1 in 10 Alaskans is a Veteran

At 10 percent, Alaska has a higher share of veterans than any other state. Four other states come close at 9 percent and nationwide it's 7 percent. Alaska's high percentage of veterans, defined here as civilians who were previously active duty in any branch of the military including the Coast Guard, is tied to our military history. During World War II, the U.S. established major military bases near Anchorage and Fairbanks and built a number of other facilities, such as a Naval Air Station on Kodiak Island. Military presence peaked in 1943, when more than 150,000 personnel represented over 60 percent of the state's population.