Unfortunate Facts About Veterans
According to the federal government, veterans make up 9% of the U.S. population
but over 23% of the homeless population.
There are currently about 10,000 veterans of the Iraq war that will come
home amputees and be less capable to support their families.
The rate of alcoholism and other forms of addiction is twice as high among
veterans as it is among non-veterans.
In 2005, the USDVA forecasted a $2.6 billion shortfall for meeting the
healthcare needs of US Veterans. The VA's patient to doctor ratio has grown from 335
to 1, to 531 to 1, between 2000 and September 2004.
According to the USDVA, more than 200,000 veterans are homeless on any
given night, and more than 500,000 will experience homelessness over the course of
a year.
The VA Reports that in 2005, over 215,870 veterans received disability
assistance for Post Traumatic Stress Disorder.
In October of 2005, the VA reported that more than 119,000 soldiers discharged
from Afghanistan and Iraq have sought help for medical or mental health
issues from the VA.
A 2003 New England Journal of Medicine Study found that 15-17 percent of
US Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans were suffering from Post Traumatic Stress Disorder.
Most compelling was the study's finding that more than 60% of those showing
symptoms were unlikely to seek help due to fears of stigmatization or loss of
career advancement opportunities.
In November of 2005, The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported that for
the first three quarters of 2005, nearly 15 percent of veterans aged 20-24 were
jobless - three times the national average.
According to U.S. Army data, the number of active-duty soldiers getting
divorced has been rising sharply with deployments to Afghanistan and Iraq . The
trend is severest among officers. Last year, 3,325 Army officers' marriages ended in
divorce -- up 78% from 2003, the year of the Iraq invasion, and more than 350%
greater than the number in 2000.
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