Recent research published in journals injury epidemiology provide evidence that military service or combat experience does not broadly increase support for political violence or right-wing extremism. The findings suggest that while veterans who engage in extremist violence pose a particular threat because of their training, the prevalence of extremist attitudes among military personnel appears to be relatively rare.
“The January 6 riot raised questions about whether people with military experience are disproportionately involved in political violence,” said study author Elizabeth A. Tomsic, a researcher at the Center for Violence Prevention at the University of California, Davis.
“Despite reports that veterans make up the majority of those charged, limited research has examined the association between military service and support for and willingness to participate in political violence. We conducted this study to better understand whether military service and combat experience are associated with support for and willingness to participate in political violence, agreement with extremist views, and approval of extremist groups and movements.”
Some experts have suggested that psychological processes associated with military training, such as desensitization to violence and intense group cohesion, may make some veterans more susceptible to extremist recruitment. At the same time, the loss of community and purpose during the difficult transition to civilian life may gravitate some individuals to radical organizations. However, previous research examining support for political violence among veterans in general has yielded mixed and sometimes contradictory results.
The researchers wanted to determine whether military service or combat experience served as a broader risk factor for supporting political violence and extremist organizations. They sought to measure individuals’ willingness to engage in such violence and support for various extremist movements. By studying a large, nationally representative sample, they hoped to gain a clearer picture of political militancy within the military.
To investigate these questions, scientists analyzed data from the 2022 American Life Survey, an online poll conducted among a sample of 12,947 adult members of the Ipsos KnowledgePanel. The sample included 2,255 respondents from the military, of whom 1,105 reported serving in a combat or war zone. Researchers recruited participants through a probability-based sampling method to ensure demographics matched the broader adult population of the United States.
The researchers measured military history by asking respondents about active duty, reserve, or National Guard service, while combat experience was identified by service in an official war zone. The survey included questions across four broad areas, including beliefs about democracy, opinions about race in American society, justifications for violence, and support for extremist ideology. These ideologies included concepts like the QAnon conspiracy theory and specific organizations like the Proud Boys and Oath Keepers.
To ensure accuracy, the scientists designed the survey without a neutral middle option, forcing respondents to choose a final side. We also randomized the order of positive and negative response options to prevent people from falling into habit-based response patterns. The researchers then compared the responses of people with military backgrounds to those without such experience.
The data suggests that military personnel and veterans share many of the same views as the general public. In most cases, the researchers found no significant differences between military and non-military respondents in their beliefs about American democracy or the prospects for civil war. In fact, military respondents were slightly less likely than non-military personnel to perceive that the use of political violence to keep borders open is usually or always justified.
Regarding non-political violence, military officials were more likely to justify the use of force in self-defense. They were also more likely to justify violence to prevent someone from hurting or killing another person. Additionally, respondents with military backgrounds were slightly more likely to strongly agree that straight white men hold too much power in American society.
There were several specific areas in which military respondents indicated a high personal willingness to engage in political violence. People with military backgrounds were slightly more likely to report that they personally were willing to use force to advance political objectives. They also reported an increased willingness to organize groups of people who share their use-of-force beliefs.
Regarding firearm use, military respondents were more likely to say they would be armed with a gun in a hypothetical situation in which they felt political violence was justified. They were also more likely to report carrying guns openly so that people could clearly see they were armed. Despite this increased willingness to carry a weapon, the researchers found no difference between the two groups in terms of how likely they were to actually threaten or shoot someone with a gun.
When it comes to extremist organizations, military respondents were slightly more likely to strongly support the Oath Keepers, an insurgent group that actively recruits current and former military personnel. Beyond this particular group, the scientists found no other differences in support for right-wing extremist movements. Supplemental analyzes also revealed that combat experience did not increase the likelihood of supporting political violence among the military sample.
“Our study found little evidence that military service or combat experience increases support for or willingness to participate in political violence, agreement with extremist views, or approval of extremist groups or movements,” Tomsic told SciPost. “The differences between military and non-military respondents were small, suggesting that concerns about widespread extremist attitudes among veterans and service members may be overstated.”
“At the same time, individuals with military backgrounds caught up in extremist violence may pose a particular threat given their training and experience, highlighting the importance of continued research to identify subgroups at increased risk to inform targeted prevention and assistance efforts.”
Future research should examine the psychological and social challenges that veterans face when leaving the military and returning to civilian life. The researchers also suggest examining different branches of the military to see if specific military subcultures influence political radicalization. Pinpointing the vulnerabilities that drive particular individuals to extremism can help inform targeted prevention efforts for active-duty military and veterans.
The study, “Combat Power in the Armed Forces: Military Service and Support for Political Violence and Right-Wing Extremism,” was authored by Elizabeth A. Tomsic and Galen J. Wintemute.
