veterans to handle natural disasters better than non-veterans. More than 70 percent also believe veterans have better ways to effectively deal with foreign policy decisions. About 64 percent feel that people with military experience do well representing the U.S. in talks with other countries, while about 62 percent think veterans do well in mentoring and teaching children.
Restoring Public Trust and Unity
It’s a fractured time in America with political divisiveness and a lack of trust in institutions. But this survey aimed at finding out if veterans can return America to a more unified state.
“Public trust in major institutions is near historic lows, but veterans continue to earn consistently high confidence from the American public," said Rye Barcott, Founder and President of With Honor Institute. "Our collaboration with Gallup allows us to track that trust over time and across sectors — from government to business to global leadership. By integrating veterans into Gallup's foundational surveys, we're not just gathering data — we're shaping a national conversation about principled veteran leadership rooted in service, integrity, and results."
The veteran perceptions survey kicked off a series of studies critiquing American views about veterans over a range of checkpoints, including trust, confidence, and ethics.
The main goal is for Gallup and WHI to deliver nonpartisan, fact-based statistics to inform leadership building, policymaking, and to develop dialogue nationally concerning the effect of military experience in America, according to a press release.
“This research gives us the opportunity to better understand how Americans view veterans as leaders across civic and community life,” said Colonel Michael Tilton, U.S. Army (Ret.), project director at Gallup. “By partnering with the With Honor Institute, we hope to provide objective data that can support meaningful dialogue about veterans’ leadership in a number of areas, including those elected to public office.”
