A Snapshot of Our Nation’s Veterans

July 27, 2012

Ever wondered how many veterans there are in the United States? Or maybe which cities have the most veterans living in them? Well, we’re glad you asked because the U.S. Census infographics department has been hard at work making the data they collect more digestible to the general public. And as TIME’s Battlefield blogger Mark Thompson notes — you’ve already paid for the information — so why not learn something from it?

[Source: U.S. Census Bureau] via TIME Battlefield

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TOPICS: Veterans & War

TAGS: census, military, soldiers, us census, veterans, war

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doggirl
I have read that many veterans are homeless. I wonder if the Census has any numbers on that.
Sandra2222
Most of these statistics are not very useful … because there is no point of reference or the numbers are not comparative. Of course, California, Texas and Florida have more veterans than other states. They are among the largest states. The only thing it tells you is that New York, another populous state, probably has a lower percentage of veterans than the rest. These might be useful if they were percentages. While a few data are comopared to the national average, most are not, rendering the story the statistics should tell totally useless. This is an important subject. I expect more from one of my favorite sources of information on current issues.
Gene in L.A.
It’s probably not practical to find that number, precisely because they are homeless; there’s nowhere to count them for census or to ask them specific questions.
Neal
I agree, this is an extremely important subject and these stats don’t tell a complete story. Given his excellent track record, I expect Mr. Moyers will do more with this and perhaps have some guests on who can expand on it. I also expect these stats may change in the coming years based on the experiences and education level of our veterans. They’re not likely to continue puttiing their lives at risk for less than defense of the nation, and the way they are treated once they come home is disgraceful.
http://www.facebook.com/Tracking.nut Wally O’Brien
Sandra2222, Don’t know if you served in the military, or not. Because of some of the benefits that they get, retired military tend to settle around, or near, military facilities. They get to use these facilities as retired military. Also, because of the extra points they get for federal jobs, they tend to take federal jobs after they get out of the military. So when you talk about California and Texas, the reason that they have a high military population (veterans) is that they have a very high number of military installations.
http://www.facebook.com/lang.lloveras Lang Lloveras
Many veterans are homeless – and the more Republicans get elected to office – the more there will be – because they promote the idea that government Is the problem and the solution Is to starve the Beast. They prefer to use tax money to turn millionaires into billionaires rather than to fulfill our sacred obligation to those who have served this country honorably and well – and who have sacrificed to keep us free. An elementary-school friend of mine – a handsome kind and very smart young man – came back from Nam with PTSD at a time when the Pentagon was denying its existence. He died young homeless and uncared for on the streets of New Orleans – because of those policies.
http://www.facebook.com/people/Ben-Kilman/1127343765 Ben Kilman
This may be why they called it a snapshot.
Carlos
http://machimon.wordpress.com/2011/12/28/austerity-economics-starving-the-beast-rip/
http://www.facebook.com/tindelk Kay E. Tindel
Clicking around the internet recently, I noticed statistics about veteran homelessness and veteran suicides. I think those statistics are probably more alarming than where those veterans with a home reside. One report (NY Times, 4/14/2012) reported that 6500 veterans commit suicide each year (one every 80 minutes). This is more than total soldiers who died in Iraq and Afghanistan combined.
Doc Cook
conservatives seem to think we are welfare recipients and are already whining that it cost too much money easily fixed don`t send anyone to war especially their little boy
Anonymous
Killeen, TX is a small town just outside of Fort Hood, TX, where many military families live, go to school, and work. It is a disgrace to our Pentagon, Congress, and American people the homelessness and suicide rate of veterans. Visit a VA Hospital for an idea of how we further mistreat our veterans.
Andrew Hibbard
Wally, what you say is true, but what Sandra said is also true. California has a population of about 30 million people. That’s about 10% of the population of the entire United States. Of course there are more veterans living there. There are more people there too. But it doesn’t say which states have the highest proportion of veterans living there. If we compared the proportion of veterans to overall population, then maybe North Carolina might have the highest percentage, because North Carolina has some large military bases too; and it has a much smaller population than California, Texas or Florida.
Grapes
I think it is probably more accurate to say it the other way, as in, many of the homeless are veterans.
http://www.facebook.com/lesley.mclaughlin2 Lesley McLaughlin
My Dad was a career Marine. Growing up, my siblings and I were imbued with a sense of pride that “we” were Marines. Thanks for drawing attention to these stats, and the for the information on help available to vets.
http://www.facebook.com/BarbaraBachmeierAlaska Barbara Bachmeier State House
In Alaska, people who take training to be a voter registrar are provided no information about registering homeless people to vote. And the voter registration form makes no availability for Alaskans who do not have a standard house number and street name. I am absolutely certain that most homeless people in Alaska have not been able to register to vote. And this is wrong!
Chuck Smith
Apparently serving in only ONE war wasn’t a stat of significance??
ek
I got home from the middle-east last Nov. We had all these “Yellow-Ribbon” drills. The govt paid thousand of Dollars for these hotel rooms and Fancy “Lets get to work” sessions… I still dont have a job. VA says they have jobs….Only for the highly Educated. Federal Govt says they are hiring Vets. TSA wants you not to have a low credit score and not a Bankruptcy… I lost my business, owe over $400000,00 I lived as a closest Gay man in the army, close to 50 years old, had to sell my house for half of what it was worth so I could use it to pay rent for an Apt in the “Hood”. I can not stomach to be an OTR truck-driver again…. due to the fact I am so angry all the time. Went to the VA in Atlanta… that was a joke, then they billed me for services. I hate to throw race into it but was it because I was a white guy in a very unwhite. So any one wonder why the Suicide rate is so high!!! I wont lie I have thought about it myself.
Congress, stop wasting money on these hype up “Job-Fairs”. If they dont pay a living wage, dont let them in! Race trac, Home depot, sears, and any other retail minimum wage employer. I made 78k in the Army and how am I to live on 7.50 an hour. That goes for the “per-mile-pay” trucking companies…that will definitely send a suicide-vet overboard.
When you do have a “job-fair” send at least 50 hr reps from the VA and 50 From other Federal agencies…Those desks are so overwhelmed!!!!
John Burgess
Many cities are starting veterans court very successful in getting vets out of jail and off the streets. If your cities doesn’t,t have a veterans court get one started and the hardest thing of it all is finding mentors…. exspecialy female mentors!
Crystal Hirsch
I needs know HOW much whole veterans are there presents!! I have to gets answer before tomorrow social studies!!