How military service became a ‘family business’

Summary

Serving in the United States military has become a “family business,” retired Army Col. Gregg Daddis says. “There’s just now a very strong tradition of those who are serving, that their sons and daughters will follow in their footsteps,” he said. More than three in four new U.S. Army recruits had a family member who also served, according to Pentagon data. However, that tradition may be waning. A 2025 Blue Star Families survey found that only 37% of active-duty family respondents would recommend serving to a young relative. That number is down from 55% in 2016. Daddis joined Woodruff for her…

Description from PBS NewsHour.