3,557: The number of military personnel who identify themselves as Muslim. That’s less than 0.25 percent of the 1.4 million active duty service members. Experts estimate that the actual number of Muslims in the military is significantly higher because service members aren’t required to list their religious preference.
500: Muslim-Americans deployed to Iraq and Afghanistan. Also likely to be low because service members aren’t required to report their religion. Nearly half of the 500 have earned combat action ribbons. Seven have been killed in action.
1,260: Recent immigrants recruited into the military through the 09 Lima program, which began nationally in 2003 and came to Nebraska last year. Most are expected to serve as translators and cultural advisers in Iraq or Afghanistan. Though it’s not known how many of these recruits are Muslim, most immigrated from predominantly Islamic countries, such as Iraq, Afghanistan, Pakistan and Sudan.
42 percent: American Muslims who are African-American.
24 percent: Muslim-Americans from South Asian countries such as Indonesia.
12 percent: American Muslims who are Arab-Americans.
Sources: U.S. Defense Department, U.S. State Department, U.S. Census
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