DefenseLINK News: Americans Have Confidence in Military...Gallup Poll

DefenseLINK News: Military Tops Public Confidence List in New Gallup Poll: "The poll, conducted between May 23 and 26, involved telephone interviews with a randomly selected sample of 1,004 people 18 and older, Gallup officials said. Those surveyed expressed strong confidence in the military, with 42 percent expressing 'a great deal' of confidence in the military and 32 percent, 'quite a lot' of confidence. Eighteen percent said they have 'some' confidence, 7 percent, 'very little,' and 1 percent, 'none.'

Public confidence in the military jumped following the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001, and has remained consistently high, Gallup officials noted. The 2002 survey reflected a 13 percent increase in confidence in the military over the previous year's poll. The public expressed a 79 percent high-confidence rate in the military in 2002, an 82 percent rate in 2003, and a 75 percent rate in 2004.

This year's 74 percent confidence level exceeded that of all 15 institutions included in the 2005 survey. Police ranked second, with 63 percent of responders expressing 'a great deal' or 'quite a lot' of confidence in them. Organized religion rated third, with 53 percent of responders expressing high confidence, and banks rated a 49 percent high-confidence rate."