When the United States goes to war, the people making the decision usually aren’t the same people who actually have to fight. The decisions are made by Congress in Washington. Those sent overseas are a far cry from seasoned congressmen and women; they’re often young Americans who are just starting their adult lives.

The U.S. Constitution gives Congress the power to declare war, which means elected officials are responsible for deciding when the country enters major conflicts. These decisions can affect thousands of soldiers and their families, but the people voting on them are usually much older than the people serving.

Most members of the military are young adults. The average active duty service member is about 28 years old, and a large number of troops are under 25. Many recruits also join between the ages of 17 and 24, sometimes right after graduating high school.

Now compare these demographics to the ones in Congress. The average age of members of the House of Representatives is around 58, and in the Senate it’s about 64. That means the people voting on war are often decades older than the soldiers who will actually fight.

This age gap isn’t anything new. During the Vietnam War, the average age of American soldiers who died for their country was about 22 years old. Many of them had little control over the situation they were put in, especially those who were drafted.

Today the military is made up of volunteers, but the same gap still exists. A senator in their sixties might vote to mobilize troops somewhere, but it’s a 19 year old private who ends up going.

This doesn’t mean every war is wrong. Sometimes military action is necessary to protect the country or help allies. However this does raise an important question about responsibility.

If people are old enough to fight and risk their lives for their country, their voices should matter when the country decides to go to war.