“From 2018 through 2023, the annual number of rides provided through the program decreased by more than 50 percent, according to data from Disabled American Veterans. Similarly, VA data show that the total number of
program volunteers—primarily drivers—decreased by nearly 50 percent during this period.” Big challenges in administering the Volunteer Transportation Network program were recruiting and onboarding program volunteers.

“Too often, policy discussions focus on employment rates over the quality of the jobs that are available to veterans. Ensuring safe and healthy working conditions for veterans should be a priority of policies and programs to improve employment opportunities for this population. Veterans have already put their lives and health on the line for their country, sometimes with long-term effects that make them vulnerable to additional hazards on the job. Understanding why veterans choose the occupations they do and the risks they are exposed to could lead to policies that improve veteran health and support for all workers.”

“An estimated 8 percent of the 2.2. million people incarcerated in jails and prisons in the United States are veterans, and an unknown number of veterans have had other types of contact with the criminal justice system. A better understanding of these justice-involved veterans can help military leaders, policymakers, and veteran-serving organizations identify promising interventions to prevent veterans from entering the criminal justice system and to support formerly incarcerated veterans as they reintegrate into their communities.”

“Roughly 245,000 service members transition from the military each year, and while most succeed, more than one in four veterans struggle with housing insecurity, health issues, financial difficulties, and other problems. Among post-9/11 veterans, a significantly higher proportion—44%—experience readjustment challenges, the Commission found. This new generation of veterans underwent historically high rates of multiple deployments and combat exposure, experiences linked to PTSD and traumatic brain injury. They are also more likely than non-veterans to end up in prison, distinguishing them from previous generations of veterans, who were less likely than their civilian counterparts to become incarcerated.”

Hundreds of thousands of service members transition from military service to civilian life each year, and some can be at risk for unemployment, homelessness, or gaps in medical care. To help them succeed, DOD provides certain service members with a warm handover to other agencies and organizations for additional assistance.

The DAV’s report, Women Veterans: The Journey to Mental Wellness, presents a targeted look at the growing mental health crisis among women veterans. The VA’s most recent National Veteran Suicide Prevention showed that between 2020 and 2021, the suicide rate among women veterans jumped 24.1%—nearly four times higher than the 6.3% increase among male veterans and vastly higher than the 2.6% increase among nonveteran women.

 

Women Veterans: The Journey to Mental Wellness takes a close look at the unique factors putting women veterans at risk for suicide, including high rates of military sexual trauma and intimate partner violence, substance use disorders and reproductive health challenges, put women veterans at higher risk for suicide.

The Got Your 6 Network: Quantifying and Addressing Veterans’ Needs in 2023 describes the military and veteran population’s needs in communities, as reported by our Got Your 6 Network partners nationwide. The report also highlights communities’ capability and capacity to address those needs.

 

In many communities, the military and veteran population’s needs exceed the available services. These needs include mental healthcare, physical healthcare, housing, emergency financial assistance, food, and transportation. While those needs have increased since 2021, service providers’ capacity is generally not keeping pace with those needs.

Financial strain, schedule overload, and psychological stress are just some of the struggles single parents can face when returning to school. But what do those challenges look like if the single-parent student is also a veteran? Because women are more likely than men are to raise children without the support of a partner, the number of veteran single parents will likely rise as veteran demographics change. The G.I. Bill has historically succeeded in helping many veterans train for new vocations, but can the G.I. Bill continue to support veterans as family structures change?

RAND researchers partnered with the Student Veterans of America and conducted semi-structured interviews with ten veteran single parents who are enrolled in higher education and one nonveteran school administrator who is dedicated to supporting student veterans.

Research suggests that student veterans are more likely to suffer from mental health challenges, including depression and anxiety, than other students. To help, the Veterans Health Administration partners with some colleges and universities to provide campus-based mental health care and other support for student veterans.

VA data showed that the percentage of student veterans who received mental health care at VA facilities increased from fiscal years 2017 through 2022, and at a higher rate than that of the total veteran population.

VA administers the Veterans Integration to Academic Leadership program to support the mental health needs of student veterans. Under this voluntary program, VA health care systems—including medical centers and other facilities—can partner with local colleges and universities to provide campus-based mental health support to student veterans. As of October 2023, 32 of 139 health care systems have such programs. However, GAO found VA communicates information about the program only upon request. By more regularly communicating comprehensive information across its health care systems, such as through guidance, VA could help ensure its systems all have the information they need to consider participating in the program.

This report provides nationally representative estimates of U.S. adults’  perceptions of the U.S. military and veterans based on surveys administered in February and June 2022.  DOWNLOAD THE REPORT