100,000
The number of service members who "received involuntary separations between 2018 and 2022 for weight-related reasons," according to an article in Stars and Stripes -- Air Force recruit disqualified from service over weight-loss surgery sues DOD for discrimination.
1 in 9
The portion of military-connected children who "were diagnosed with complex medical conditions by age 5," according to a study published in the journal Pediatrics -- Incidence of Medical Complexity in Military-Connected Children. The study founds that risk was "highly associated with preterm delivery, congenital anomalies, and low birthweight."
$47,838 and $85,872
The "average annual pay" for "a single mid-grade enlisted servicemember (E-5)" in 2025, and his or her average "regular military compensation" (RMC). RMC is "a statutorily defined measure of the cash or in-kind compensation elements which all servicemembers receive every payday. It is widely used as a basic measure of military cash compensation levels and for comparisons with civilian salary levels," according to a recently updated Defense Primer from the Congressional Research Service on Regular Military Compensation.
20x
Factor by which US children are "more likely to die of suicide with a gun at home than in a shooting at school," according to recent commentary in the journal JAMA Network Open -- Safe Gun Storage and Youth Suicide—The Sum of Their Regrets.
120,000+
The number of veterans and their family members "who receive benefits by paper check" rather than electronic deposit, according to an article in Stars & Stripes -- VA urges holdouts still receiving veterans benefits by paper check to move to electronic banking.