A veteran is a person who has significant experience and expertise in a particular occupation or field. A military veteran is a person who is no longer serving in the military. A military veteran that has served directly in combat in a war is further defined as a war veteran. Are U.S. veterans living longer? Keep reading to learn more about the U.S. veteran population.
Are Veterans Living Longer?
Percentage of the U.S. Population who are Veterans (2021) – by Age and Gender
In 2021, 42.14 percent of male Americans aged 75 years and over were veterans – the most out of any age group or gender. In comparison, 0.9 percent of the female Americans aged 75 and over were veterans in that year.
How many U.S. Veterans are there?
There are around 19 million U.S. veterans as of this year, according to data from the Department of Veterans Affairs, representing less than 10% of the total U.S. adult population. Here are key facts from the VA, the U.S. Census Bureau, and other sources about those who have served in the military and how this population is changing.
Gulf War-era veterans now account for the largest share of all U.S. veterans, having surpassed Vietnam-era veterans in 2016, according to the VA’s 2018 population model estimates. VA estimates for 2021 indicate there are 5.9 million American veterans who served during the Vietnam era and 7.8 million who served in the Gulf War era, which spans from August 1990 through the present. There are also around 240,000 World War II veterans and about 933,000 who served during the Korean conflict, the VA estimates.
Some veterans served through multiple eras but are counted only in their earliest era. Roughly three-quarters (78%) of veterans in 2021 served during wartime, and 22% served during peacetime. (Veterans with wartime and peacetime service are only counted in wartime.)
Declining U.S. Population with Military Experience
In 2018, about 7% of U.S. adults were veterans, down from 18% in 1980, according to the Census Bureau. This drop coincides with decreases in active-duty personnel. Over the past half-century, the number of people on active duty has dropped significantly, from 3.5 million in 1968, during the military draft era, to about 1.4 million (or less than 1% of all U.S. adults) in today’s all-volunteer force. The draft ended in 1973.
VA projections suggest the number of living veterans will continue to decline over the next 25 years. By 2046, the department estimates there will be around 12.5 million veterans, a decrease of about 35% from current numbers. By that time, Gulf War-era veterans are projected to make up a majority of those who served, and most veterans who served in the Vietnam era or earlier will have died.
The Changing Demographic Profile of Veterans
Today, about nine-in-ten veterans (89%) are men, while about one-in-ten (11%) are women, according to the VA’s 2021 population model estimates. By 2046, the share of female veterans is expected to increase to about 18%. The number of female veterans is also projected to increase slightly, from around 2 million in 2021 to approximately 2.2 million in 2046. The number of male veterans, on the other hand, is projected to drop from about 17 million in 2021 to around 10.3 million in 2046.
As with trends in the U.S. population, the veteran population is expected to become more racially and ethnically diverse. Between 2021 and 2046, the share of veterans who are non-Hispanic White is expected to drop from 74% to 62%. The share of veterans who are Hispanic is expected to double from 8% to 16%, while the share who are Black is expected to increase slightly from 13% to 15%.
Projections also indicate that the veteran population will become slightly younger, with 33% of veterans being younger than 50 in 2046 compared with 27% in 2021, even as the overall U.S. population ages. The share of veterans ages 50 to 69 is expected to shrink from 36% to 33%, while the share of those 70 and older is predicted to be around a third of the total (34%) by 2046, slightly lower than the current share (37%).
The Health of Today’s Veterans
Veterans have specific health issues related to their military service and are more likely to suffer from trauma-related injuries, substance abuse, and mental health disorders than people who have never served in the armed forces. About one-quarter of all veterans had a service-connected disability in 2018, which is an injury, disease, or disability that active duty either caused or aggravated. The prevalence of service-connected disability varied markedly across periods of service.
Veterans who served during peacetime before 1975 had the lowest percentage with a service-connected disability. Among those with the highest percentage were Post-9/11 and Gulf War veterans, more than one-third of whom had a service-connected disability. Not only did Post-9/11 veterans have the highest proportion of veterans with a service-connected disability, they also had the highest share with a disability rating.
Although this report compares health and disability across service periods, the prevalence of disability has changed over time as well. Coinciding with the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, the number of veterans with service-connected disabilities has increased since 2001, after decades of remaining relatively stable.
Numerous programs and resources are available to help veterans and their families and caregivers navigate the challenges of growing older or living with a serious disability. These benefits include skilled nursing and in-home care, respite care and financial services, and representation to those who need it.
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