History Made Every Day™

Veterans Day Facts

The number of military veterans in the United States in 2008 is 23.2 million.

Female Veterans

There are 1.8 million female veterans as of 2008.

Race and Hispanic Origin

The number of black veterans as of 2008 is 2.3 million. Additionally, 1.1 million veterans were Hispanic; 276,000 were Asian; 160,000 were American Indian or Alaska Native; 27,000 were Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander; and 18.3 million were non-Hispanic white. (The numbers for blacks, Asians, American Indians and Alaska Natives, Native Hawaiians and Other Pacific Islanders, and non-Hispanic whites cover only those reporting a single race.)

When They Served

There are 9.2 million veterans 65 and older in 2008. At the other end of the age spectrum, 1.9 million were younger than 35.

The number of Vietnam-era veterans as of 2008 is 7.9 million. Thirty-three percent of all living veterans served during this time (1964-1975). In addition, 5.2 million served during the Gulf War (representing service from Aug. 2, 1990, to present); 2.6 million in World War II (1941-1945); 2.8 million in the Korean War (1950-1953); and 6 million in peacetime.

As of 2008, there are 50,000 living veterans who served during both the Vietnam and Gulf War eras. Other living veterans in 2008 who served during two or more wars:
– 92,000 served during three periods: World War II, the Korean War and the Vietnam War.

Living veterans in 2008 who served during two wars:
– 740,000 served during both Gulf War eras.
– 245,000 served during both the Korean War and the Vietnam Era.
– 182,000 served during both World War II and the Korean War.

Where They Live

There are five states with 1 million or more veterans in 2008. These states are California (2.1 million), Florida (1.7 million), Texas (1.7 million), New York (1 million) and Pennsylvania (1 million).

Education

26 percent of veterans 25 and older with at least a bachelo's degree in 2008.

91 percent of veterans 25 and older with a high school diploma or higher in 2008.

Income and Poverty

The annual median income of veterans, in 2008 inflation-adjusted dollars, is $36,779.

On the Job

There is 10.4 million veterans 18 to 64 in the labor force in 2008.

Disabilities

There are 5.5 million veterans with a disability in 2008.

Service-Connected Disability Ratings

There are 3.4 million veterans with a service-connected disability rating in 2008. Of this number, 588,000 have a rating of 70 percent or higher.

Voting

The number of veterans who voted in the 2008 presidential election was 15.8 million. Seventy-one percent of veterans cast a ballot, compared with 63 percent of nonveterans.

Business Owners

14.5 percent of owners of firms responding to the 2002 Survey of Business Owners who were veterans. Veteran business owners comprised an estimated 3 million of the 20.5 million owners represented by survey respondents.

68 percent of veteran owners of respondent firms who were 55 and older. This compares with 31 percent of all owners of respondent firms. Similarly, in 2002, 55 percent of veteran-owned respondent firms with employees reported that their businesses were originally established, purchased or acquired before 1990, compared with 36 percent of all employer respondent firms.

Seven percent of veteran business owners of respondent firms who were disabled as the result of injury incurred or aggravated during active military service.

Benefits

The number of veterans who received compensation for service-connected disabilities as of 2008 is 2.9 million. Their compensation totaled $36.2 billion.

The total amount of federal government spending for veterans benefits programs in fiscal year 2008 is $84.4 billion. Of this total, $40.2 billion went to compensation and pensions, $37.9 billion for medical programs and the remainder to other programs, such as vocational rehabilitation and education.

This information was collected from the 2009 Census, unless otherwise indicated, and is provided courtesy of the U.S. Census Bureau.