11 Facts About Veterans

Welcome to DoSomething.org, a global movement of millions of young people making positive change, online and off! The 11 facts you want are below, and the sources for the facts are at the very bottom of the page. After you learn something, Do Something!

Beyond everything they do to keep us safe, military service members make the additional sacrifice of spending long periods of time away from family and friends. Through DoSomething’s Huddle for Heroes campaign, powered by the NFL Huddle for 100, make a card or letter of appreciation for military service members, veterans, and their families.

1. Veterans are people who served in the military (US Army, Navy, Marine Corps, Air Force, and Coast Guard) in times of war or peace.^[U.S. Census Bureau. “Veterans - Glossary.” https://www.census.gov/topics/population/veterans/about/glossary.html. Accessed Nov. 6, 2019.]
2. As of 2019, there were 12,987 living veterans who served all through World War II, the Korean War, and the Vietnam War.^[U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. “National Center for Veterans Analysis and Statistics - Veteran Population by Period of Service.” https://www.va.gov/vetdata/veteran_population.asp. Accessed Nov. 6, 2019.]
3. In the United States, Veterans Day is celebrated on November 11 every year, the same day that World War I hostilities formally ended (at the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month). The holiday was originally known as Armistice Day before President Dwight D. Eisenhower officially renamed it Veterans Day in 1954.^[U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. “Office of Public and Intergovernmental Affairs - Veterans Day.” https://www.va.gov/opa/vetsday/vetdayhistory.asp. Accessed Nov. 6, 2019.]
4. Veterans Day, which pays tribute to all veterans, living or dead, differs from Memorial Day, during which we pay tribute to those who lost their lives in combat.^[U.S. Department of Defense. “5 Facts to Know About Veterans Day.” https://www.defense.gov/explore/story/article/1675470/5-facts-to-know-about-veterans-day/. Accessed Nov. 6, 2019.]
5. In 2017, there were about 1.9 million female veterans in the US.^[U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. “Women Veterans Population Fact Sheet.” https://www.va.gov/womenvet/docs/WomenVeteransPopulationFactSheet.pdf. Accessed Nov. 6, 2019.]
6. In 2017, the largest living cohort of male veterans served during the Vietnam War era, while the largest living cohort of female veterans served during the post-9/11 period.^[U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. “Veterans Profile Fact Sheet - Veteran Men and Women Comparisons.” https://www.va.gov/vetdata/docs/QuickFacts/2017_Veterans_Profile_Fact_Sheet.PDF. Accessed Nov. 6, 2019.]
7. As of 2019, the states with the highest veteran populations are California (1.56 million), Texas (1.46 million), and Florida (1.44 million).^[Harrington, John. “There Are 18.2 Million Veterans In The Us. Which State Is Home to The Most Of Them?” USA Today. https://www.usatoday.com/story/money/2019/07/04/states-with-the-most-veterans-new-york-alaska/39645251/. Accessed Nov. 6, 2019.]
8. In 2018, the unemployment rate for veterans who served post-9/11 was 3.5% — the lowest recorded rate since 2008.^[U.S. Department of Labor - Bureau of Labor Statistics. “Veterans Employment and Training Services - Latest Unemployment Numbers.” https://www.dol.gov/agencies/vets/latest-numbers. Accessed Nov. 6, 2019.]
9. As of 2019, 11.7 million veterans are over the age of 65, which is about 61% of all veterans. ^[U.S. Department of Labor - Bureau of Labor Statistics. “Economic News Release - Table A-5. Employment status of the civilian population 18 years and over by veteran status, period of service, and sex, not seasonally adjusted.” http://www.bls.gov/news.release/empsit.t05.htm. Oct 3, 2014 (accessed Nov 3, 2014).]
10. Veterans make up roughly 11% of adults experiencing homelessness.^[National Coalition for Homeless Veterans. “Background and Statistics - FAQ on Homeless Veterans.” http://nchv.org/index.php/news/media/background_and_statistics/. Accessed Nov. 6, 2019).]
11. 70% of veterans experiencing homelessness also experience substance abuse, and 50% live with mental illnesses like post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).^[National Coalition for Homeless Veterans. “Background and Statistics - FAQ on Homeless Veterans.” http://nchv.org/index.php/news/media/background_and_statistics/. Accessed Nov. 6, 2019).]