4\. Military Service Experience

# 4.1 Introduction

The previous chapter discussed results showing that socio-demographic
characteristics of the veteran population have changed over time. For
example, women, minorities and better-educated individuals make up a
larger proportion of the veteran population compared to years past.
Differences in veterans' military experiences, like differences in
socio-demographic characteristics, may have a differential impact on
health status, health needs, insurance needs, and current benefits.
Thus, understanding the military service characteristics of the
ever-changing veteran population is essential to developing policies and
programs that meet those veterans' needs.

In this chapter, we examine four key aspects of veterans' military
service experience:

-   Branch of service;

-   Period of service;

-   Combat exposure; and

-   Service-connected disability.

We describe service experiences for all veterans, and compare these
experiences by gender, age, race, and Hispanic[^1] ethnicity.

# 4.2 Branch of Service

Respondents were asked whether they had ever served on active duty in
each branch of the military, as well as the Public Health Service,
Environmental Services Administration, National Oceanic and Atmospheric
Administration, and the U.S. Merchant Marines during World War II
(WWII). Women respondents were also asked whether they had ever served
in any of the women's corps and auxiliary corps.

As Table 4-1 illustrates, about 50 percent of all veterans served in the
Army, almost 25 percent in the Navy, 20 percent in the Air Force, 10
percent in the Marine Corps, and slightly more than 1 percent in the
Coast Guard. One out of four veterans reported serving in one of the
special branches (e.g., Merchant Marines during WWII; Women's Army
Auxiliary Corps \[WAAC\]; Women's Army Corps \[WAC\]).

**Gender and Branch of Service.** Table 4-1 also illustrates several
gender differences in branch of service evident among these veterans.
Women were less likely than men to have served in the Army (41.0 percent
vs. 50.8 percent, respectively) and the Marine Corps (7.7 percent vs.
10.0 percent, respectively). Women were more likely than men to have
served in the Air Force (27.5 percent vs. 19.1 percent, respectively).
About the same proportion of women as men served in the Navy (23.7
percent and 24.5 percent, respectively). Very few male veterans (2.0
percent) served in the Merchant Marines during WWII. About 25 percent of
women veterans served in one of the women's special branches, with the
largest proportion (10.8 percent) having served in the WAC.

Table 4-1. Percent distribution of veterans by branch of service and
gender

  ---------------------------------- ------------ ------------ ------------
                                     Total        Males        Females

  Army                               50.2         50.8         41.0

  Navy                               24.4         24.5         23.7

  Air Force                          19.6         19.1         27.5

  Marine Corps                       9.9          10.0         7.7

  Coast Guard                        1.4          1.4          0.9\*

  Women's Army Auxiliary Corps       1.8          NR           1.8
  (WAAC)                                                       

  Women's Army Corps (WACs)          10.8         NR           10.8

  Women Accepted for Voluntary       6.7          NR           6.7
  Emergency Service (WAVES)                                    

  Navy Nursing Corps (NNC)           1.5          NR           1.5

  Air Force Nursing Corps (AFNC)     2.8          NR           2.8

  Women's Air Force Service Pilots   0.2\*        NR           0.2\*
  (WASPS)                                                      

  Coast Guard Women's Reserve        0.3\*        NR           0.3\*
  (SPARS)                                                      

  The Public Health Service, the     0.2          0.2          0.4\*
  Environmental Services                                       
  Administration or the National                               
  Oceanic and Atmospheric                                      
  Administration                                               

  U. S. Merchant Marine              2.0          2.0          NR

  Number of veterans†                25,095,000   23,629,800   1,465,200
  ---------------------------------- ------------ ------------ ------------

\* Low precision and/or sample size for the denominator between 30 and
59; NR: Sample size for the denominator less than 30.

† Estimates of number of veterans are rounded to the nearest hundred;
percent estimates will not sum to 100 because veterans could indicate
more than one branch of service.

NOTE: This table excludes veterans who received a medical discharge from
the National Guard or Reserves but never served on active duty.

**Age and Branch of Service.** Age differences in branch of service also
were found among these veterans, as shown in Table 4-2. The proportion
of veterans who served in the Army increases across age cohorts from 43
percent of those veterans less than 35 years of age to 60 percent of
those veterans age 75 years or older. Conversely, the proportion with
Marine Corps service decreases from 18 percent of those veterans in the
youngest age cohort to 6 percent of veterans in the oldest age cohort.
Proportion of veterans with Navy, Air Force, and Coast Guard service
varied little across age cohorts.

Veterans with service in the women's corps tend to be in the older age
cohorts. This is not surprising, given that many of the separate women's
corps (e.g., Women Accepted for Voluntary Emergency Service \[WAVES\],
Women's Airforce Service Pilots \[WASP\]) were disbanded after WWII.

**Race and Branch of Service.** Table 4-3 displays race comparisons of
branch of service. A larger proportion of Blacks veterans (60.3 percent)
served in the Army compared to any other racial group. A larger
proportion of White and biracial American Indian-White veterans served
in the Air Force (19.9 percent and 20.1 percent vs. 15.4 percent to 17.5
percent for other races). Among Black veterans, proportionately fewer
(14.3 percent) served in the Navy, compared to veterans of other races
(21.9 to 25.7 percent). Aside from the main service branches, the number
of veterans of racial groups other than White reporting service in the
special branches (e.g., WAAC; WAVES) is too small to make comparisons.

**Ethnicity and Branch of Service.** Table 4-4 illustrates comparisons
of branch of service by Hispanic ethnicity. Proportionately more
Hispanic veterans served in the Army and the Marine Corps, compared to
non-Hispanic veterans (54.3 percent vs. 50.0 percent respectively in the
Army, 15.2 percent vs. 9.6 percent respectively in the Marine Corps).
Proportionately fewer Hispanic veterans served in the Navy, compared to
non-Hispanic veterans (17.9 percent vs. 24.7 percent, respectively).
Aside from the main branches, the number of Hispanic veterans reporting
service in the special branches (e.g., WAC; WAVES) is too small to make
comparisons.

Table 4-2. Percent distribution of veterans by branch of service and age

  ----------------- ------------ ----------- ----------- ----------- ----------- ----------- -----------
                    Total        Less than\  35-44\      45-54\      55-64\      65-74\      75 years\
                                 35 years    years       years       years       years       or older

  Army              50.2         43.1        42.4        48.6        48.4        53.8        59.7

  Navy              24.4         24.7        24.0        23.0        24.5        23.9        26.8

  Air Force         19.6         15.0        23.2        18.0        20.6        19.5        20.3

  Marine Corps      9.9          17.5        11.5        12.0        9.0         7.3         6.1

  Coast Guard       1.4          1.4         1.6         1.3         1.0         1.2         2.1

  Women's Army      1.8          0.1\*       0.9\*       1.6\*       4.5\*       1.0\*       6.9\*
  Auxiliary Corps                                                                            
  (WAAC)                                                                                     

  Women's Army      10.8         0.1\*       3.4\*       23.2        27.3        20.7\*      17.4
  Corps (WACs)                                                                               

  Women Accepted    6.7          0.0         0.8\*       5.2\*       16.2\*      14.6\*      29.1
  for Voluntary                                                                              
  Emergency Service                                                                          
  (WAVES)                                                                                    

  Navy Nursing      1.5          0.3\*       1.1\*       0.2\*       3.0\*       3.5\*       5.8\*
  Corps (NNC)                                                                                

  Air Force Nursing 2.8          0.1\*       1.5\*       5.5\*       6.9\*       1.2\*       5.6\*
  Corps (AFNC)                                                                               

  Women's Air Force 0.2\*        0.0         0.0         0.2\*       0.5\*       0.2\*       1.1\*
  Service Pilots                                                                             
  (WASPS)                                                                                    

  Coast Guard       0.3\*        0.0         0.0         0.0         0.0         0.0         2.6\*
  Women's Reserve                                                                            
  (SPARS)                                                                                    

  The Public Health 0.2          0.1\*       0.2\*       0.2\*       0.4         0.2\*       0.2\*
  Service, the                                                                               
  Environmental                                                                              
  Services                                                                                   
  Administration or                                                                          
  the National                                                                               
  Oceanic and                                                                                
  Atmospheric                                                                                
  Administration                                                                             

  U. S. Merchant    2.0          NR          NR          NR          NR          1.2         3.1
  Marine                                                                                     

  Number of         25,095,000   2,264,300   3,003,700   5,393,700   4,935,700   5,243,100   4,114,700
  veterans†                                                                                  
  ----------------- ------------ ----------- ----------- ----------- ----------- ----------- -----------

\* Low precision and/or sample size for the denominator between 30 and
59; NR: Sample size for the denominator less than 30.

† Estimates of number of veterans are rounded to the nearest hundred;
the total estimate is larger than the sum of the groups because some
veterans did not provide their age; percent estimates will not sum to
100 because veterans could indicate more than one branch of service.

NOTE: This table excludes veterans who received a medical discharge from
the National Guard or Reserves but never served on active duty.

Table 4-3. Percent distribution of veterans by branch of service and
race

<table style="width:100%;">
<colgroup>
<col style="width: 16%" />
<col style="width: 8%" />
<col style="width: 7%" />
<col style="width: 8%" />
<col style="width: 8%" />
<col style="width: 9%" />
<col style="width: 5%" />
<col style="width: 10%" />
<col style="width: 7%" />
<col style="width: 9%" />
<col style="width: 6%" />
</colgroup>
<tbody>
<tr class="odd">
<td></td>
<td></td>
<td colspan="6">One race</td>
<td colspan="2">Two or more races</td>
<td></td>
</tr>
<tr class="even">
<td></td>
<td>Total</td>
<td>Total<br />
one race</td>
<td>White</td>
<td>Black or<br />
African American</td>
<td>American Indian or Alaska Native</td>
<td>Asian</td>
<td>Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander</td>
<td>Total<br />
two or<br />
more races</td>
<td>American Indian or Alaska Native/White</td>
<td>Race unknown</td>
</tr>
<tr class="odd">
<td>Army</td>
<td>50.2</td>
<td>50.3</td>
<td>49.2</td>
<td>60.3</td>
<td>52.2</td>
<td>53.3</td>
<td>42.0*</td>
<td>50.9</td>
<td>53.0</td>
<td>47.7</td>
</tr>
<tr class="even">
<td>Navy</td>
<td>24.4</td>
<td>24.6</td>
<td>25.7</td>
<td>14.3</td>
<td>24.3</td>
<td>23.9</td>
<td>9.9*</td>
<td>22.0</td>
<td>21.9</td>
<td>21.2</td>
</tr>
<tr class="odd">
<td>Air Force</td>
<td>19.6</td>
<td>19.6</td>
<td>19.9</td>
<td>17.5</td>
<td>15.4</td>
<td>17.7*</td>
<td>28.6*</td>
<td>21.3</td>
<td>20.1</td>
<td>16.7</td>
</tr>
<tr class="even">
<td>Marine Corps</td>
<td>9.9</td>
<td>9.6</td>
<td>9.5</td>
<td>10.9</td>
<td>12.0</td>
<td>6.4*</td>
<td>19.5*</td>
<td>12.0</td>
<td>11.6</td>
<td>17.1</td>
</tr>
<tr class="odd">
<td>Coast Guard</td>
<td>1.4</td>
<td>1.4</td>
<td>1.5</td>
<td>0.6*</td>
<td>0.8*</td>
<td>1.9*</td>
<td>0.0*</td>
<td>1.4*</td>
<td>1.9*</td>
<td>1.3*</td>
</tr>
<tr class="even">
<td>Women’s Army Auxiliary Corps (WAAC)</td>
<td>1.8</td>
<td>1.8</td>
<td>1.9</td>
<td>1.3*</td>
<td><blockquote>
<p>NR</p>
</blockquote></td>
<td>NR</td>
<td><blockquote>
<p>NR</p>
</blockquote></td>
<td>5.8*</td>
<td>6.4*</td>
<td>0.0*</td>
</tr>
<tr class="odd">
<td>Women’s Army Corps (WACs)</td>
<td>10.8</td>
<td>11.2</td>
<td>12.1</td>
<td>4.5*</td>
<td><blockquote>
<p>NR</p>
</blockquote></td>
<td>NR</td>
<td><blockquote>
<p>NR</p>
</blockquote></td>
<td>13.0*</td>
<td>16.5*</td>
<td>0.4*</td>
</tr>
<tr class="even">
<td>Women Accepted for Voluntary Emergency Service (WAVES)</td>
<td>6.7</td>
<td>7.1</td>
<td>8.4</td>
<td>1.2*</td>
<td><blockquote>
<p>NR</p>
</blockquote></td>
<td>NR</td>
<td><blockquote>
<p>NR</p>
</blockquote></td>
<td>0.0</td>
<td>0.0*</td>
<td>2.4*</td>
</tr>
<tr class="odd">
<td>Navy Nursing Corps (NNC)</td>
<td>1.5</td>
<td>1.5</td>
<td>1.9</td>
<td>0.0</td>
<td><blockquote>
<p>NR</p>
</blockquote></td>
<td>NR</td>
<td><blockquote>
<p>NR</p>
</blockquote></td>
<td>1.1*</td>
<td>0.0*</td>
<td>1.7*</td>
</tr>
<tr class="even">
<td>Air Force Nursing Corps (AFNC)</td>
<td>2.8</td>
<td>3.0</td>
<td>3.4*</td>
<td>0.9*</td>
<td><blockquote>
<p>NR</p>
</blockquote></td>
<td>NR</td>
<td><blockquote>
<p>NR</p>
</blockquote></td>
<td>0.6*</td>
<td>0.0*</td>
<td>0.0*</td>
</tr>
<tr class="odd">
<td>Women’s Air Force Service Pilots (WASPS)</td>
<td>0.2*</td>
<td>0.2*</td>
<td>0.3*</td>
<td>0.0</td>
<td><blockquote>
<p>NR</p>
</blockquote></td>
<td>NR</td>
<td><blockquote>
<p>NR</p>
</blockquote></td>
<td>0.0</td>
<td>0.0*</td>
<td>0.0*</td>
</tr>
<tr class="even">
<td>Coast Guard Women’s Reserve (SPARS)</td>
<td>0.3*</td>
<td>0.3*</td>
<td>0.4*</td>
<td>0.0</td>
<td><blockquote>
<p>NR</p>
</blockquote></td>
<td>NR</td>
<td><blockquote>
<p>NR</p>
</blockquote></td>
<td>0.0</td>
<td>0.0*</td>
<td>0.0*</td>
</tr>
<tr class="odd">
<td>The Public Health Service, the Environmental Services Administration
or the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration</td>
<td>0.2</td>
<td>0.2</td>
<td>0.2</td>
<td>0.1*</td>
<td>0.7*</td>
<td>0.0</td>
<td>0.7*</td>
<td>0.1*</td>
<td>0.2*</td>
<td>0.3*</td>
</tr>
<tr class="even">
<td>U. S. Merchant Marine</td>
<td>2.0</td>
<td>2.0</td>
<td>2.0</td>
<td>2.6*</td>
<td>2.8*</td>
<td>0.0*</td>
<td>NR</td>
<td>3.2*</td>
<td>1.1*</td>
<td>1.0*</td>
</tr>
<tr class="odd">
<td>Number of veterans†</td>
<td>25,095,000</td>
<td>23,763,200</td>
<td>21,289,000</td>
<td>2,206,000</td>
<td>158,500</td>
<td>73,200</td>
<td>36,500</td>
<td>552,900</td>
<td>360,600</td>
<td>778,800</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>

\* Low precision and/or sample size for the denominator between 30 and
59; NR: Sample size for the denominator less than 30.

† Estimates of number of veterans are rounded to the nearest hundred;
only one sub-category of "Total Two or More Races" is shown because all
other categories were too small to report; percent estimates will not
sum to 100 because veterans could indicate more than one branch of
service.

NOTE: This table excludes veterans who received a medical discharge from
the National Guard or Reserves but never served on active duty.

Table 4-4. Percent distribution of veterans by branch of service and
ethnicity

  ------------------------------- ------------- ------------- -------------
                                  Total         Spanish,      Not Spanish,
                                                Hispanic, or  Hispanic, or
                                                Latino        Latino

  Army                            50.2          54.3          50.0

  Navy                            24.4          17.9          24.7

  Air Force                       19.6          16.2          19.7

  Marine Corps                    9.9           15.2          9.6

  Coast Guard                     1.4           0.6\*         1.5

  Women's Army Auxiliary Corps    1.8           0.0\*         1.9
  (WAAC)                                                      

  Women's Army Corps (WACs)       10.8          2.3\*         11.2

  Women Accepted for Voluntary    6.7           0.0\*         7.0
  Emergency Service (WAVES)                                   

  Navy Nursing Corps (NNC)        1.5           0.0\*         1.6

  Air Force Nursing Corps (AFNC)  2.8           3.5\*         2.8\*

  Women's Air Force Service       0.2\*         0.0\*         0.2\*
  Pilots (WASPS)                                              

  Coast Guard Women's Reserve     0.3\*         0.0\*         0.3\*
  (SPARS)                                                     

  The Public Health Service, the  0.2           0.0           0.2
  Environmental Services                                      
  Administration or the National                              
  Oceanic and Atmospheric                                     
  Administration                                              

  U. S. Merchant Marine           2.0           2.3\*         2.0

  Number of veterans†             25,095,000    1,111,800     23,899,600
  ------------------------------- ------------- ------------- -------------

\* Low precision and/or sample size for the denominator between 30 and
59.

† Estimates of number of veterans are rounded to the nearest hundred; ;
the total estimate is larger than the sum of the groups because some
veterans did not provide a category of Ethnicity; percent estimates will
not sum to 100 because veterans could indicate more than one branch of
service.

NOTE: This table excludes veterans who received a medical discharge from
the National Guard or Reserves but never served on active duty.

# 4.3 Period of Service

Respondents were asked the dates when they entered and left military
service. Based on these dates, period of service was determined. The
periods into which veterans were classified included: WWII; between WWII
and the Korean Conflict; the Korean Conflict; between the Korean
Conflict and the Vietnam Era; the Vietnam Era; post-Vietnam Era; and the
Gulf War. Respondents could be classified into more than one period of
service, so percentages displayed in related tables do not sum to 100.

Table 4-5 shows that the largest percentage of veterans report that they
served during the Vietnam Era (36.1 percent), followed by the
Post-Vietnam Era (27.9 percent) and the era between the Korean and
Vietnam eras (25.6 percent). This pattern has changed slightly since the
1992 NSV, when the majority of veterans reported that they served during
the Vietnam Era (33.5 percent) or WWII (30.0 percent).

Table 4-5. Percent distribution of veterans by period of service and
gender

  ---------------------------------- ------------ ------------ ------------
                                     Total        Males        Females

  World War II                       20.5         21.0         12.0

  Between World War II and the       6.7          7.0          2.4
  Korean Conflict                                              

  Korean Conflict                    16.9         17.7         5.0

  Between the Korean Conflict and    25.6         26.7         8.0
  the Vietnam Era                                              

  Vietnam Era                        36.1         37.3         16.2

  Post-Vietnam Era                   27.9         26.3         53.8

  Gulf War                           13.9         12.4         37.0

  Number of veterans†                25,095,000   23,629,800   1,465,200
  ---------------------------------- ------------ ------------ ------------

† Estimates of number of veterans are rounded to the nearest hundred;
percent estimates will not sum to 100 because veterans could indicate
more than one period of service.

NOTE: This table excludes veterans who received a medical discharge from
the National Guard or Reserves but never served on active duty.

**Gender and Period of Service.** Proportionately more women veterans
served during the two most recent periods, compared to men veterans.
Almost 54 percent of female veterans served during the Post-Vietnam Era
compared to 26 percent of male veterans. In addition, proportionately
three times as many female veterans served during the Gulf War compared
to men (37.0 percent vs. 12.4 percent, respectively). These findings
reflect increasing participation of women in military service in the
past few decades.

**Race and Period of Service.** As described above, the largest
proportion of veterans served during the Vietnam Era (36.1 percent),
while the second-largest proportion served during the post-Vietnam Era.
Table 4-6 illustrates that this pattern is reversed among Black and
American Indian veterans. The proportion of minority veterans who served
during the post-Vietnam Era and Gulf War is also markedly higher than
that of White veterans. This reflects the increasing racial diversity
observed among military service members in recent decades.

Table 4-6. Percent distribution of veterans by period of service and
race

  -------------- ------- ------------ ------------ ------------ ----------- ---------- -------- ---------- --------- -------------- ---------
                                      One race                                                             Two or                   
                                                                                                           more                     
                                                                                                           races                    

                 Total                Total\       White        Black or\   American   Asian    Native     Total\    American       Race
                                      one race                  African     Indian or           Hawaiian   two or\   Indian or      unknown
                                                                American    Alaska              or Other   more      Alaska         
                                                                            Native              Pacific    races     Native/White   
                                                                                                Islander                            

  World War II           20.5         21.1         22.4         10.1        8.1        20.4     4.9\*      11.1      12.0           9.7

  Between World          6.7          6.8          7.1          4.6         5.7\*      9.8\*    4.0\*      5.7       7.2            3.5
  War II and the                                                                                                                    
  Korean                                                                                                                            
  Conflict                                                                                                                          

  Korean                 16.9         17.2         17.7         13.3        11.5       13.5\*   18.0\*     13.6      16.5           9.5
  Conflict                                                                                                                          

  Between the            25.6         26.0         26.8         18.8        18.9       24.1     27.0\*     21.2      25.9           17.9
  Korean                                                                                                                            
  Conflict and                                                                                                                      
  the Vietnam                                                                                                                       
  Era                                                                                                                               

  Vietnam Era            36.1         35.8         35.9         34.8        34.6       36.3     56.1\*     44.2      45.0           38.2

  Post-Vietnam           27.9         27.3         25.2         45.8        50.5       32.5     56.2\*     39.1      34.1           37.7
  Era                                                                                                                               

  Gulf War               13.9         13.3         11.9         26.4        19.6       32.0     16.6\*     19.2      14.9           27.0

  Number of              25,095,000   23,763,200   21,289,000   2,206,000   158,500    73,200   36,500     552,900   360,600        778,800
  veterans†                                                                                                                         
  -------------- ------- ------------ ------------ ------------ ----------- ---------- -------- ---------- --------- -------------- ---------

\* Low precision and/or sample size for the denominator between 30 and
59.

† Estimates of number of veterans are rounded to the nearest hundred;
only one sub-category of "Total Two or More Races" is shown because all
other categories were too small to report; percent estimates will not
sum to 100 because veterans could indicate more than one period of
service.

NOTE: This table excludes veterans who received a medical discharge from
the National Guard or Reserves but never served on active duty.

**Ethnicity and Period of Service.** Table 4-7 compares Hispanic and
non-Hispanic veterans and the periods during which they served.
Proportionately more Hispanic veterans served during the post-Vietnam
Era and the Gulf War, compared to non-Hispanic veterans. Fewer Hispanic
veterans served between WWII and the Vietnam Era, compared to their
non-Hispanic counterparts. These results mirror those seen in
comparisons of race and period of service, indicating the increasing
diversity of military service members.

Table 4-7. Percent distribution of veterans by period of service and
ethnicity

  -------------------------------- ------------ ------------ ------------
                                   Total        Spanish,     Not Spanish,
                                                Hispanic, or Hispanic, or
                                                Latino       Latino

  World War II                     20.5         10.2         21.0

  Between World War II and the     6.7          3.1          6.9
  Korean Conflict                                            

  Korean Conflict                  16.9         10.6         17.2

  Between the Korean Conflict and  25.6         17.9         26.0
  the Vietnam Era                                            

  Vietnam Era                      36.1         34.9         36.1

  Post-Vietnam Era                 27.9         35.9         27.5

  Gulf War                         13.9         25.9         13.3

  Number of veterans†              25,095,000   1,111,800    23,899,600
  -------------------------------- ------------ ------------ ------------

† Estimates of number of veterans are rounded to the nearest hundred;
the total estimate is larger than the sum of the groups because some
veterans did not provide a category of Ethnicity; percent estimates will
not sum to 100 because veterans could indicate more than one period of
service.

NOTE: This table excludes veterans who received a medical discharge from
the National Guard or Reserves but never served on active duty.

# 4.4 Combat Exposure

Respondents were asked questions about combat and combat-related
military experiences. These questions included whether the veteran had
served in a combat or war zone and had been exposed to dead, dying, or
wounded people. As Table 4-8 displays, nearly 39 percent of veterans
said they had served in a combat or war zone, while 36 percent said they
had been exposed to dead, dying, or wounded people during their military
service.

**Gender and Combat Exposure.** As might be expected, male veterans were
much more likely to have served in combat or a war zone than were women
veterans (40.6 percent vs. 12.0 percent, respectively). Male veterans
were also more likely than their female counterparts to have been
exposed to dead, dying or wounded people, although the difference is not
as striking.

Table 4-8. Percent distribution of veterans by service in combat or war
zone or exposure to dead, dying, or wounded and gender

+-------------------------------+------------+-------------+-----------+
|                               | Total      | Males       | Females   |
+-------------------------------+------------+-------------+-----------+
| Served in Combat or War Zone  |            |             |           |
+-------------------------------+------------+-------------+-----------+
| > Yes                         | 38.9       | 40.6        | 12.0      |
+-------------------------------+------------+-------------+-----------+
| > No                          | 60.1       | 58.3        | 87.8      |
+-------------------------------+------------+-------------+-----------+
| > Unknown                     | 1.0        | 1.1         | 0.2       |
+-------------------------------+------------+-------------+-----------+
| > Total                       | 100.0      | 100.0       | 100.0     |
+-------------------------------+------------+-------------+-----------+
| Exposed to Dead, Dying, or    |            |             |           |
| Wounded People                |            |             |           |
+-------------------------------+------------+-------------+-----------+
| > Yes                         | 36.4       | 37.2        | 24.4      |
+-------------------------------+------------+-------------+-----------+
| > No                          | 62.9       | 62.1        | 75.2      |
+-------------------------------+------------+-------------+-----------+
| > Unknown                     | 0.7        | 0.7         | 0.4       |
+-------------------------------+------------+-------------+-----------+
| > Total                       | 100.0      | 100.0       | 100.0     |
+-------------------------------+------------+-------------+-----------+
| Number of veterans†           | 25,095,000 | 23,629,800  | 1,465,200 |
+-------------------------------+------------+-------------+-----------+

† Estimates of number of veterans are rounded to the nearest hundred.

NOTE: This table excludes veterans who received a medical discharge from
the National Guard or Reserves but never served on active duty.

**Period of Service and Combat Exposure.** Table 4-9 shows that, in
general, the proportion of veterans who reported serving in a combat or
war zone decreases across the periods of service after WWII, then
increases during the Vietnam and Gulf War periods. More WWII veterans
said they served in a combat or war zone, followed by veterans who
served between WWII and Korea and those who served during the Vietnam
era, compared to veterans of other periods of service. Although the
relatively high proportion with combat exposure among those who served
between WWII and Korea seems at odds with peacetime service, this may
simply represent veterans who had already served during WWII and
experienced combat then.

A similar pattern (i.e., highest during WWII service and immediately
thereafter, second-highest during Vietnam era service) is seen in
exposure to dead, dying, or wounded people.

Table 4-9. Percent distribution of veterans by service in combat, war
zone, or exposure to dead, dying, or wounded and period of service

+------------+------+-----+-----+-----+-------+------+-----+-----+
|            | T    | Wo  | B   | Kor | Be    | Viet | Pos | Gu  |
|            | otal | rld | etw | ean | tween | nam\ | t-V | lf\ |
|            |      | War | een | Co  | K     | Era  | iet | War |
|            |      | II  | Wo  | nfl | orean |      | nam |     |
|            |      |     | rld | ict | Con   |      | Era |     |
|            |      |     | War |     | flict |      |     |     |
|            |      |     | II  |     | and   |      |     |     |
|            |      |     | and |     | Vi    |      |     |     |
|            |      |     |     |     | etnam |      |     |     |
|            |      |     | Ko  |     | Era   |      |     |     |
|            |      |     | rea |     |       |      |     |     |
+------------+------+-----+-----+-----+-------+------+-----+-----+
| Served in  |      |     |     |     |       |      |     |     |
| Combat or  |      |     |     |     |       |      |     |     |
| War Zone   |      |     |     |     |       |      |     |     |
+------------+------+-----+-----+-----+-------+------+-----+-----+
| > Yes      | 38.9 | 6   | 5   | 4   | 31.9  | 48.1 | 3   | 3   |
|            |      | 0.3 | 2.8 | 2.4 |       |      | 1.5 | 8.1 |
+------------+------+-----+-----+-----+-------+------+-----+-----+
| > No       | 60.1 | 3   | 4   | 5   | 67.1  | 51.1 | 6   | 6   |
|            |      | 8.7 | 6.5 | 6.9 |       |      | 7.3 | 0.7 |
+------------+------+-----+-----+-----+-------+------+-----+-----+
| > Unknown  | 1.0  | 1.0 | 0.7 | 0.7 | 1.0   | 0.8  | 1.2 | 1.2 |
+------------+------+-----+-----+-----+-------+------+-----+-----+
| > Total    | 1    | 10  | 10  | 10  | 100.0 | 1    | 10  | 10  |
|            | 00.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |       | 00.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
+------------+------+-----+-----+-----+-------+------+-----+-----+
| Exposed to |      |     |     |     |       |      |     |     |
| Dead,      |      |     |     |     |       |      |     |     |
| Dying, or  |      |     |     |     |       |      |     |     |
| Wounded    |      |     |     |     |       |      |     |     |
| People     |      |     |     |     |       |      |     |     |
+------------+------+-----+-----+-----+-------+------+-----+-----+
| > Yes      | 36.4 | 4   | 4   | 3   | 30.0  | 45.9 | 3   | 3   |
|            |      | 9.7 | 2.9 | 4.8 |       |      | 2.3 | 1.7 |
+------------+------+-----+-----+-----+-------+------+-----+-----+
| > No       | 62.9 | 4   | 5   | 6   | 69.4  | 53.5 | 6   | 6   |
|            |      | 9.2 | 6.3 | 4.6 |       |      | 7.0 | 7.6 |
+------------+------+-----+-----+-----+-------+------+-----+-----+
| > Unknown  | 0.7  | 1.1 | 0.8 | 0.6 | 0.6   | 0.6  | 0.7 | 0.7 |
+------------+------+-----+-----+-----+-------+------+-----+-----+
| > Total    | 1    | 10  | 10  | 10  | 100.0 | 1    | 10  | 10  |
|            | 00.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |       | 00.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
+------------+------+-----+-----+-----+-------+------+-----+-----+
| Number of  | 25   | 5,1 | 1,6 | 4,2 | 6,42  | 9    | 7,0 | 3,4 |
| veterans†  | ,095 | 49, | 80, | 45, | 6,500 | ,057 | 05, | 83, |
|            | ,000 | 100 | 600 | 600 |       | ,200 | 000 | 600 |
+------------+------+-----+-----+-----+-------+------+-----+-----+

† Estimates of number of veterans are rounded to the nearest hundred;
the total number of veterans is smaller than the sum of the groups
because veterans could indicate more than one period of service.

NOTE: This table excludes veterans who received a medical discharge from
the National Guard or Reserves but never served on active duty.

# 4.5 Service-Related Disability and Service-Connected Disability Rating

All respondents were asked whether they had a disabling condition. Those
who answered affirmatively were asked whether their disabling condition
was service-related. In addition, everyone was asked whether they had a
service-connected disability rating.

A service-connected disability is any disability incurred in or
aggravated during a period of active military service where the veteran
did not receive a dishonorable discharge or the disability was not due
to willful misconduct of the veteran. In general, a service-connected
disability evaluated as 10 percent or more disabling by VA entitles a
veteran to receive disability compensation.[^2] Service-related
disability, on the other hand, is a self-reported disabling condition.
Table 4-10 shows that almost 14 percent of veterans said they had a
service-related disability. The same proportion said they had a
service-connected disability rating, as Table 4-11 displays.

**Gender and Service-Related Disability.** Gender differences in
service-related disability are displayed in Tables 4-10 and 4-11. A
slightly higher percentage of male veterans than female veterans report
having a service-connected disability (13.9 percent vs. 12.7 percent,
respectively). The difference in proportion of male and female veterans
reporting a disability rating is even smaller (13.8 percent vs. 13.5
percent, respectively).

Table 4-10. Percent distribution of veterans by service-related
disability and gender

  ---------------------------------- ------------ ------------ ------------
                                     Total        Males        Females

  Yes                                13.8         13.9         12.7

  No                                 16.6         16.8         12.0

  Not Applicable or Unknown          69.6         69.3         75.3

  Total                              100.0        100.0        100.0

  Number of veterans†                25,196,000   23,712,400   1,483,600
  ---------------------------------- ------------ ------------ ------------

† Estimates of number of veterans are rounded to the nearest hundred.

Table 4-11. Percent distribution of veterans by service-connected
disability rating and gender

  ---------------------------------- ------------ ------------ ------------
                                     Total        Males        Females

  Yes                                13.8         13.8         13.5

  No                                 85.1         85.1         85.6

  Unknown                            1.1          1.1          0.9\*

  Total                              100.0        100.0        100.0

  Number of veterans†                25,196,000   23,712,400   1,483,600
  ---------------------------------- ------------ ------------ ------------

\* Low precision and/or sample size for the denominator between 30 and
59.

† Estimates of number of veterans are rounded to the nearest hundred.

**Branch of Service and Service-Related Disability.** Table 4-12
compares the proportion of veterans reporting a service-related
disability in the different military branches. Comparing only the major
services (i.e., Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps, Coast Guard), the
highest proportion of veterans reporting a service-related disability
was among those who had served in the Marine Corps (16.7 percent). The
next highest proportion was found among those who had served in the Army
(15.0 percent). The lowest proportion reporting a service-related
disability was found among Navy veterans (11.4 percent).

Veterans from the special branches (e.g., women's corps; WAVES) were
more likely to have service-related disabilities, compared to veterans
from the major services. About 17 percent of WAC (Women's Army Corps)
veterans and 16 percent of WWII Merchant Marine veterans reported having
a service-related disability. The number of veterans in the other
special branches that reported a service-related disability (e.g., WAAC;
WAVES) is too small to make comparisons.

Table 4-12. Percent distribution of veterans by service-related
disability and branch of service

  ------------------ ------------ ------------ ----------- ----------- ----------- ---------
                     Total        Army         Navy        Air Force   Marine      Coast
                                                                       Corps       Guard

  Yes                13.9         15.0         11.4        14.1        16.7        11.8

  No                 16.5         18.1         16.3        15.9        14.1        18.2

  Not Applicable or  69.6         66.9         72.3        70.0        69.2        70.0
  Unknown                                                                          

  Total              100.0        100.0        100.0       100.0       100.0       100.0

  Number of          25,095,000   12,593,500   6,130,500   4,909,000   2,487,400   356,100
  veterans†                                                                        
  ------------------ ------------ ------------ ----------- ----------- ----------- ---------

† Estimates of number of veterans are rounded to the nearest hundred;
the estimate is smaller than the sum of the groups because veterans
could indicate more than one branch of service.

NOTE: This table excludes veterans who received a medical discharge from
the National Guard or Reserves but never served on active duty.

Table 4-13 displays the proportion of veterans who report having a
service-connected disability rating, comparing veterans from different
branches. Among the major branches, Marine Corps veterans are most
likely to report having a disability rating (16.4 percent), followed by
veterans of the Air Force (16.0 percent) and the Army (14.8 percent).
Navy veterans (10.7 percent) are the least likely to report having a
disability rating. Among the special branches, about 20 percent of WAC
veterans and 12 percent of WWII Merchant Marine veterans report having a
service-connected disability rating. The number of veterans in the other
special branches that reported having a disability rating (e.g., WAAC;
WAVES) is too small to make comparisons.

Table 4-13. Percent distribution of veterans by service-connected
disability rating and branch of service

  ------------------ ------------ ------------ ----------- ----------- ----------- ---------
                     Total        Army         Navy        Air Force   Marine      Coast
                                                                       Corps       Guard

  Yes                13.8         14.8         10.7        16.0        16.4        12.3

  No                 85.1         84.0         88.4        83.3        81.9        87.2

  Unknown            1.1          1.2          0.9         0.7         1.7         0.5\*

  Total              100.0        100.0        100.0       100.0       100.0       100.0

  Number of          25,095,000   12,593,500   6,130,500   4,909,000   2,487,400   356,100
  veterans†                                                                        
  ------------------ ------------ ------------ ----------- ----------- ----------- ---------

\* Low precision and/or sample size for the denominator between 30 and
59.

† Estimates of number of veterans are rounded to the nearest hundred;
the total number of veterans is smaller than the sum of the groups
because veterans could indicate more than one branch of service.

NOTE: This table excludes veterans who received a medical discharge from
the National Guard or Reserves but never served on active duty.

**Period of Service and Service-Related Disability.** The general trend
in the proportion of veterans who report a service-related disability is
upward across the periods of service after WWII, as Table 4-14
indicates. However, the higher proportions among veterans who served
later may be an artifact of the fact that a higher proportion of
veterans from earlier periods have already died. A similar trend can be
observed in the proportion of veterans who say they have a
service-connected disability rating (see Table 4-15).

Table 4-14. Percent distribution of veterans by service-related
disability and period of service

  ------------- ------------ ----------- ----------- ----------- ----------- ----------- -------------- -----------
                Total        World War   Between     Korean      Between     Vietnam\    Post-Vietnam   Gulf\
                             II          World War   Conflict    Korean      Era         Era            War
                                         II and\                 Conflict                               
                                         Korea                   and Vietnam                            
                                                                 Era                                    

  Yes           13.9         13.6        14.0        11.7        12.5        18.5        19.6           22.5

  No            16.5         28.6        25.1        22.7        18.8        11.6        7.4            3.0

  Not           69.6         57.8        60.9        65.6        68.7        69.9        73.0           74.5
  applicable or                                                                                         
  unknown                                                                                               

  Total         100.0        100.0       100.0       100.0       100.0       100.0       100.0          100.0

  Number of     25,095,000   5,149,100   1,680,600   4,245,600   6,426,500   9,057,200   7,005,000      3,483,600
  veterans†                                                                                             
  ------------- ------------ ----------- ----------- ----------- ----------- ----------- -------------- -----------

† Estimates of number of veterans are rounded to the nearest hundred;
the total estimate is smaller than the sum of the groups because
veterans could indicate more than one period of service.

NOTE: This table excludes veterans who received a medical discharge from
the National Guard or Reserves but never served on active duty.

Table 4-15. Percent distribution of veterans by service-connected
disability rating and period of service

  ----------- ------------ ----------- ----------- ----------- ----------- ----------- -------------- -----------
              Total        World War   Between     Korean      Between     Vietnam Era Post-Vietnam   Gulf\
                           II          World War   Conflict    Korean                  Era            War
                                       II and\                 Conflict                               
                                       Korea                   and Vietnam                            
                                                               Era                                    

  Yes         13.8         14.2        16.3        13.3        12.8        18.1        20.4           24.2

  No          85.1         84.6        82.6        85.9        86.6        80.9        78.6           74.5

  Unknown     1.1          1.2         1.1\*       0.8         0.6         1.0         1.0            1.3

  Total       100.0        100.0       100.0       100.0       100.0       100.0       100.0          100.0

  Number of   25,095,000   5,149,100   1,680,600   4,245,600   6,426,500   9,057,200   7,005,000      3,483,600
  veterans†                                                                                           
  ----------- ------------ ----------- ----------- ----------- ----------- ----------- -------------- -----------

\* Low precision and/or sample size for the denominator between 30 and
59.

† Estimates of number of veterans are rounded to the nearest hundred;
the total estimate is smaller than the sum of the groups because
veterans could indicate more than one period of service.

NOTE: This table excludes veterans who received a medical discharge from
the National Guard or Reserves but never served on active duty.

[^1]: This includes veterans who identified themselves as having
    Spanish, Hispanic, or Latino ethnicity.

[^2]: A small percent of veterans with less than a 10 percent rating
    receive compensation.