How many military members actually see combat?

I find that statement to be false. I was deployed to Taji Iraq in 2007-2008 as an 88M, Truck Driver. I received my Combat Action Badge when my convoy was attacked by several IED's and small arms fire. Infantry/medics, and truck drivers frequently leave the base to conduct their missions. We did several convoys per week, transporting materials from one base to another, and we always were escorted by gun trucks, manned by infantry, and always had several medics with us due to the fact that running convoys was a high risk mission.
Infantry " pretty much don't leave the base you're at", that's like saying firefighters pretty much don't ever go to fires. Use a littler common sense folks.

It depends on the MOS they want or you the recruiter select for the Service's need at the time...the only truism you have here is that during wartime, "all people don't always face combat" but any service personnel no matter what his/her MOS is, from a cook, to clerk, to mechanic, to infantry to air, their ultimate job description from day one in training, is to primarily "Kill the Enemy" and if they can't wait, then just hang around for awhile and you'll probably be faced with a combat situation here in this country...there are people all over the globe who hate us and the liberty and freedom we have (at a great cost I might add over the years) and are willing to die for their country or belief (so let's help them out, eh?)....those crossing the open borders of the U.S. are just waiting for the opportunity...I entered the service out of high school wanting Electronics Training and experience for the future and that I received, but there was no doubt in my mind that when push came to shove, my job was to kill any and all who wanted to take away all my freedoms, family and my country and that my friend is the truth!

GREAT combat stories about Presidents, some of whom were never known to be combat veterans !!

Let put it this way, I spent 38 years in the Army and Reserves and never saw combat. I have friends who deployed and saw combat multiple times. It depends on what you're doing as well as where you're at. I also know quite a few people even though they deployed to Iraq or Afghanistan, never saw combat either, and yet were entitled to wear a combat patch. With the new threats of Russia and China, we could see intense combat in the not too distant future, that certainly would involve naval combat. Something to think about.

I was infantry in Iraq. Jss tarmaya we left the base every day and had contact.

I seem to recall seeing all 3 of those during Desert Storm. I can understand people "thinking" that the truck drivers don't go close enough to combat, but how do you think supplies got to the front line? I was a Direct Support mechanic & was always a matter of a few miles behind front lines, but still considered myself to be in a hostile environment. We had the same type of battle fatigue & PTSD after the war.

How you define "combat" will answer your question. There are lots of ways to combat an enemy.

The simple answer I was given when I was in (and I was considered in a combat MOS) was for every one person on the "front lines" there are (9) supporting them.

If your in a combat zone you will see combat one way or the other.Infantry are the main one on tyhe ground doing all the shooting,Truck drivers are armed when leaving the base to deliver to the ground troop.Shot at and some killed.The medics I know were Navy with they Marines.Unarmed ans some killed.Navy off shore launching aircraft or firing guns,Combat,Our USAFSS EC47 aircraft were unarmed but some shot down and members killed.If your in a COMBAT ZONE you will see one type of combat or another.To the Recruiter.NO to your question.That is not correct.

Different types of combat if you look closely. Ground troops on the ground,USAF combat in the air and Navy on the water.One does not have top fire a weapon to be in combat.Bases get attacked and everyone grabs a rifle.Most medics I know were Navy with the Marines.They did not carry weapon BUT got shot at and at time hit. Infantry are combat troops .Who do you thing do all the shooting?Truck drivers are armed and get shot at.They do not just sit in motor pool.Infantry gets their supplies from the trucks..Navy launch aircraft or fire deck guns.Combat no matter how you look at it one way or the other.OR USAFSS EC47 were unarmed and we did not shot at anyone but got shot at and some killed.Anyone in a combat zone will see some type of combat.