**These figures are for all U.S. personnel in 1989 since a specific Desert Storm breakdown did not exist at the time I drafted this. An updated version is in the printed
version of the text..

 Age of Enlisted Personnel:   Age of Officers:
 
 20 and younger  20%          20 and younger less than 1%
 21-25           35%          21-25          15%
 26-30           21%          26-30          25%
 31-35           13%          31-35          22%
 36-40            8%          36-40          19%
 41-45            3%          41-45          13%
 46-50            1%          46-50           2%
 Over 50         less than 1% Over 50        less than 1%
 
 -------------------------------------------------------------

 
                 Minorities in the Military
 
         African-American     Hispanic       Others
 
 Officers:         6.7%            1.9%         2.7%
 Enlisted:         22.2%           4.5%         4.4%
 
 -------------------------------------------------------------

 
                    Women in the Military
         Officers:            10.3%
         Enlisted:            10.2%
 
 -------------------------------------------------------------

 
                          Education
 
 Officers
 Below baccalaureate          5%
 Baccalaureate only           55%
 Advanced degree              35%
 unknown                      5%
 
 Enlisted Personnel
 No high school degree         2%
 High School or GED           90%
 College (no degree)           1%
 Baccalaureate degree         4%
 Advanced degree              1%
 other/unknown                3%
 

*Today's all volunteer military is regarded as the best the United States has ever fielded. Although some complain it is overly represented by minorities as compared to the general population, military supporters are quick to point out that they are also overly represented by high school graduates as compared to the general population, along with fewer criminals and drug users than the general population.

Forces in the Gulf complained about the usual problems that go along with military deployment: the food, the weather, and the boredom. The "hurry-up-and-wait" that troops have always experienced seems to have caused particular problems in the KTO as the troops did not know if they would ever be called upon to fight. Once Desert Shield became Desert Storm, many of the soldiers, especially the younger troops, are displaying a "let's-get- this-job-done-and-go-home" attitude toward the operation. However, several of their more senior colleagues, especially those who have seen combat before, are more cautious in their assessment of the time it will take not only to settle the battle, but battle the transportation headaches of returning.

Women in the Gulf are intricately involved in all but combat operations. Under a Congressional mandate, women are prevented from serving in a combat unit, but that does not mean they will not see combat. Military Policewomen in the Panama Invasion "Just Cause" engaged enemy troops and women in the KTO will certainly be subject to air raids and missile attacks. Two women were taken prisoner in Desert Storm and several were killed in the SCUD missile attack on a U.S. barracks. The performance of females in this operation is certain to raise the combat-exclusion debate once again after the troops come home.

Another issue that developed was the issue of both spouses being deployed to the Gulf at the same time. The Congress was undertaking an effort to exempt one of the family members, estimated at around 17,00 people, but the bill eventually died. The Administration and the Pentagon had serious objections to removing thousands of troops in the final few days of the preparations for war.  

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