Some Facts about US Vets

Trauma Columnist · Nov 4, 2018

Veterans Day 2018 is arriving shortly. Sometimes there is confusion regarding Veterans Day and Memorial Day. Veterans Day is the day set aside to thank US veterans for the sacrifices they have made by serving in our military. Memorial Day is set aside to honor those military members who made the ultimate sacrifice - its a day for honoring our military dead.

As our country grinds past its 17th year of continuous conflict, most or all of us know veterans. Those military members who entered the military in 2001 after 9-11 will be approaching military retirement in 3 short years if they elected to make the military a career. As of 2016, there were 4,398,000 veterans from the War on Global Terrorism.

Currently about 10% of the US veteran population are women with a projected increase to 16% by 2040. Women serve in a wide variety of jobs now in the military and women veterans are becoming more visible. Many more women are becoming veterans too.

Some facts

Gulf War veterans now surpass Vietnam veterans in sheer numbers. According to the Pew Institute and the VA Administration:

"Gulf War-era veterans now account for the largest share of all U.S. veterans, surpassing Vietnam-era veterans in 2016, according to Veterans Affairs' 2016 population model estimates. As of last year, there were 6.8 million American veterans who served during the Vietnam era and 7.1 million who served in the Gulf War era, which spans from August 1990 through the present. (Some veterans served through both eras.) There were also around 771,000 World War II veterans and 1.6 million who served during the Korean conflict, the VA estimates. About three-quarters (77%) of veterans in 2016 served during wartime and 23% only served during peacetime."

Currently, 9/10 veterans are male. However, that demographic is changing too as more women join the military ranks. Female vets are also entitled to VA health care. Women veterans health care needs are different from their male counterparts. The VA continues to strive to care for women veterans yet many services are lacking including OB care.

49 out of 50 states have some type of veterans designator on drivers licenses. To obtain this on your driver's license, contact your local Department of Motor Vehicles. This designator will allow you to receive benefits offered by merchants and retailers that offer military veteran discounts.

The VA system has been tasked with providing US military veteran ID cards even if you do not utilize the VA for your health care. Veterans can apply for a card online by going to Vets.gov. If you need additional assistance with the application process or have questions, please send an email to [email protected]. Also, the VA provides info for all military veterans and is a good place to start to determine your benefits.

The US recognizes its veterans on November 11th with the official day being Monday, November 12, 2018. allnurses has a list of retailers and restaurants that celebrate our veterans on this day with discounts and freebies. As a US military veteran, please take advantage of these offers.

Here are some past AN Veterans Day articles which are just as relevant as when they were written:

Veterans Day 2017

Veterans Day 2016 - A Salute to Military Nurses

Veterans Day 2015 - Shout Out to all Vets

A Tribute to Military Nurses - Veterans Day 2014