[coliveira]

You should remember that the US military is a two-tier system: there are the officers who rarely see real battle, and the rank and file who effectively die. In the case of war, if the rich ever serve they will be officers, they will only command other less fortunate to battle.

[bell-cot]

Ignoring the combat-duty service records of President Theodore Roosevelt and his sons, President George Bush Sr., President John F. Kennedy and his brothers, etc., etc. - did you notice that I specified service in front-line ground combat battalions, in places where major wars seems all too likely to start?

Major wars might be far less likely if America's ruling classes felt that they had some real skin in the game, and people they cared about could easily get killed.

[ianburrell]

Junior officers had a higher death rate than enlisted in Vietnam. Junior officers lead their men and suffer the same risks. It is the senior officers that command behind the lines.

That might be changing with smart weapons. 15 Russian generals have died in Ukraine, enough to have Wikipedia page.

[coliveira]

15 was the claim from Ukraine, but only 6 deaths have been verified.