# THE UNDER SECRETARY OF VETERANS AFFAIRS FOR BENEFITS

**WASHINGTON, D.C.  20420**

Dear Reader:

          I am pleased to present the Veterans Benefits Administration (VBA) Annual Benefits Report for Fiscal Year 1999.  Using the same framework as last year’s report, we are providing information on new business during fiscal year 1999 and active accounts at the beginning of fiscal year 2000.   

          In this, the second edition of the VBA Annual Benefits Report, however, we begin the inclusion of a new dimension to the discussion of program activity – the future.   Presented in the new Chapter 4 is a strategic view, which provides projections of program usage and associated financial obligations of the government to veterans and survivors, well beyond fiscal year 2000.  We believe this “rational link” to the future of VBA programs brings important contextual information to long-term policy and management decision making in both the Executive and Legislative branches of government.  

          This VBA Annual Benefits Report addresses estimated future liabilities for only the disability Compensation and Dependency and Indemnity Compensation programs - of which, the disability program provides a lifetime benefit.  Our attention to the compensation programs in this report is based on the availability of adequate data and the special significance of these programs to veterans and the Nation.

          We have also added three new appendices that incorporate the addresses of all VBA Regional Offices, telephone numbers for obtaining information about benefits and services, and web sites where additional information about VA may be obtained.  An index that will allow you to quickly browse for specific topics has also been added.

          I am interested in hearing from you as to how we might further enhance future VBA Annual Benefits Reports.  Through your input and our own efforts toward improvement, we expect to make this report an essential information tool for years to come.

Joseph Thompson

# TABLE OF CONTENTS

**CHAPTER 1**

**AN INTRODUCTION TO THE VETERANS BENEFITS ADMINISTRATION AND**

**ITS BENEFITS PROGRAMS**

VETERANS BENEFITS ADMINISTRATION - MISSION AND VISIONPage 1

INTRODUCTION & PURPOSE OF VBA’s ANNUAL BENEFITS REPORT1

HIGHLIGHTS OF VETERANS BENEFITS HISTORY3

VBA’S BENEFITS PROGRAMS - IN BRIEF4

**CHAPTER 2BUSINESS DURING FISCAL YEAR 1999**

BENEFICIARIES ENTERING THE PROGRAMS - NEW BUSINESS

SUMMARY OF ALL PROGRAMSPage 11

COMPENSATION - DISABILITY13

COMPENSATION - DEATH33

PENSION - DISABILITY36

PENSION - DEATH38

EDUCATION39

LIFE INSURANCE41

HOME LOAN GUARANTY43

VOCATIONAL REHABILITATION & EMPLOYMENT49

BENEFICIARIES LEAVING THE PROGRAMS - TRANSITIONS

SUMMARY OF ALL PROGRAMS60

COMPENSATION - DISABILITY61

COMPENSATION - DEATH62

PENSION - DISABILITY63

PENSION - DEATH64

EDUCATION65

LIFE INSURANCE66

HOME LOAN GUARANTY67

VOCATIONAL REHABILITATION & EMPLOYMENT68

**CHAPTER 3**

**BUSINESS BEGINNING FISCAL YEAR 2000**

SUMMARY OF ALL PROGRAMSPage 75

COMPENSATION - DISABILITY77

COMPENSATION - DEATH97

PENSION - DISABILITY101

PENSION - DEATH103

EDUCATION105

LIFE INSURANCE107

HOME LOAN GUARANTY113

VOCATIONAL REHABILITATION & EMPLOYMENT118

**CHAPTER 4**

**THE FUTURE – FORECASTING PROGRAM LIABILITIES**

FORECASTING OF PROGRAM LIABILITIES..................................................................Page 123

LIABILITY FOR FUTURE COMPENSATION BENEFITS.........124

TABLE 1 - ESTIMATED FUTURE BENEFIT PAYMENTS125

TABLE 2 - DISCOUNTED ESTIMATED FUTURE COMPENSATION PAYMENTS127

TABLE 3 - VETERANS RECEIVING COMPENSATION129

TABLE 4 - DEATH RATES131

TABLE 5 - RATES OF NEWLY ADJUDICATED COMPENSATION CASES133

**APPENDICES**

APPENDIX A - VBA REGIONAL OFFICE ADDRESSES Page 137

APPENDIX B - CONTACTING VA BY TELEPHONE141

APPENDIX C - WEB SITES 143

#### INDEX

INDEX ...Page 145

**VETERANS BENEFITS ADMINISTRATION - ITS MISSION AND VISION**

VBA’s Mission Statement

The mission of the Veterans Benefits Administration, in partnership with the Veterans Health Administration and the National Cemetery Administration, is to provide benefits and services to veterans and their families in a responsive, timely and compassionate manner in recognition of their service to the nation.

VBA’s Vision Statement

Our vision is that the veterans whom we serve will feel that our nation has kept its commitment to them; employees will feel that they are both recognized for their contribution and are part of something larger than themselves; and taxpayers will feel that we’ve met the responsibilities they’ve entrusted to us.  Courage, honesty, trust, respect, open communication, and accountability will be reflected in our day to day behavior.

**INTRODUCTION & PURPOSE OF VBA’S ANNUAL BENEFITS REPORT**

The Veterans Benefits Administration (VBA) is one of three administrations comprising the Department of Veterans Affairs.  VBA is responsible for administering and delivering an array  of Federally authorized benefits and services to eligible veterans and, in certain instances, their dependents and survivors.  VBA programs include disability and death compensation and pension, education, life insurance, home loan guaranties, and vocational rehabilitation and employment.

With annual expenditures exceeding $23 billion and long-term obligations exceeding one trillion dollars, VBA programs have a sweeping impact not only on the veteran community but on the whole of American society.  These are programs that touch millions of lives in fundamental ways. 

In fact, the indirect reach of VBA programs extends well beyond the veteran community.  Their net effect on society and the economy is so significant that a periodic reporting of program details - an Annual Benefits Report - is an appropriate addition to public discourse.  Benefit programs that are the focus of this report, and the kinds of assistance they provide, are:

· **Compensation.** Compensates veterans for the average loss of earning capacity resulting from disability associated with military service.  It also indemnifies survivors in the event that the veteran dies of service-related causes.

· **Pension.**  Provides a minimum level of economic security to nonservice disabled wartime veterans (with additional allowances for veterans with dependents), as well as survivors of wartime veterans.  This program supports those facing severe financial hardship. 

· **Educational Support.**  Conveys opportunities to acquire knowledge and skills for the civilian job market.

· **Life Insurance.** Affords the opportunity to provide for survivors by building an estate.

· **Home Loan Guaranty.**  Helps bring the dream of homeownership within reach.

· **Vocational Rehabilitation & Employment.**  Leads to suitable employment or independence in daily living when employment is not an option.

The intent of this report is to identify the current level of program participation by eligible persons and to profile the veteran/beneficiary consumers.  The objective of this report is not to analyze work processes associated with day-to-day administration of the benefit programs.  It is meant to present a clear, complete, data-driven picture of the extent to which veterans and their dependents use these benefits; to provide insights into the nature of the benefits programs; and to portray the economic impact of VBA programs on veterans, their families, and the Federal government.  This report does not duplicate information published in the Annual Report of the Secretary of Veterans Affairs.  Rather, this report provides additional information that lends perspective, context, and detail to existing descriptions of the benefits programs.

The data presented in this report are drawn from existing VBA data systems that in some cases do not represent the kinds of information that would best meet the purposes described above.  However, the Under Secretary for Benefits has made data integrity and information utility top priorities of his administration.  VBA recognizes that accurate, reliable, complete data are essential to effective program management.  This report represents one component of VBA’s comprehensive effort to improve its data management strategies and practices.

**HIGHLIGHTS OF VETERANS BENEFITS HISTORY**

***“... provide for the common defense, promote the general welfare...”***

    Preamble to the Constitution

March 4, 1789, the day the U.S. Constitution was enacted, was also the day our new Federal government passed its first law to help veterans who were injured in service.  This action continued a tradition reaching back more than 150 years to 1636, when the Plymouth colony provided pensions to veterans disabled in defense of the colony.  The new Federal pension law passed in 1789 was a continuation of a pension law created in 1776 by the Continental Congress.  The significant change was that, instead of each state administering its own program, the new Federal government assumed the responsibility of paying veterans’ pensions.  Thus began a two-century-long commitment by the American people to help those who wore our nation’s uniform to defend the ideals embodied in the Constitution.

Each wartime era has brought unique circumstances.  Moreover, societal change is ongoing, during both wartime and peacetime.  Naturally, programs to help veterans have evolved along with the changing conditions associated with societal and military influences.

Until the 20th century, veterans’ benefits consisted primarily of pension payments to veterans and their dependents.  Occasionally, with land being the essential resource in an agrarian economy, land grants or priority purchase rights were available to veterans.  While levels of monetary assistance and eligibility criteria continued to evolve, the most profound change in the 19th century was the dramatic rise in the number of the nation’s veterans.  In the aftermath of the Civil War, some 1.9 million veterans were added to the rolls by 1865.  Prior to 1861, only 80,000 veterans of prior wars were still living. 

The experiences of the 20th century produced a much larger veteran population (from less than two million in 1900 to a high of about 28 million in 1980), an industrial-based economy, mechanized warfare and medical advances that saved the lives of many battlefield casualties.  In response to these changes, veterans benefits were transformed.  The original “GI Bill of Rights” in 1944 was the vehicle that remade veterans benefits.  In fact, the GI Bill (officially, the Servicemen’s Readjustment Act of 1944) is commonly regarded as among the most successful domestic legislation in U.S. history.   The rationale for veterans benefits programs became reoriented toward “readjustment” from military to civilian social and economic life.  Education grants; home and business loans; and unemployment compensation supported veterans’ efforts to realize their dreams of higher education, good job opportunities, and home ownership.  GI Bill benefits spurred the educational, scientific, technical, and economic boom of the postwar period.  Many veterans and their families found the door to the expanding American middle class opened by their entitlement to GI Bill benefits.  

In defense of the ideals of the Constitution, more than 41 million of America’s sons and daughters have served in the armed forces, among whom one million have died in service and millions more were wounded or injured.  In return, America has consistently provided help to these citizen-soldiers in making the sometimes-difficult transition back to civilian life.  VBA’s current benefit programs continue this tradition.

**VBA’S BENEFITS PROGRAMS - IN BRIEF**

***COMPENSATION - BASED UPON SERVICE-CONNECTED DISABILITY OR DEATH***

The American people have long recognized that they owe a debt of gratitude to their veterans.  Throughout its history, the United States has sought to relieve the burden on veterans and their families, of disability or death related to military service.

One means of relief has been achieved through compensation of disabled veterans and their survivors, referred to as “disability pension” prior to the 20th century.  Disability compensation is a monetary benefit paid to veterans with service-connected disabilities.  “Service-connected” means that the disability was a result of disease or injury incurred or aggravated during active military service.  To be eligible for disability compensation, the veteran must have been discharged under conditions other than dishonorable, and the disability must not have resulted from the veteran’s willful misconduct.  

Disability compensation is graduated according to the degree of the veteran’s disability on a scale from 0 percent disabling to 100 percent disabling, in increments of 10 percent.  Benefits in addition to the 100 percent disability rate are payable to veterans with extremely severe disabilities.  The most seriously disabled veterans receive the highest benefit amounts, and less severely disabled veterans receive lower benefits.  

Dependency and Indemnity Compensation (DIC) is payable to certain categories of survivors if the servicemember’s or veteran’s death was attributable to a disability incurred or aggravated during military service.  Surviving spouses who are not remarried and dependent children are potentially eligible for DIC benefits.  An additional amount is payable if the veteran was rated totally  disabled  for  a  period  of  at  least  eight   years   prior   to   death.   For deaths prior to

January 1, 1993, benefit rates are based on the veteran’s military pay grade or the current monthly rate established by law, whichever is the greater benefit.

Parents of veterans or servicemembers who die as the result of service-connected disease or injury are also potentially eligible for DIC benefits.  Parents’ DIC is a needs-based program designed to serve financially dependent parents.

***PENSION - BASED UPON NONSERVICE DISABILITY OR DEATH AND FINANCIAL NEED***

VA pension programs were designed to provide income support to veterans with wartime service who become permanently and totally disabled or die as the result of nonservice-connected conditions.  These programs which serve veterans and survivors who are experiencing financial hardship, are means tested.  In other words, the level of a beneficiary’s family income from other sources determines the amount of the benefit.  Income limits and benefit rates for these programs are established by law.

Wartime veterans who become permanently and totally disabled as the result of a nonservice-connected disability may be eligible for disability pension, subject to income limitations.  Additional amounts may be paid to a veteran who has dependents, who is so disabled as to require the aid and attendance of another person, or is housebound.  Benefits are also paid under two protected, or “grandfathered,” predecessor pension programs, whose rates and limits are fixed at the amounts in effect when the programs were replaced.

Surviving spouses and dependent children of wartime veterans are potentially eligible for death pension benefits, subject to income limitations.  As with disability pension, death pension is paid under the current pension program as well as under the two “grandfathered” predecessor programs.

***EDUCATION***

VBA education programs provide veterans, reservists, and certain veterans’ dependents with educational resources to supplement opportunities missed because of military service.  These programs are also meant to help the Armed Forces and Reserves to both recruit and retain members.  For members of the Armed Forces, VA educational benefits assist in the adjustment to civilian life.  On a broader scale, educational benefits are meant to enhance the Nation's competitiveness through the development of a more highly educated and productive workforce.

There are four active education programs:

**Post-Vietnam Era Veterans' Educational Assistance Program (VEAP)**

VEAP was the first GI Bill program that required a contribution by the servicemember. Requirements and features of VEAP are these: 

· Veteran first entered on active duty after December 31, 1976, and before July 1, 1985

· Contributed to VEAP while on active duty and before April 1, 1987 

· Maximum contribution of $2700 by the servicemember 

· Government matches contribution $2 for $1 

· Maximum entitlement is 36 months

· Benefit must be used within 10 years of discharge from the service

· Unused contributions may be refunded

· Additional "kickers" or contributions from the Department of Defense (DOD) under certain circumstances 

· Current full-time VEAP rate is $300 per month plus any DOD "kicker" adjustment

**Montgomery GI Bill - Active Duty (MGIB)**

In 1996, Public Law 104-275 provided that certain VEAP participants who were on active duty on October 9, 1996, could elect Montgomery GI Bill (MGIB) benefits.  The deadline for this election was October 8, 1997.  Some 41,041 veterans and servicemembers took advantage of this opportunity to elect MGIB.  MGIB is a contributory program.  The servicemember’s pay is automatically reduced by $100 per month for 12 months unless the servicemember declines to participate at the time of enlistment.  Requirements and features of MGIB are these: 

· Served on active duty after June 30, 1985

· Must fulfill one's basic service obligation

· Must have completed high school

· Must receive an honorable discharge 

· Maximum entitlement is 36 months

· Additional "kicker" may be available, as determined by DOD 

· Generally, must use benefits within 10 years following discharge 

**Montgomery GI Bill - Selected Reserve (MGIB-SR)**

MGIB-SR is the first GI Bill to provide educational assistance to members of the Selected Reserve (including National Guard members).  DoD funds this program and is responsible for determining eligibility to MGIB-SR.  VBA administers the program.  Requirements and features of MGIB-SR are these:

· Must agree to a six-year Selected Reserve obligation after July 1, 1985 

· Must have completed high school education 

· Remain a member in good standing of the Selected Reserve

· Maximum entitlement is 36 months 

· Generally, must use benefits within 10 years of date eligibility began 

**Dependents Educational Assistance Program (DEA)**

DEA is the only VA educational assistance program designed for students who have never served in the Armed Forces.  Features and requirements of DEA are these: 

· Eligibility is based on the veteran's service-connected death, total service-connected disability, or MIA/POW/hostage status

· Maximum entitlement is 45 months

· Children generally have eight years in which to use benefits 

· With some exceptions, children must be between ages 18 and 26

· Spouses have 10 years in which to use benefits

· A spouse's remarriage bars further benefits - a child's marriage does not

***LIFE INSURANCE***

Government life insurance programs were created to provide life insurance at a “standard” premium rate to members of the armed forces, who are exposed to the extra hazards of military service, potentially including war.  Few commercial insurance companies offered insurance that included coverage against death while in the armed forces.  Those that did so charged a high premium rate because of the additional risk.  Members leaving the armed forces could maintain their VA insurance following discharge.  

In general, a new life insurance program was created for each wartime period after World 

War I.  In 1946, the first government life insurance program directed at the insurance needs of disabled veterans was created.  These veterans, because of their disabilities and associated health risks, either could not obtain commercial life insurance or would have to pay higher than “standard” premium rates. This program, part of the National Service Life Insurance (NSLI) program, offered insurance at “standard” premium rates to veterans with service-connected disabilities.  

With the various life insurance programs offered at affordable rates, members of the armed forces and veterans were provided the opportunity to begin building an estate.

The following government life insurance programs have been closed to the issuance of new coverage but continue to have active policies.  The “Years” column of the table indicates the time period during which VBA was authorized to issue coverage under the program.

**Programs That No Longer Issue Coverage**

****

****

****

**Program**

**Years**

**Maximum Coverage**

****

United States Government Life Insurance (USGLI)

1919-1940

$10,000

National Service Life Insurance (NSLI)

1940-1951

$10,0001

Veterans' Special Life Insurance (VSLI)

1951-1956

$10,0001

Veterans' Reopened Insurance (VRI)

1965-1966

$10,0001

1 Since 1972, dividends can be used to increase coverage by purchasing paid-up additions to the basic insurance.

The following government life insurance programs continue to issue coverage.  The “Year” column indicates the date policies were first issued under each program. 

**Programs That Issue Coverage**

****

****

****

**Program**

**Year**

**Maximum Coverage**

****

Service-Disabled Veterans Insurance (SDVI)

1951

$10,0001

Servicemembers' Group Life Insurance (SGLI)

1965

$200,000

Veterans' Mortgage Life Insurance (VMLI)

1971

$90,000

Veterans' Group Life Insurance (VGLI)

1974

$200,000

1 An additional $20,000 of supplemental coverage is available to totally disabled veterans.

***HOME LOAN GUARANTY***

The Loan Guaranty Program provides housing credit assistance to veterans and service persons with the objective of enabling entry into the home-buying market.  Assistance is provided through the Government's partial guaranty of loans made by private lenders in lieu of the substantial down payment and other investment safeguards required in conventional mortgage transactions.

Loans may be used to purchase a home; to purchase a residential unit in certain condominium projects; to build a home; to refinance an existing home loan; or to improve a home by installing solar heating or other energy conservation measures.  There is no maximum loan amount for a VA loan.  Lenders set maximums based on rules of the secondary market to which they sell their loans.  The maximum VA guaranty is currently $50,750 and lenders are usually willing to make a “no down-payment” loan of up to 4 times the guaranty, or $203,000. Veterans pay a funding fee ranging from 1.25 percent to 3 percent of the loan amount (0.5 percent for interest rate reduction loans).  The funding fee can be included in the loan.  Veterans receiving VA compensation are exempt from payment of the fee.  Since the program's inception in 1944, VA has guaranteed more than 16.1 million loans totaling over $653 billion.  

Severely disabled veterans, mostly those, who are wheelchair bound, may obtain grants under the specially adapted housing program.  Eligible veterans may use these grants to buy, build or modify homes specifically adapted for their use, including distinctive housing needs such as wide doorways to accommodate wheelchairs, ramps instead of steps, and oversized and specially equipped bathrooms.  Separate specially adapted housing grants are also available for disabled veterans who are either blind in both eyes or who have lost, or lost the use of, both hands.  

VBA Loan Guaranty is also in the process of implementing the Native American Veteran Direct VA Loan Program.  Efforts to develop positive working relationships with Native American groups and tribes and relevant government entities continued in fiscal year 1999.  Loan Guaranty provides program information and materials to all interested parties and to VA personnel.  VA has entered into Memoranda of Understanding (MOU) with a total of 57 participating Native American tribes.  During fiscal year 1999, VA field offices closed 31 loans under this program.  To date, 212 loans have been made to Native American veterans under this pilot program.

The table below provides a summary of eligibility criteria.  In addition to these criteria, a veteran must have been discharged or released from active duty under other than dishonorable conditions.  If the veteran served less than the minimum required period, he or she could be eligible if discharged because of a service-connected disability.

**Summary of Home Loan Guaranty Entitlements**

****

****

****

**Period of Service or Entitlement**

**Service Dates**

**Length of Service or Other Criteria**

****

World War II

9/16/40 - 7/25/47

90 days

Post-World War II

7/26/47 - 6/26/50

181 continuous days

Korean War

6/27/50 - 1/31/55

90 days

Post-Korean War

2/1/55 - 8/4/64

181 continuous days

Vietnam Era

8/5/64 - 5/7/75

90 days

Post-Vietnam Era

5/8/75 - 9/7/80

181 continuous days

Enlisted

9/8/80 - 8/1/90

2 years

Officers

10/17/81 - 8/1/90

2 years

Gulf War Era

8/2/90 -

2 years or period called to active duty, not less than 90 days

Restored Entitlement

Possible under certain situations

Service Personnel

On active duty, after having served continuously for at least 181 days (90 days for Gulf War Era duty) unless discharged or separated from a previous qualifying period of active duty service

Reservists1

6 years

Unremarried Survivor

Of an eligible veteran who died as a result of service or service-connected injuries

Spouse of POW/MIA

Active duty member who is missing in action (MIA) or who is a prisoner of war (POW)

1 Entitlement currently due to expire on 9/30/03.

***VOCATIONAL REHABILITATION AND EMPLOYMENT***

The Vocational Rehabilitation and Employment (VR&E) program helps service-disabled veterans become employable and obtain and maintain suitable employment.  VR&E also administers a program of rehabilitation services to help disabled veterans achieve independence in daily living.  Additionally, the VR&E program provides educational and vocational counseling for eligible servicemembers, veterans, and dependents.  The outcome of educational and vocational counseling is the selection of an educational or vocational goal and/or the selection of institutions of learning and training where this goal may be pursued.  

The programs administered under the VR&E Service and its statutory authorities are shown in the following table.

###### VR&E PROGRAM

**STATUTORY AUTHORITY**

****

Vocational rehabilitation for service-connected disabled veterans

38 U.S.C. Chapter 31

Vocational training for certain pension recipients (nonservice-connected)

38 U.S.C. Chapter 15

Vocational training and rehabilitation for Vietnam veterans’ children with spina bifida

38 U.S.C. Chapter 18

Vocational and educational counseling services are provided under the following six authorities

38 U.S.C. Chapters 30, 32, 35, and 36; 10 U.S.C. Chapters 1606 and 107

**Summary Of Beneficiaries Entering All Benefits Program Rolls During**

**Fiscal Year 1999**

The following tables summarize information about the number of people who began receiving a benefit during fiscal year 1999 and the monetary value of the benefits.  Total annual amount and average annual amounts reflected in the tables refer to fiscal year 1999 only.

The first table summarizes the benefits that pay a recurring monthly monetary amount.  The number of people shown represents those who began receiving the benefit during fiscal year 1999.

**Summary of Beneficiaries Who Began Receiving Benefits**

**For Programs That Pay Ongoing Monthly Benefits**

**During Fiscal Year 1999**

****

****

****

****

****

**Benefit Programs**

**Number**

**of People**

**Percent**

**of Total**

**Total**

**Annual Amounts Paid in FY 1999**

**Average**

**Annual Amounts Paid in FY 1999**

****

   Compensation - Disability

87,384 

50.3%

$424,007,130 

$4,852 

   Compensation - Death1

17,053 

9.8%

$176,279,596 

$10,337 

   Pension - Disability

46,522 

26.8%

$293,282,075 

$6,304 

   Pension – Death2

22,653 

13.0%

$71,511,282 

$3,157 

###### Total of All Programs

**173,612**

**100.0%**

**$965,080,084**

**$5,559**

****

1 This category represents the Dependency and Indemnity Compensation Program.

2 Only represents Surviving Spouses.

The second table summarizes the benefits that are paid on a monthly basis, but only during a period of training attended by the person.  The number of people receiving Education benefits is the number of people who used their Education benefit for the first time during fiscal year 1999.  The number of people receiving the VR&E subsistence allowance benefit (Chapter 31 benefit) is the number who were in an approved program of training during fiscal year 1999 - not the number who used the benefit for the first time during fiscal year 1999.  The annual amounts of money paid are not available at this time for Education or VR&E.

**Summary of Beneficiaries Who Began Receiving**

**Benefits for Programs That Pay**

**Monthly Benefits During Training**

###### During Fiscal 1999

**Benefit Programs**

**Number of People**

**Percent of Total**

****

Education

106,698

67.2%

Vocational Rehabilitation

51,973

32.8%

**Total**

**158,671**

**100.0%**

****

The third table summarizes the benefits that provide for a payment if certain events occur (e.g. death of the insured and default on a mortgage).  For the Life Insurance program, the monetary amount is the face value of the policies issued during fiscal year 1999.  For Home Loan Guaranty, the monetary amount is the guaranty obligations (not the value of the underlying mortgages) established during fiscal year 1999.  For the Life Insurance and Home Loan Guaranty programs, the “Total Coverage Amounts” do *not* represent benefits actually paid out during the year by VBA.

**Summary of Beneficiaries Who Obtained Coverage**

###### During Fiscal Year 1999

**Benefit Programs That Constitute Potential Liabilities**

**Benefit Programs**

**Number of People**

**Percent of Total**

**Total Coverage Amounts**

**Average Coverage Amounts**

****

Life Insurance

268,353

35.6%

$47,155,855,903 

$175,723 

Home Loan Guaranty

485,610

64.4%

$54,087,681,042 

$34,306 

**Total**

**753,963**

**100.0%**

**$101,243,536,945**

**$134,282**

****

**Individual Data For Each Benefit Program**

The following sections of this chapter provide specific information about each benefit program.  They describe the veterans, dependents, and survivors who began receiving benefits during fiscal year 1999.  This would include beneficiaries whose awards were stopped prior to the current year but who reestablished eligibility during the year.

***1.Compensation - Based Upon Service-Connected Disability***

Disability compensation is paid on the basis of disabilities that are found to have occurred during or to have been aggravated by a veteran’s military service (except when the disability resulted from willful misconduct of the veteran).  Only veterans, not dependents, survivors, or others, are eligible to receive disability compensation.  Disabilities are evaluated according to the VA Schedule for Rating Disabilities contained in Title 38, Code of Federal Regulations, Part 4.  Extent of disability is expressed as a percentage from zero percent (for conditions that exist but are not disabling to a compensable degree) to 100 percent, in increments of 10 percent.

The Rating Schedule is based on a “whole person” concept.  This means that each disability is evaluated for its disabling effect on the whole person.  The range of disabling effects of a specific disability on a person rarely includes every 10 percent increment from zero percent to 100 percent.  For example, the Rating Schedule provides four possible evaluations for the disabling effect of a disfiguring scar of the head, face, or neck:  0, 10, 30, or 50 percent, according to the extent of the disfigurement.  Active pulmonary tuberculosis, on the other hand, is always rated 100 percent disabling.

**a.Total Number of Veterans Who Began Receiving Disability Compensation During**

**Fiscal Year 1999**

The following table provides data on veterans who began receiving disability compensation during fiscal year 1999, total annual expenditures for those veterans, and the average annual amount paid to these veterans.

**Total Number of Veterans**

****

****

****

****

**Who Began Receiving Compensation**

****

****

****

****

**During Fiscal Year 1999**

****

****

****

****

****

**Number**

**Total**

**Annual Amounts**

**Average**

**Annual Amounts**

****

### TOTAL

87,384

$424,007,130

$4,852

Source:  COIN CP-127

**b.Conditions Claimed and Disabilities for which Compensation Is Being Paid**

This section provides information about individual disabilities reported on original claims for benefits; individual disabilities determined to be service-connected; and the combined degree of disability for veterans who began receiving compensation payments during fiscal year 1999.  

An “original” claim is the first application submitted by a veteran.  Any single application, original or subsequent, may include multiple disabilities to be evaluated for service-connection.

**Note:** Some information in this section is generated from the Rating Board Automation (RBA) Database initially implemented in January 1998.  The data provide useful information about disability compensation that did not previously exist.  In the past, our claims management computer systems were not capable of collecting and storing data at this level of detail.  The information from the RBA Database presented in this report is a sample of the ratings done during fiscal year 1999, instead of a complete record of all the rating actions done during the year.  The sample includes a total of 72,986 original disability compensation ratings. Tables containing RBA information are labeled “Source: Rating Board Automation Database”. 

**Number of Disabilities Per Claim**

This table shows the distribution (by percent) of the number of disabilities claimed in original benefits applications.  For example, 12.5 percent of original applications rated during fiscal year 1999 claimed service connection for three individual disabilities.  The average, range, and median number of disabilities claimed are shown at the bottom of the table.

**Applications For Service-Connected Disability Compensation**

**By Number Of Disabilities Claimed**

**For Fiscal Year 1999**

**Number of Disabilities Claimed**

****

**1**

**2**

**3**

**4**

**5**

**6**

**7**

**8**

****

Percent of

Applications

23.1%

16.5%

12.5%

9.6%

7.5%

6.2%

4.6%

4.6%

**Number of Disabilities Claimed**

****

**9**

**10**

**11 thru 15**

**16 thru 20**

**21 thru 25**

**over 25**

**Total**

****

****

Percent of

Applications

3.4%

2.7%

6.6%

1.9%

0.6%

0.3%

100.0%

##### Average Number of Disabilities:  4.7; Range of Disabilities:  1 to 61; Median Number of Disabilities:  3

****

****

****

****

****

****

****

****

****

Source:  Rating Board Automation Database

**Total Number of Individual Disabilities Determined to be Service-Connected**

Service-connected disabilities sorted by the percentage evaluation assigned to each disability are provided in the following table.  Data include veterans initially granted compensation (based on either original or subsequent claims) and the average number of service-connected disabilities per veteran for fiscal year 1999.

**Note:**  “Zero percent” means that the disability exists and is related to the veteran’s service but is not disabling to a degree that would allow payment of compensation.  The number of zero percent disabilities shown in this table accounts only for those veterans who have individual disabilities rated zero percent but who also receive compensation.  This would occur when the veteran’s combined disability evaluation is 10 percent or greater, or when the veteran is entitled to payment under one of the statutory provisions for specific disabilities.  Veterans who do not receive compensation but have disabilities rated zero percent are not represented in these tables.

The most frequently assigned percentage during FY 1999 is highlighted in yellow in the 

following table.

**Total Individual Service-Connected Disabilities - by Percent**

****

****

****

****

****

****

****

**For Veterans Who Began Receiving Compensation**

****

****

****

****

****

****

****

**During Fiscal Year 1999**

****

****

****

****

****

****

****

****

**0%**

**10%**

**20%**

**30%**

**40%**

**50%**

****

Number of Disabilities

**122,973**

112,515

15,668

14,992

2,983

4,851

Percent of All Disabilities

**43.4%**

39.7%

5.5%

5.3%

1.1%

1.7%

****

**60%**

**70%**

**80%**

**90%**

**100%**

**Total**

****

Number of Disabilities

2,022

2,069

97

32

5,114

**283,316**

Percent of All Disabilities

0.7%

0.7%

0.0%

0.0%

1.8%

**100.0%**

Total Veterans:

87,384

Average number of disabilities per veteran:

3.24

**Number of Disabilities 0% thru 30%:**

**266,148**

**Percent of all Disabilities:**

****

****

**93.9%**

Source:  COIN CP-145 and COIN CP-127

**Service-Connected Disabilities, by Combined Degree of Disability, for Veterans Who Began Receiving Compensation during Fiscal Year 1999**

Combined degree of disability is expressed as a percentage and represents the overall disabling effect on a veteran of all his or her service-connected disabilities.  Disability compensation payments are determined according to the combined degree of disability.  This table shows information about veterans who began receiving compensation during fiscal year 1999 by the combined percentage of disability, as well as the total annual amount and average annual amount of compensation paid to these veterans.  

**Note:**  “Percent of combined disability” is not calculated by summing all the individual degrees of disability.  Instead, a rating formula is applied to calculate the overall disabling effect of the veteran’s service-connected conditions.  Under certain circumstances, a veteran with two or more disabilities individually evaluated zero percent can still produce 10 percent combined disability and entitle the veteran to receive disability compensation [38 CFR 3.324].  These will be called “compensable zeros” and are shown in the 0% column of this table. 

The most frequently assigned combined degree of disability during fiscal year 1999 and the highest aggregate annual compensation paid to veterans assigned the same combined disability rating are highlighted in yellow.

**Service-Connected Disabilities - by Combined Percent**

**For Veterans Who Began Receiving Compensation**

**During Fiscal Year 1999**

**Combined Degree**

**Number**

**Percent of Total**

**Total Annual Amounts1**

**Average Annual Amounts**

****

0%

338

0.4%

$279,823

$828

10%

**33,589**

**38.4%**

$38,791,264

$1,155

20%

16,082

18.4%

$35,595,899

$2,213

30%

13,628

15.6%

$51,436,978

$3,774

40%

7,672

8.8%

$41,640,547

$5,428

50%

5,154

5.9%

$39,392,847

$7,643

60%

3,491

4.0%

$44,968,967

$12,881

70%

2,501

2.9%

$43,267,400

$17,300

80%

874

1.0%

$17,635,257

$20,178

90%

340

0.4%

$7,588,596

$22,319

100%

3,715

4.3%

**$103,409,551**

$27,836

**TOTAL**

**87,384**

**100.0%**

**$424,007,130**

**$4,852**

****

**Number of Disabilities 0% thru 30%:**

****

****

**63,637**

****

****

**Percent of all Disabilities:**

****

****

**72.8%**

****

****

Source:  COIN CP-127

1 The total annual amounts of service-connected compensation for each combined degree is calculated by multiplying the Average Benefit amount (derived from COIN CP-127) by 12 months, times the number of veterans who began receiving compensation during fiscal year 1999.

**c.Individual Service-Connected Disabilities by Body System**

The following table shows all individual disabilities, by body system, found to be service-connected among veterans who were awarded compensation during fiscal year 1999.  The table does not include zero percent disabilities among veterans who were not awarded compensation.  The body systems are shown in descending order of the number of disabilities found service-connected within each system.

**Ranking of Individual Service-Connected Disabilities - by Body System**

**For Veterans Who Began Receiving Compensation**

**During Fiscal Year 1999**

**Body System**

**Total Number**

**Percent of Total**

**Body System**

**Total Number**

**Percent of Total**

****

Musculoskeletal System

119,485

42.2%

Genitourinary System

6,716

2.4%

Skin

34,236

12.1%

Eye

3,314

1.2%

Impairment of Auditory Acuity

27,321

9.6%

Gynecological Conditions

3,154

1.1%

Digestive System

18,823

6.6%

Infectious Diseases, Immune Disorders, Nutritional Disorder

2,524

0.9%

Mental Disorders

17,680

6.2%

Endocrine System

2,501

0.9%

Respiratory System

15,842

5.6%

Dental and Oral Conditions

1,533

0.5%

Cardiovascular System

15,588

5.5%

Hemic & Lymphatic Systems

1,032

0.4%

Neurological Conditions

13,567

4.8%

**Grand Total - All Conditions**

**283,316**

**100.0%**

Source:  COIN CP-145

**d.Individual Service-Connected Disabilities by Body Systems**

During fiscal year 1999, 766 separate diagnostic codes were used in rating the 283,316 individual disabilities determined to be service-connected.  Body system groupings are displayed in VBA diagnostic code order.  Diagnostic codes are four-digit numbers that are used to signify specific medical conditions, and these numeric diagnostic codes are prescribed in Title 38, Code of Federal Regulations, Part 4.  The following 4-page table identifies the total number of individual service-connected disabilities, grouped by body systems and percent of disability assigned.  Body system groupings are shown in the numeric order of the diagnostic codes associated with the body system.  Yellow highlights the degree of disability appearing most often in each body system for veterans who began receiving compensation during fiscal year 1999.

**Total Individual Service-Connected Disabilities – by Percent and Body Systems**

**For Veterans Who Began Receiving Compensation**

**During Fiscal Year 1999**

****

**0%**

**10%**

**20%**

****

### Body System

**Number of Disabilities**

**Percent**

**of System**

**Number of Disabilities**

**Percent**

**of System**

**Number of Disabilities**

**Percent**

**of System**

****

Musculoskeletal System 

(Codes 5000-5399)

41,511

34.7%

62,660

**52.4%**

10,538

8.8%

Eye

(Codes 6000-6099)

1,681

**50.7%**

930

28.1%

134

4.0%

Impairment of Auditory Acuity

(Codes 6100-6299)

13,929

**51.0%**

11,809

43.2%

556

2.0%

Infectious Diseases, Immune Disorders, Nutritional Disorder (Codes 6300-6399)

2,044

**81.0%**

230

9.1%

22

0.9%

Respiratory System

(Codes 6501-6899)

8,418

**53.1%**

4,260

26.9%

21

0.1%

Cardiovascular System

(Codes 7000-7199)

3,352

21.5%

8,229

**52.8%**

1,477

9.5%

Digestive System

(Codes 7200-7399)

12,929

**68.7%**

4,540

24.1%

385

2.0%

Genitourinary System

(Codes 7500-7599)

3,872

**57.7%**

1,028

15.3%

398

5.9%

Gynecological Conditions

(Codes 7610-7699)

1,569

**49.7%**

350

11.1%

7

0.2%

Hemic & Lymphatic Systems (Codes 7700-7799)

365

**35.4%**

87

8.4%

147

14.2%

Skin

(Codes 7800-7899)

27,127

**79.2%**

6,538

19.1%

58

0.2%

Endocrine System

(Codes 7900-7999)

268

10.7%

1,201

**48.0%**

783

31.3%

Neurological Conditions

(Codes 8000-8999)

3,674

27.1%

6,315

**46.5%**

1,042

7.7%

Mental Disorders

(Codes 9200-9599)

1,291

7.3%

3,879

21.9%

12

0.1%

Dental and Oral Conditions 

(Codes 9900-9999)

943

**61.5%**

459

9.9%

88

5.7%

**Grand Total - All Conditions (Codes 5000-9999)**

**122,973**

**43.4%**

**112,515**

**39.7%**

**15,668**

**5.5%**

****

Source:  COIN CP-145

**Total Individual Service-Connected Disabilities – by Percent and Body Systems**

**For Veterans Who Began Receiving Compensation**

**During Fiscal Year 1999**

****

**30%**

**40%**

**50%**

****

### Body System

**Number of Disabilities**

**Percent**

**of System**

**Number of Disabilities**

**Percent**

**of System**

**Number of Disabilities**

**Percent**

**of System**

****

Musculoskeletal System 

(Codes 5000-5399)

1,764

1.5%

1,786

1.5%

141

0.1%

Eye

(Codes 6000-6099)

412

12.4%

59

1.8%

19

0.6%

Impairment of Auditory Acuity

(Codes 6100-6299)

395

1.4%

224

0.8%

139

0.5%

Infectious Diseases, Immune Disorders, Nutritional Disorder (Codes 6300-6399)

72

2.9%

21

0.8%

2

0.1%

Respiratory System

(Codes 6501-6899)

1,514

9.6%

1

0.0%

323

2.0%

Cardiovascular System

(Codes 7000-7199)

1,503

9.6%

200

1.3%

20

0.1%

Digestive System

(Codes 7200-7399)

596

3.2%

56

0.3%

13

0.1%

Genitourinary System

(Codes 7500-7599)

337

5.0%

132

2.0%

0

0.0%

Gynecological Conditions

(Codes 7610-7699)

692

21.9%

19

0.6%

485

15.4%

Hemic & Lymphatic Systems (Codes 7700-7799)

50

4.8%

17

1.6%

0

0.0%

Skin

(Codes 7800-7899)

428

1.3%

24

0.1%

51

0.1%

Endocrine System

(Codes 7900-7999)

36

1.4%

109

4.4%

1

0.0%

Neurological Conditions

(Codes 8000-8999)

1,507

11.1%

328

2.4%

238

1.8%

Mental Disorders

(Codes 9200-9599)

5,649

**32.0%**

3

0.0%

3,417

19.3%

Dental and Oral Conditions 

(Codes 9900-9999)

37

2.4%

4

0.3%

2

0.1%

**Grand Total - All Conditions (Codes 5000-9999)**

**14,992**

**5.3%**

**2,983**

**1.1%**

**4,851**

**1.7%**

****

Source:  COIN CP-145

**Total Individual Service-Connected Disabilities – by Percent and Body Systems**

**For Veterans Who Began Receiving Compensation**

**During Fiscal Year 1999**

****

**60%**

**70%**

**80%**

****

### Body System

**Number of Disabilities**

**Percent**

**of System**

**Number of Disabilities**

**Percent**

**of System**

**Number of Disabilities**

**Percent**

**of System**

****

Musculoskeletal System 

(Codes 5000-5399)

577

0.5%

38

0.0%

7

0.0%

Eye

(Codes 6000-6099)

16

0.5%

19

0.6%

1

0.0%

Impairment of Auditory Acuity

(Codes 6100-6299)

64

0.2%

48

0.2%

31

0.1%

Infectious Diseases, Immune Disorders, Nutritional Disorder (Codes 6300-6399)

89

3.5%

1

0.0%

2

0.1%

Respiratory System

(Codes 6501-6899)

398

2.5%

0

0.0%

1

0.0%

Cardiovascular System

(Codes 7000-7199)

501

3.2%

1

0.0%

4

0.0%

Digestive System

(Codes 7200-7399)

81

0.4%

4

0.0%

3

0.0%

Genitourinary System

(Codes 7500-7599)

114

1.7%

2

0.0%

11

0.2%

Gynecological Conditions

(Codes 7610-7699)

8

0.3%

0

0.0%

1

0.0%

Hemic & Lymphatic Systems (Codes 7700-7799)

5

0.5%

12

1.2%

0

0.0%

Skin

(Codes 7800-7899)

1

0.0%

0

0.0%

3

0.0%

Endocrine System

(Codes 7900-7999)

55

2.2%

0

0.0%

0

0.0%

Neurological Conditions

(Codes 8000-8999)

110

0.8%

36

0.3%

33

0.2%

Mental Disorders

(Codes 9200-9599)

3

0.0%

1,908

10.8%

0

0.0%

Dental and Oral Conditions 

(Codes 9900-9999)

0

0.0%

0

0.0%

0

0.0%

**Grand Total - All Conditions (Codes 5000-9999)**

**2,022**

**0.7%**

**2,069**

**0.7%**

**97**

**0.0%**

****

Source:  COIN CP-145

**Total Individual Service-Connected Disabilities – by Percent and Body Systems**

**For Veterans Who Began Receiving Compensation**

**During Fiscal Year 1999**

****

**90%**

**100%**

**Total**

****

### Body System

**Number of Disabilities**

**Percent**

**of System**

**Number of Disabilities**

**Percent**

**of System**

**Number of Disabilities**

**Percent**

**of System**

****

Musculoskeletal System 

(Codes 5000-5399)

3

0.0%

460

0.4%

119,485

100%

Eye

(Codes 6000-6099)

5

0.2%

38

1.1%

3,314

100%

Impairment of Auditory Acuity

(Codes 6100-6299)

18

0.1%

108

0.4%

27,321

100%

Infectious Diseases, Immune Disorders, Nutritional Disorder (Codes 6300-6399)

0

0.0%

41

1.6%

2,524

100%

Respiratory System

(Codes 6501-6899)

0

0.0%

906

5.7%

15,842

100%

Cardiovascular System

(Codes 7000-7199)

3

0.0%

298

1.9%

15,588

100%

Digestive System

(Codes 7200-7399)

0

0.0%

216

1.1%

18,823

100%

Genitourinary System

(Codes 7500-7599)

0

0.0%

822

12.2%

6,716

100%

Gynecological Conditions

(Codes 7610-7699)

0

0.0%

23

0.7%

3,154

100%

Hemic & Lymphatic Systems (Codes 7700-7799)

0

0.0%

349

33.8%

1,032

100%

Skin

(Codes 7800-7899)

0

0.0%

6

0.0%

34,236

100%

Endocrine System

(Codes 7900-7999)

0

0.0%

48

1.9%

2,501

100%

Neurological Conditions

(Codes 8000-8999)

3

0.0%

281

2.1%

13,567

100%

Mental Disorders

(Codes 9200-9599)

0

0.0%

1,518

8.6%

17,680

100%

Dental and Oral Conditions 

(Codes 9900-9999)

0

0.0%

0

0.0%

1,533

100%

**Grand Total - All Conditions (Codes 5000-9999)**

**32**

**0.0%**

**5,114**

**1.8%**

**283,316**

**100%**

****

Source:  COIN CP-145

**e.Most Prevalent Service-Connected Disabilities**

This section provides data about the most common disabilities found to be service-connected during fiscal year 1999.

**By Body Systems**

The next 3-page table shows the five disabilities most often found service-connected, by diagnostic code, within each body system, during fiscal year 1999.  The body systems are shown in descending order by number of disabilities.

**Note:**  The “Percent of System Total” indicates the frequency of service connection under each diagnostic code as a proportion of the total number of service-connected disabilities recorded within that body system.  The “Percent of Grand Total” indicates the frequency of service connection under each diagnostic code as a proportion of the total number of disabilities recorded under all body systems.

**Most Common Service-Connected Disabilities within Body Systems**

**For Veterans Who Began Receiving Compensation**

**During Fiscal Year 1999**

**Code**

**Body System and Disability**

**Total Number**

**Percent of System Total**

**Percent of Grand Total**

****

###### Musculoskeletal System

****

**119,485**

**100.0%**

**42.2%**

****

5299

Skeletal conditions

17,200

14.4%

6.1%

5010

Arthritis, due to trauma

12,379

10.4%

4.4%

5295

Lumbosacral strain

10,099

8.5%

3.6%

5257

Knee, other impairment of

8,820

7.4%

3.1%

5293

Intervertegral disc syndrome

7,002

5.9%

2.5%

###### Skin

****

**34,236**

**100.0%**

**12.1%**

****

7805

Scars, other

13,162

38.4%

4.6%

7899

Skin condition

4,322

12.6%

1.5%

7800

Scars, disfiguring, head, face, neck

3,849

11.2%

1.4%

7806

Eczema

3,659

10.7%

1.3%

7804

Scars, superficial, tender and painful on objective demonstration

2,982

8.7%

1.1%

###### Auditory

****

**27,321**

**100.0%**

**9.6%**

****

6260

Tinnitus

11,612

42.5%

4.1%

6100

Auditory, acuity impairment, 0%

10,301

37.7%

3.6%

6101

Auditory, acuity impairment, 10%

1,374

5.0%

0.5%

6200

Otitis media, suppurative, chronic

589

2.2%

0.2%

6102

Auditory, acuity impairment, 20%

491

1.8%

0.2%

###### Digestive System

****

**18,823**

**100.0%**

**6.6%**

****

7336

Hemorrhoids, external or internal

6,143

32.6%

2.2%

7338

Hernia, inguinal

2,385

12.7%

0.8%

7346

Hernia, hiatal

2,254

12.0%

0.8%

7299

Digestive system, disease of 

1,812

9.6%

0.6%

7305

Ulcer, duodenal

1,017

5.4%

0.4%

**Mental Disorders**

****

**17,680**

**100.0%**

**6.2%**

****

9411

Post-traumatic stress disorder

10,732

60.7%

3.8%

9434

Major depressive disorder

1,651

9.3%

0.6%

9400

Generalized anxiety disorder

1,063

6.0%

0.4%

9433

Dysthymic disorder

569

3.2%

0.2%

9432

Bipolar disorder

449

2.5%

0.2%

Source:  COIN CP-145

**Most Common Service-Connected Disabilities within Body Systems**

**For Veterans Who Began Receiving Compensation**

**During Fiscal Year 1999**

### Code

**Body System and Disability**

**Total Number**

**Percent of System Total**

**Percent of Grand Total**

****

###### Respiratory System

****

**15,842**

**100.0%**

**5.6%**

****

6602

Asthma, bronchial

2,462

15.5%

0.9%

6522

Allergic or vasomotor rhinitis

2,348

14.8%

0.8%

6513

Sinusitis maxillary, chronic

1,946

12.3%

0.7%

6502

Septum, nasal, deviation of

1,408

8.9%

0.5%

6599

Nose and throat, disease of 

1,160

7.3%

0.4%

###### Cardiovascular System

****

**15,588**

**100.0%**

**5.5%**

****

7101

Hypertensive vascular disease

6,650

42.7%

2.3%

7122

Cold injury residuals

3,644

23.4%

1.3%

7120

Varicose veins

1,474

9.5%

0.5%

7005

Arteriosclerotic heart disease

1,081

6.9%

0.4%

7099

Heart condition

317

2.0%

0.1%

###### Neurological Conditions and Convulsive Disorders

****

**13,567**

**100.0%**

**4.8%**

****

8100

Migraine

3,782

27.9%

1.3%

8515

Median nerve, paralysis of

1,413

10.4%

0.5%

8199

Neurological condition

945

7.0%

0.3%

8599

Peripheral nerve condition

877

6.5%

0.3%

8045

Brain disease due to trauma

821

6.1%

0.3%

###### Genitourinary System

****

**6,716**

**100.0%**

**2.4%**

****

7599

Genitourinary system condition

1,337

19.9%

0.5%

7528

Malignant neoplasm

1,322

19.7%

0.5%

7527

Prostate gland injuries, infections, postoperative 

1,050

15.6%

0.4%

7508

Nephrolithiasis

691

10.3%

0.2%

7525

Epididymo-orchitis, chronic

292

4.3%

0.1%

###### Eye

****

**3,314**

**100.0%**

**1.2%**

****

6099

Eye condition

555

16.7%

0.2%

6034

Eye, pterygium

301

9.1%

0.1%

6009

Eye, injury of, unhealed

297

9.0%

0.1%

6013

Eye, Glaucoma, simple, primary, noncongestive

287

8.7%

0.1%

6018

Eye, Conjunctivitis other, chronic

281

8.5%

0.1%

Source:  COIN CP-145

**Most Common Service-Connected Disabilities within Body Systems**

**For Veterans Who Began Receiving Compensation**

###### During Fiscal Year 1999

**Code**

**Body System and Disability**

**Total Number**

**Percent of System Total**

**Percent of Grand Total**

****

###### Gynecological Conditions

****

**3,154**

**100.0%**

**1.1%**

****

7628

Benign neoplasms, gynecological or breast

610

19.3%

0.2%

7618

Uterus, removal of, including corpus

566

17.9%

0.2%

7627

Malignant neoplasms of gynecological system or breast

431

13.7%

0.2%

7699

Gynecological condition or disorder of the breast

335

10.6%

0.1%

7629

Endometriosis

207

6.6%

0.1%

###### Infectious Diseases, Immune Disorders, Nutritional Deficiencies

****

**2,524**

**100.0%**

**0.9%**

****

6304

Malaria

1,796

71.2%

0.6%

6351

HIV-Related illness

157

6.2%

0.1%

6399

Infectious disease, immune disorder, nutritional deficiency

146

5.8%

0.1%

6350

Lupus erythematosus, systemic

92

3.6%

0.0%

6354

Chronic fatigue syndrome

82

3.2%

0.0%

**Endocrine System**

****

**2,501**

**100.0%**

**0.9%**

****

7913

Diabetes mellitus

1,217

48.7%

0.4%

7903

Hypothyroidism

719

28.7%

0.3%

7900

Hyperthyroidism

231

9.2%

0.1%

7999

Endocrine system condition

96

3.8%

0.0%

7915

Neoplasm, benign endocrine system

66

2.6%

0.0%

###### Dental and Oral Conditions

****

**1,533**

**100.0%**

**0.5%**

****

9905

Temporomandibular articulation, limited motion

678

44.2%

0.2%

9999

Dental and oral conditions

426

27.8%

0.2%

9904

Mandible, malunion of

256

16.7%

0.1%

9913

Teeth, loss of, due to loss of body of maxilla or mandible

72

4.7%

0.0%

9916

Maxilla, malunion or nonunion

39

2.5%

0.0%

###### Hemic & Lymphatic Systems

****

**1,032**

**100.0%**

**0.4%**

****

7715

Non-Hodgkin's lymphoma

258

25.0%

0.1%

7700

Anemia, hypochromic-microcytic & megaloblastic

177

17.2%

0.1%

7799

Hemic & lymphatic system condition

177

17.2%

0.1%

7706

Splenectomy

141

13.7%

0.0%

7709

Lymphoganulomatosis (Hodgkin's disease)

107

10.4%

0.0%

**Grand Total - All Body Systems**

****

**283,316**

**100.0%**

**100.0%**

Source:  COIN CP-145

#### By The 20 Disabilities Most Frequently Service-Connected 

The next table shows the 20 disabilities most frequently found service-connected (by diagnostic code) during fiscal year 1999.  

**Note:**  The “Percent Within System” column represents the frequency of service connection under each diagnostic code as a proportion of all service-connected disabilities within the body system.  The “Percent of Total” column shows the frequency of service connection under each diagnostic code as a proportion of all 283,316 disabilities found service-connected.  The “Cumulative Percent” column sums the percentages from the “Percent of Total” Column to include the diagnostic code in that row and all preceding diagnostic codes.  For example, the 17 most frequently service-connected disabilities (by diagnostic code) account for 49.7 percent of all service-connected disabilities established in fiscal year 1999.

**Disabilities Most Frequently Service-Connected**

****

**For Veterans Who Began Receiving Compensation**

****

**During Fiscal Year 1999**

****

**Diagnostic Code**

**Disability**

**Total**

**Percent**

**Within System**

**FY 1999**

**Percent of Total**

**FY 1999**

**Cumulative Percent**

**FY 1999**

****

###### TOTAL NUMBER OF DISABILITIES IN FY 1999

****

**283,316**

****

**100.0%**

****

****

5299

Skeletal conditions

17,200

14.4%

6.1%

6.1%

7805

Scars, other

13,162

38.4%

4.6%

10.7%

5010

Arthritis, due to trauma

12,379

10.4%

4.4%

15.1%

6260

Tinnitus

11,612

42.5%

4.1%

19.2%

9411

Post-traumatic stress disorder

10,732

60.7%

3.8%

23.0%

6100

Auditory, acuity impairment, 0%

10,301

37.7%

3.6%

26.6%

5295

Lumbosacral strain

10,099

8.5%

3.6%

30.2%

5257

Knee, other impairment of

8,820

7.4%

3.1%

33.3%

5293

Intervertegral disc syndrome

7,002

5.9%

2.5%

35.8%

7101

Hypertensive vascular disease

6,650

42.7%

2.3%

38.1%

7336

Hemorrhoids, external or internal

6,143

32.6%

2.2%

40.3%

5003

Arthritis, degenerative

5,838

4.9%

2.1%

42.3%

5271

Ankle, limited motion of

4,977

4.2%

1.8%

44.1%

7899

Skin condition

4,322

12.6%

1.5%

45.6%

5284

Foot injuries, other

3,951

3.3%

1.4%

47.0%

7800

Scars, disfiguring, head, face, neck

3,849

11.2%

1.4%

48.4%

8100

Migraine

3,782

27.9%

1.3%

49.7%

7806

Eczema

3,659

10.7%

1.3%

51.0%

7122

Cold injury residuals

3,644

23.4%

1.3%

52.3%

5099

Musculoskeletal condition

3,552

3.0%

1.3%

53.5%

Source:  COIN CP-145

**f.Demographic Characteristics of Veterans with Service-Connected Disabilities**

The tables in this section present information about veterans with disabilities found service-connected on original claims during fiscal year 1999 in the following categories:

· Age

· Gender

· Race

· Period of Service

· Branch of Service

· Length of Service

Most of the information in this segment is derived from the Rating Board Automation (RBA) Database in conjunction with data provided by the Defense Manpower Data Center (DMDC).  

**Note:**  As available from DMDC, the following tables include comparable demographic information about military separations during fiscal year 1999.  Not all original claims rated during the fiscal year were filed by veterans who were discharged during the same period.  However, the information forms a basis for comparison.

**By Age**

The distribution by age among veterans who began receiving compensation during fiscal year 1999 is shown below.  Also shown is the age distribution of veterans discharged from active duty during fiscal year 1999.  The age groups with the most veterans are highlighted in yellow.

**Service Connected Compensation – By Age**

**For Veterans Who Began Receiving Compensation**

**During FY 1999**

**Age**

**Number of Veterans**

**Percent of All Ages**

**Number of Discharges in FY 1999**

**Percent of Discharges in FY 1999**

**Annual Payments1**

****

**Under 25**

5,931 

6.8%

**108,718**

**47.6%**

$28,778,567 

**25 - 35**

19,967 

22.8%

73,077 

32.0%

$96,884,445 

**36 - 45**

**23,965**

**27.4%**

38,511 

16.9%

$116,283,655 

**46 - 55**

20,706 

23.7%

7,730 

3.4%

$100,470,242 

**56 - 65**

6,413 

7.3%

303 

0.1%

$31,117,341 

**66 - 75**

6,097 

7.0%

0 

0.0%

$29,584,037 

**Over 75**

4,305 

4.9%

0 

0.0%

$20,888,843 

**All Ages**

**87,384**

**100.0%**

**228,339**

**100.0%**

**$424,007,130**

Source:  COIN CP-127

Source:  Defense Manpower Data Center Activity Duty Loss Profile

1 The total annual amounts of service-connected compensation for each age group is calculated by multiplying the percentage of veterans for each age group by the total annual amounts, which have been calculated using AVERAGE BENEFIT indicated on COIN CP-127.

**By Gender**

The distribution by gender of veterans granted service connection (whether compensable or not) during fiscal year 1999 based upon an original claim follows.  Also shown is the gender distribution of veterans discharged from active duty during fiscal year 1999.  

**Service-Connected Disability**

**Original Claims Granted - By Gender**

**During Fiscal Year 1999**

****

**Female**

**Male**

**Total**

****

Percent of Original Claims Granted1

14.0%

86.0%

100.0%

Percent of Veterans Discharged in FY 19992

16.3%

83.7%

100.0%

1Source:  Rating Board Automation Database

2Source:  Defense Manpower Data Center "Officer and Enlisted Losses by Type" Report

**By Race**

The distribution by race of veterans granted service connection (whether compensable or not) during fiscal year 1999 based upon an original claim is shown in the following table.  Also shown is the race distribution among veterans discharged from active duty during fiscal year 1999.

**Service-Connected Disability**

**Original Claims Granted - By Race**

**During Fiscal Year 1999**

**Race**

**Percent of**

**Original Claims**

**Granted1**

**Percent of**

**Veterans**

**Discharged in**

**Fiscal Year 19992**

****

White

66.5%

69.4%

Black

21.2%

17.8%

Hispanic

5.8%

7.4%

Asian/Pacific Islander

3.7%

2.6%

Other

1.6%

1.5%

American Indian/Alaskan

0.9%

1.1%

Race Unknown

0.3%

0.2%

**Total**

**100.0%**

**100.0%**

1Source:  Rating Board Automation Database

2Source:  Defense Manpower Data Center "Active Duty Loss Profile"

**By Period of Service**

The next table shows the distribution by period of service of veterans granted service connection (whether compensable or not) during fiscal year 1999 based upon an original claim.

**Service-Connected Disability**

**Original Claims Granted - By Period Of Service**

**During Fiscal Year 1999**

****

**World**

**War I**

**World**

**War II**

**Korean**

**War**

**Vietnam**

**Era**

**Gulf War**

**Era**

**Total All**

**Periods**

****

Percent

0.02%

2.0%

1.9%

18.8%

77.3%

**100.0%**

Source:  Rating Board Automation Database

**By Branch of Service**

The distribution by branch of service of veterans granted service connection (whether compensable or not) during fiscal year 1999 based upon an original claim is shown in the following table.  Also shown is the branch of service distribution of veterans discharged from active duty during fiscal year 1999.

**Service-Connected Disability**

**Original Claims Granted - By Branch Of Service**

**During Fiscal Year 1999**

**Branch**

**Percent of**

**Original Claims**

**Granted**

**Percent of**

**Veterans**

**Discharged in**

**Fiscal Year 1999**

****

Army

41.9%

35.4%

Navy

24.3%

27.6%

Air Force

20.2%

20.0%

Marines

11.9%

15.3%

Coast Guard

1.3%

1.8%

Other1

0.3%

Unknown

**Total**

**100.0%**

**100.0%**

Source:  Rating Board Automation Database

Source: Defenses Manpower Data Center “Active Duty Separations” Report

1Other includes Philippine Commonwealth Army, Philippine Guerilla and Combination Service, Merchant Marines, US Public Health Service, Air National Guard, Army Air Corps, and Army National Guard

**By Length of Service**

The next table shows the distribution by length of service of veterans granted service connection (whether compensable or not) during fiscal year 1999 based upon an original claim.  Also shown is the length of service distribution of veterans discharged from active duty during fiscal year 1999.  The most frequent are highlighted in yellow.

**Service-Connected Disability**

**Original Claims Granted - By Length Of Service**

**During Fiscal Year 1999**

**Years of**

**Service**

**Percent of**

**Original Claims**

**Granted1**

**Percent of**

**Veterans**

**Discharged in**

**Fiscal Year 19992**

****

**Less than 1**

5.1%

15.2%

**1 - 4**

**25.7%**

**39.7%**

**5 - 9**

18.9%

19.1%

**10 - 14**

10.0%

6.9%

**15 - 19**

6.9%

2.6%

**20 - 24**

20.4%

14.4%

**25 - 29**

3.5%

1.5%

**30 - 34**

2.0%

0.6%

**35 - 39**

0.9%

0.0%

**40 and Over**

6.4%

N/A

**Total**

**100.0%**

**100.0%**

****

1Source:  Rating Board Automation Database

2Source:  Defense Manpower Data Center "Active Duty Loss Profile"

**g.Original and Subsequent Claims**

An “original” claim is the first application submitted by a veteran.  Any single application may be a claim for service connection for multiple disabilities.  All claims submitted after resolution of the original application, whether they involve re-evaluation of disabilities previously claimed or evaluation of new disabilities, will be identified as ”subsequent claims” in this report.  The following table shows the number of “original” and “subsequent” claims received and completed during fiscal year 1999.

For administrative purposes, original claims are assigned to one of two categories according to the number of disabilities presented for evaluation of service connection:  (1) one to seven disabilities; or (2) eight or more disabilities.

## Original and Subsequent Disability Compensation Claims

****

****

****

****

****

**During Fiscal Year 1999**

****

****

****

****

****

**Type of Claim**

**Number Received**

**Percent of Grand Total Received**

**Number Completed**

**Percent of Grand Total Completed**

****

Original Compensation - 1 to 7 Issues

99,752

21.3%

90,359

19.7%

Original Compensation - 8 or More Issues

23,590

5.0%

23,241

5.1%

###### TOTAL

**123,342**

**26.3%**

**113,600**

**24.8%**

****

Subsequent Compensation

344,831

73.7%

344,003

75.2%

###### GRAND TOTAL

**468,173**

**100.0%**

**457,603**

**100.0%**

****

Source:  COIN DOOR 1001 Sept 1999

**h.Grants and Denials for Service-Connected Disability Claims**

**By Individual Disabilities Claimed**

The following table shows the percentages of grants and denials of service connection for individual disabilities for original claims.

###### Service-Connected Disability

**Grants and Denials By**

**Individual Disabilities Claimed**

**During Fiscal Year 1999**

****

**Percent**

****

Grants

49.4%

Denials

50.6%

**Total**

**100.0%**

****

Source:  Rating Board Automation Database

# Service-Connected Disability Compensation by Disability Percentage 

The next table provides the distribution of percentages assigned among all disabilities determined to be service connected.  Depicted are all zero percent service-connected evaluations, whether compensable or not.  The highest percent is highlighted in yellow.

**Service-Connected Disability**

**Grants By Individual Disability**

**During Fiscal Year 1999**

**Disability Percent**

**Percent Granted**

****

**0%**

**57.6%**

10%

32.7%

20%

3.7%

30%

3.0%

40%

0.6%

50%

0.8%

60%

0.3%

70%

0.2%

80%

0.0%

90%

0.0%

100%

0.9%

**Total**

**100.0%**

****

Source:  Rating Board Automation Database

**By Claim**

The percentages of grants and denials of original claims for service-connection follow.  

**Note:**  Veterans may claim more than one disability in an application for compensation. Information in the table reflects three categories of claims outcomes for original claims - all claimed disabilities were found service-connected (granted); all claimed disabilities were found not service-connected (denied); or some combination of granted and denied.

**Service-Connected Disability**

**Original Claims Granted or Denied**

**During Fiscal Year 1999**

**Percent**

****

Veterans Who Had All Issues Claimed Granted

16.7%

Veterans Who Had All Issues Claimed Denied

28.8%

Veterans Who Had A Combination of Issues Granted and Denied

54.5%

**Total**

**100.0%**

****

Source:  Rating Board Automation Database

***2.Compensation - Based Upon Service-Connected Death***

Dependency and Indemnity Compensation (DIC) is a monetary death benefit for survivors of certain deceased veterans or servicemembers.  DIC is payable to surviving spouses, children, and/or dependent parents of the following: 

· Servicemembers who die during military service of causes that are not due to the person’s willful misconduct; 

· Veterans who die of a service-connected disease or injury; and 

· Veterans who die with service-connected disabilities that were rated 100 percent disabling for at least 10 years immediately preceding death (or at least five years from the date of discharge to the date of death).

The law governing the payment structure of DIC for surviving spouses was changed for deaths occurring on or after January 1, 1993.  “Protected DIC” refers to payments made for deaths that occurred prior to January 1, 1993.  Payments under Protected DIC were based on the deceased veteran’s pay grade. “Reformed DIC” refers to payments made for deaths occurring after January 1, 1993.  Reformed DIC pays a standard fixed rate.  An additional amount is added if the veteran was rated totally disabled for eight years immediately preceding death.  Surviving spouses entitled to DIC under the protected program will be paid the reformed DIC fixed rate (including the additional amount, if applicable) if it is a greater benefit.

**a.Beneficiaries Who Began Receiving DIC during Fiscal Year 1999**

The next table shows the number of surviving spouses, children (those not included as dependents in a surviving spouse’s award), and dependent parents initially receiving DIC benefits during fiscal year 1999.  The table also identifies the total annual amount and the average annual amount of DIC benefits paid to these survivors.

**Total Beneficiaries Who Began Receiving**

**Dependency and Indemnity Compensation (DIC)**

**During fiscal Year 1999**

**Type of Benefit**

**Number**

**Percent of**

**Total**

**Total**

**Annual Amounts**

**Average**

**Annual Amounts**

****

Surviving Spouses

14,524

85.2%

$167,710,810

$11,547

Surviving Children

2,287

13.4%

$8,022,176

$3,508

Surviving Parents

242

1.4%

$546,611

$2,259

###### TOTAL

**17,053**

**100.0%**

**$176,279,596**

**$10,337**

****

Source:  COIN CP-127

**b.Demographic Characteristics of Beneficiaries Who Began Receiving DIC during**

**Fiscal Year 1999**

The following tables present information in the following categories about beneficiaries who began receiving DIC benefits during fiscal year 1999:

· Relationship

· Age (of surviving spouses and children)

· Marital status (of surviving parents)

**By Relationship to the Veteran**

New DIC beneficiaries by their relationship to the veteran (i.e., spouse, child, or dependent parent), are shown.

**Beneficiaries Who Began Receiving DIC**

**by Relationship**

**During Fiscal Year 1999**

**Surviving Spouse**

**Children**

**Parent**

**Total Beneficiaries**

****

###### Number

14,524

2,287

242

**17,053**

**Percent**

85.2%

13.4%

1.4%

**100.0%**

Source:  COIN CP-127

**By Age of Surviving Spouse**

The next table shows the age distribution among surviving spouse DIC beneficiaries.  The largest age group is highlighted in yellow.

**Surviving Spouses Who Began Receiving DIC**

**by Age**

**During Fiscal Year 1999**

**Age**

**Number**

**Percent of All Ages**

**Annual**

**Payments**

****

**Under Age 25**

113

0.8%

$1,260,665

**25 - 35**

371

2.6%

$4,107,228

**36 - 45**

1,207

8.3%

$13,706,016

**46 - 55**

2,466

17.0%

$28,176,570

**56 - 65**

2,876

19.8%

$33,085,274

**66 - 75**

4,268

**29.4%**

**$49,639,170**

**Over 75**

3,223

22.2%

$37,735,886

****

**All Ages**

**14,524**

**100.0%**

**$167,710,810**

Source:  COIN CP 127

# By Age of Children 

The following table shows the distribution of DIC children who are not in the custody of a surviving spouse in two age categories: those over age 18 and those under age 18.  Children over age 18 are shown according to their beneficiary status:  Those eligible to receive DIC because of school attendance and those eligible because of incapacity for self support.

**Children Who Began Receiving DIC**

**by Age**

**During Fiscal Year 1999**

****

**Under Age 181**

**Age 18 and Over in School**

**Age 18 and Over and Helpless**

**Total All Categories**

****

###### Number

587

1498

202

**2,287**

**Percent**

25.7%

65.5%

8.8%

**100.0%**

**Annual Payments**

$2,815,782

$4,076,058

$1,130,335

**$8,022,176**

Source:  COIN CP-127

1 Includes 288 consolidated awards that account for more than one child.

**By Marital Status of Surviving Parents**

The marital status of a surviving parent determines the formula applied in arriving at the DIC benefit amount.  Marital status categories and their definitions follow: 

· No Spouse - one parent is alive and has no spouse.

· Spouse - both parents are alive and married to other persons.

· Apart - both parents are alive and are not living together.

· Together - both parents are alive and living together

· Remarried - one parent is alive and has remarried.

The distribution of marital status among surviving dependent parents is shown in the next table.

**Surviving Parents Who Began Receiving DIC**

**by Marital Status**

**During Fiscal Year 1999**

****

**No**

**Spouse**

**Spouse**

**Apart**

**Together**

**Remarried**

**Total**

****

###### Number

166

4

37

33

2

**242**

**Percent**

68.6%

1.7%

15.3%

13.6%

0.8%

**100.0%**

**Annual Payments**

$436,208

$6,557

$68,110

$33,015

$2,722

**$546,611**

Source:  COIN CP-127

***3.Pension - Based Upon Nonservice-Connected Disability***

**a.Veterans Who Began Receiving Disability Pension During Fiscal Year 1999**

The number of veterans added to the disability pension rolls during fiscal year 1999 is shown in the next table.  The table also shows the total annual amount and the average annual amount of disability pension payments.

**Note:**  The table groups the two older pension programs into one category called “Other Pensions.”  No original claims can be granted under the two protected, or “grandfathered,” pension programs.  However, former beneficiaries under these programs can have their benefits restored if they meet certain income and eligibility criteria. 

**Veterans Who Began Receiving Disability Pension**

**By Program**

**During Fiscal Year 1999**

****

****

****

**Type of Pension**

**Number of Veterans**

**Percent of Total**

**Total Annual Amounts**

**Average Annual Amounts**

****

PL 95-588 - New Law Pension 

46,457

99.9%

$293,191,985

$6,311

Other Pension Programs

65

0.1%

$90,090

$1,386

###### TOTAL

**46,522**

**100.0%**

**$293,282,075**

**$6,304**

****

Source:  COIN CP-103

**b.Demographic Characteristics of Veterans Who Began Receiving Disability Pension During Fiscal Year 1999**

**By Age**

The age distribution among veterans who began receiving disability pension in fiscal year 1999 follows.  The total annual amount of disability pension payments for each age group is shown in the last column of the table.

For each category of pension, the yellow highlighted boxes indicate the age group with the most veteran beneficiaries.

**Veterans Who Began Receiving Disability Pension**

**By Age**

**During Fiscal Year 1999**

****

****

****

****

****

**Other Pension1**

****

**New Law Pension**

****

### All Pension Programs

****

****

****

**Age**

### Number

**Percent of All Ages**

**Number**

**Percent of All Ages**

**Total For Age Group**

**Percent of All Ages**

**Annual Payments**

****

**Under Age 25**

0

0.0%

28

0.1%

28

0.1%

$176,709

**25 - 35**

0

0.0%

308

0.7%

308

0.7%

$1,943,800

**36 - 45**

1

1.5%

2670

5.7%

2671

5.7%

$16,851,863

****

**46 - 55**

2

3.1%

**14,920**

**32.1%**

**14,922**

**32.1%**

**$94,163,489**

**56 - 65**

0

0.0%

5459

11.8%

5,459

11.7%

$34,451,967

**66 - 75**

19

29.2%

11,370

24.5%

11,389

24.5%

$71,782,859

**Over 75**

**43**

**66.2%**

11,702

25.2%

11,745

25.2%

$73,911,388

**All Ages**

**65**

**100.0%**

**46,457**

**100.0%**

**46522**

**100.0%**

**$293,282,075**

****

Source:  COIN CP-103

1 The “Other Pension” category groups the two older pension programs (Protected Pension and Section 306 Pension) into one category.

***4.Pension - Based Upon Nonservice-Connected Death***

**a.Beneficiaries Who Began Receiving Death Pension During Fiscal Year 1999**

The number of beneficiaries added to the death pension rolls during fiscal year 1999 is shown in the next table.  The table also shows the total annual amount and the average annual amount of death pension payments.

**Note:**  The table groups the two older pension programs into one category called “Other Pensions.”  Original claims can no longer be granted under the two older pension programs.  However, survivors whose awards were previously stopped can be reinstated if they show that they continuously met eligibility criteria from date of termination to the present.

**Surviving Spouses Who Began Receiving Death Pension**

**By Program**

**During Fiscal Year 1999**

****

****

****

**Type of Pension**

**Number of Surviving Spouses**

**Percent of Total**

**Total Annual Amounts**

**Average Annual Amounts**

****

PL 95-588 - New Law Pension

22,605

99.8%

$71,477,010

$3,162

Other Pension Programs 

48

0.2%

$34,272

$714

###### TOTAL

**22,653**

**100.0%**

**$71,511,282**

**$3,157**

****

Source:  COIN CP-103

#### b.Demographic Characteristics of Surviving Spouses Who Began Receiving Death

####  Pension during Fiscal Year 1999 

**By Age**

The next table shows the distribution among surviving spouses who began receiving death pension in fiscal year 1999 by age groups.  The total annual amount of death pension payments for each age group is shown in the last column of the table. 

**Surviving Spouses Who Began Receiving Death Pension**

**By Age**

**During Fiscal Year 1999**

****

****

****

****

****

**Other Pension1**

****

**New Law Pension**

****

### All Pension Programs

****

****

****

**Age**

### Number

**Percent of All Ages**

**Number**

**Percent of All Ages**

**Total For Age Group**

**Percent of All Ages**

**Annual Payments**

****

**Under Age 25**

0

0.0%

190

0.8%

190

0.8%

$600,780

**25 - 35**

0

0.0%

90

0.4%

90

0.4%

$284,580

**36 - 45**

0

0.0%

757

3.3%

757

3.3%

$2,393,634

****

**46 - 55**

0

0.0%

2,792

12.4%

2,792

12.3%

$8,828,304

**56 - 65**

9

18.8%

3,840

17.0%

3,849

17.0%

$12,148,506

**66 - 75**

4

8.3%

5,313

23.5%

5,317

23.5%

$16,802,562

### Over 75

33

68.8%

9,623

42.6%

9,656

42.6%

$30,451,488

**Unknown**

2

4.2%

0

0.0%

2

0.0%

$1,428

****

**All Ages**

**48**

**100.0%**

**22,605**

**100.0%**

**22,653**

**100.0%**

**$71,511,282**

****

Source:  COIN CP-103

1 The “Other Pension” category groups the two older pension programs (Protected Pension and Section 306 Pension) into one category.

***5.Education***

**a.Beneficiaries Who Began Receiving Education Benefits During Fiscal Year 1999**

The number of veterans and dependents that began receiving education benefits for the first time during fiscal year 1999 is shown in the following table.  

**Beneficiaries Who Began Receiving Education Benefits**

**During Fiscal Year 1999**

****

****

****

**Program**

**Number of**

**Beneficiaries**

**Percent**

**of Total**

****

Dependents Education

13,029 

12.2%

Montgomery GI Bill - Active Duty1

74,200 

69.5%

Montgomery GI Bill – Reserves2

19,120 

17.9%

Post-Vietnam Veterans Education

349 

0.3%

###### Total

**106,698**

**100.0%**

****

Source:  Education Service SAS Reports

1 Based on Active Duty service

2 Based on service in the Selected Reserve

**b.Characteristics of the Training Being Pursued By Beneficiaries**

**By Type of Training**

The distribution, by program, of the types of training of beneficiaries who began using their education benefit, for the first time, during fiscal year 1999 follows.  The most frequent type of training and the program with the largest enrollment are highlighted in yellow.

**Beneficiaries Who Began Receiving Education Benefits**

**By Type Of Training and Program**

**During Fiscal Year 1999**

**Education Program**

**College,**

**Non-Degree**

**Graduate**

**Under-**

**Graduate**

**Vocational/**

**Technical**

**Program**

**Totals**

**Percent**

**of All**

**Programs**

****

Dependents Education

147 

243 

9,718 

2,921 

13,029 

12.2%

Montgomery GI Bill - Active Duty1

1,888 

3,312 

62,046 

6,954 

74,200 

**69.5%**

****

Montgomery GI Bill – Reserves2

270 

711 

17,608 

531 

19,120 

17.9%

Post-Vietnam Veterans Education

11 

55 

245 

38 

349 

0.3%

###### Type Training Totals

**2,316**

**4,321**

**89,617**

**10,444**

**106,698**

**100.0%**

****

Percent of Program Totals

2.2%

4.0%

**84.0%**

9.8%

Source:  Education Service SAS Reports

1 Based on Active Duty service

2 Based on service in the Selected Reserve

**By Training Time**

The following chart shows the distribution, by program, of the training times of the beneficiaries who began using their education benefit for the first time during fiscal year 1999.  The most frequent training time and the program with the largest enrollment are highlighted in yellow.

**Beneficiaries Who Began Receiving Education Benefits**

**By Training Time and Program**

**During Fiscal Year 1999**

**Education Program**

**Less Than**

**One-Half**

**Time**

**Half**

**Time**

**Three**

**Quarter**

**Time**

**Full**

**Time**

**Program**

**Totals**

**Percent**

**of All**

**Programs**

****

Dependents Education

1,546 

1,547 

1,688 

8,248 

13,029 

12.2%

Montgomery GI Bill - Active Duty1

5,535 

12,636 

9,327 

46,702 

74,200 

**69.5%**

****

Montgomery GI Bill – Reserves2

980 

2,278 

2,045 

13,817 

19,120 

17.9%

Post-Vietnam Veterans Education

42 

77 

62 

168 

349 

0.3%

###### Training Time Totals     

**8,103**

**16,538**

**13,122**

**68,935**

**106,698**

**100.0%**

****

Percent of Program Totals     

7.6%

15.5%

12.3%

**64.6%**

Source:  Education Service SAS Reports

1 Based on Active Duty service

2 Based on service in the Selected Reserve

***6.Life Insurance***

**a.****Coverage Established During Fiscal Year 1999**

There are four government life insurance programs in which new coverage is issued.  They are:

· Service-Disabled Veterans Insurance (SDVI)

· Servicemembers’ Group Life Insurance (SGLI)

· Veterans’ Mortgage Life Insurance (VMLI)

· Veterans’ Group Life Insurance (VGLI)

The following table identifies the number of new policies issued during fiscal year 1999, the total face value of the policies, and the average face value of the policies.

**Note:**  Throughout the Insurance program sections of this report, the term “face value” means the amount of money that would be paid upon the death of the veteran.  For some policies, the face value can exceed the basic amount of the policy (which is usually $10,000) because of the option of using dividends to purchase “paid up additions” to the policy.

In the case of SGLI, the military services maintain the records on insured servicemembers.  The actual number of servicemembers who enrolled in SGLI in fiscal year 1999 is not known.  The information shown in this table is estimated based upon current enrollment rates and the number of people who entered active military service during fiscal year 1999.

**New Insurance Coverage Issued**

**During Fiscal Year 1999**

****

****

****

****

****

**Insurance**

**Number of**

**People Insured**

**Total**

**Coverage Amount**

**Average**

**Face Value**

**Maximum**

**Face Value**

****

VMLI1

209 

$15,554,691 

$74,424 

$90,000 

SDVI2

5,221 

$60,550,500 

$11,597 

$10,0003   

VGLI4

29,651 

$3,790,875,000 

$127,850 

$200,000 

SGLI5

233,272 

$43,288,875,712 

$185,573 

$200,000 

###### TOTAL

**268,353**

**$47,155,855,903**

**$175,723**

****

****

1 Source:  VMLI Quarterly Report

2 Source:  510 Monthly Report

3 Additional coverage, up to $20,000, is available for totally disabled policyholders.  1,162 new Supplemental SDVI policies were issued.

4 Source:  OSGLI Monthly Report.  VGLI data is for the policy year ending June 30, 1999.

5 Estimates based upon accessions to Active Duty and Reserve forces in FY99.  

  Data on accessions from Defense Manpower Data Center.

**b.****Insurance Payments Made During Fiscal Year 1999**

Dividends, loans and disability payments are made on some government life insurance policies.  These are payments made from active policies to the veteran policyholder.  The following table shows data concerning the payments made during fiscal year 1999.  

**Note:**  Payments of death claims, cash surrenders and matured endowments end the policy.  See page 66 of this report concerning “Benefits That Ended During Fiscal Year 1999” for data in these categories of payments.

**Insurance Payments Made**

**During Fiscal Year 1999**

****

****

****

****

**Dividends**

**Number1**

**Amount2**

**Average Payment**

****

USGLI

19,660 

$3,731,313 

$190 

NSLI

1,906,825 

$632,132,671 

$332 

VSLI

240,394 

$100,855,349 

$420 

VRI

87,590 

$24,286,980 

$277 

###### TOTAL

**2,254,469**

**$761,006,313**

**$338**

****

**Loans**

**Number3,4**

**Amount5**

**Average Payment**

****

USGLI

76 

$152,000 

$1,987 

NSLI

17,775 

$75,404,000 

$4,242 

VSLI

3,916 

$13,745,000 

$3,510 

VRI

887 

$3,937,000 

$4,437 

SDVI

9,193 

$8,529,000 

$928 

###### TOTAL

**31,848**

**$101,767,000**

**$3,195**

****

**Disability**

**Number6**

**Amount7**

**Average Payment**

****

USGLI

114 

$67,554 

$593 

NSLI

20,846 

$23,456,647 

$1,125 

VSLI

3,377 

$4,852,013 

$1,437 

VRI

1,023 

$763,449 

$746 

###### TOTAL

**25,360**

**$29,139,663**

**$1,149**

****

###### GRAND TOTAL

**2,311,677**

**$891,912,976**

**$386**

****

1 Source:  Insurance Statistical Report - 700

2 Source:  Fiscal Year 1999 Statement of Cash Flows

3 Source:  Program numbers are an estimate based on a sample of loans from SQC in FY99 and a percent 

  of the total.

4 Source:  Program totals are from the COIN 84 and Philadelphia MTC Records Report - 155

5 Source:  Statement of Financial Condition Report

6 Source:  510 Monthly Report

7 Source:  CFO FY99 Life Insurance Statements (Incurred Basis)

***7.HOME Loan Guaranty***

**a.Total Loans Guaranteed**

The following table shows the number of home loans guaranteed during fiscal year 1999, the total loan value, and the average value of a loan involved in the guaranty program.

**Note:**  The guaranteed amount is less than the entire loan amount.  Therefore, the table also shows the total value of the guaranties involved and the average value of a guaranty.

**Loans Guaranteed During Fiscal Year 1999**

****

****

****

****

****

****

****

**Number of Loans**

**Total Loan Amount**

**Average Loan Amount**

**Total Guaranty Amount**

**Average Guaranty Amount**

****

### TOTAL

**485,610**

**$54,087,681,042**

**$111,381**

**$16,659,542,752**

**$34,306**

****

Source:  LGY SAS act3type

**b.Types of Loans Guaranteed during Fiscal Year 1999**

**Note:**  The three types of loans displayed are defined by the purpose of the loan.  A “Purchase Loan” is a loan obtained for the purchase of a home.  The other two types of loans are obtained to refinance an existing mortgage.  Refinancing to reduce the interest rate is shown as a separate item because it is the most common reason for refinancing a loan.

**Loans Guaranteed During Fiscal Year 1999**

****

****

****

****

****

****

****

**Based On Purchase Loan Versus Refinance Loans**

****

****

****

****

****

****

****

**Type of Loan**

**Number**

**of Loans**

**Percent of Total**

**Total Loan Amount**

**Average Loan Amount**

**Total Guaranty Amount**

**Average Guaranty Amount**

****

Purchase Loans

257,665 

53.1%

$29,814,895,348 

$115,712 

$9,092,448,819 

$35,288 

Refinance –

Interest Rate Reduction

214,775 

44.2%

$22,927,158,013 

$106,750 

$7,148,409,077 

$33,283 

Refinance -

Other Reasons

13,170 

2.7%

$1,345,627,681 

$102,174 

$418,684,856 

$31,791 

###### TOTAL

**485,610**

**100.0%**

**$54,087,681,042**

**$111,381**

**$16,659,542,752**

**$34,306**

****

Source:  LGY SAS act3type

**c.Specially Adapted Housing Grants and Direct Loans to Native American Veterans**

Information concerning programs designed to provide housing assistance grants to seriously disabled veterans and direct loans to Native American veterans follows.

**Specially Adapted Housing Grants And Direct Loans**

**During Fiscal Year 1999**

****

****

****

****

**Programs**

**Number of Grants/Loans**

**Amount of Grants/Loans**

**Average Grant/Loan Amount**

****

Specially Adapted Housing Grants

451 

$19,393,000 

$43,000 

Special Housing Adaptation Grants

59 

$486,000 

$8,250 

###### TOTAL

**510**

**$19,879,000**

**$38,978**

****

Direct Loans to Native Americans1

16 

$1,879,000 

$117,438 

###### GRAND TOTAL

**526**

**$21,758,000**

**$41,365**

****

Source:  FY 2001 Budget, Construction Valuation  

1 Includes disbursements on loans not yet closed.

**d.Characteristics of Home Loan Guaranties**

# By Down-payment Option 

The following table shows the distribution of new home loan guaranties by whether a down payment was involved in the loan.  

**Note:**  The objective of the VA loan guaranty program is to enable veterans (and other eligible people) to enter the home-buying market.  The “no down-payment” feature is intended to enhance a veteran’s ability to purchase a home.  As indicated, this option was used in over 90 percent of the loans guaranteed.

**Purchase Loans Guaranteed During Fiscal Year 1999**

****

****

****

****

****

****

****

**By Downpayment Status**

****

****

****

****

****

****

****

**Status**

**Number**

**of Loans**

**Percent of**

**Total**

**Total Loan**

**Amount**

**Average**

**Loan**

**Amount**

**Total Guaranty**

**Amount**

**Average**

**Guaranty**

**Amount**

****

No Down-payment

233,471 

90.6%

$26,654,121,460 

$114,165 

$8,187,988,099 

$35,071 

Down-payment

24,194 

9.4%

$3,160,773,888 

$130,643 

$904,456,720 

$37,384 

###### TOTAL

**257,665**

**100.0%**

**$29,814,895,348**

**$115,712**

**$9,092,444,819**

**$35,288**

****

Source:  LGY SAS dnpmtavg

**By “First Time Buyer” Status**

The distribution of new loan guaranties by “buyer status” is shown in the next table.  “First time homeowner” refers to those eligible persons who used their entitlement to purchase their first home.

**Purchase Loans Guaranteed During Fiscal Year 1999**

****

****

****

****

****

****

****

**Based on Buyer Status**

****

****

****

****

****

****

****

**Buyer Status**

**Number**

**of Loans**

**Percent of**

**Total**

**Total Loan**

**Amount**

**Average**

**Loan**

**Amount**

**Total Guaranty**

**Amount**

**Average**

**Guaranty**

**Amount**

****

First Time Homeowner

134,255 

52.1%

$14,852,271,299 

$110,627 

$4,678,723,120 

$34,850

Previous Homeowner

123,410 

47.9%

$14,962,624,049 

$121,243 

$4,413,721,699 

$35,765

**TOTAL**

**257,665**

**100.0%**

**$29,814,895,348**

**$115,712**

**$9,092,444,819**

**$35,288**

****

Source:  LGY SAS FTBUYAVG

**e.Demographic Characteristics of People Who Obtained Home Loan Guaranties**

**By Periods of Service and Other Entitlement Criteria**

Data regarding loans guaranteed during fiscal year 1999 by veteran’s period of service and by other entitlement criteria follow.  Brief definitions of the entitlement criteria can be found in Chapter 1 on page 9.  The following table is subdivided into two parts - entitlements for veterans and other entitlement categories.  The largest amounts by category are highlighted in yellow.

**Loans Guaranteed During Fiscal Year 1999**

****

****

****

****

****

****

****

**By Period of Service (or Entitlement)**

****

****

****

****

****

****

****

**Entitlement**

**Number**

**of Loans**

**Percent of Grand Total**

**Total Loan**

**Amount**

**Average**

**Loan**

**Amount**

**Total Guaranty**

**Amount**

**Average**

**Guaranty**

**Amount**

****

World War II

3,119 

0.6%

$265,806,510 

$85,222 

$91,713,228 

$29,405 

Post-World War II

379 

0.1%

$35,008,187 

$92,370 

$11,731,210 

$30,953 

Korean War

3,852 

0.8%

$348,590,822 

$90,496 

$117,265,677 

$30,443 

Post-Korean War

8,919 

1.8%

$873,878,711 

$97,979 

$282,357,246 

$31,658 

Vietnam Era

61,316 

12.6%

$6,262,883,835 

$102,141 

$1,988,214,141 

$32,426 

Post-Vietnam Era

99,915 

20.6%

$10,959,819,319 

$109,691 

$3,417,207,256 

$34,201 

Gulf War Era

84,530 

17.4%

$9,146,199,119 

$108,201 

$2,896,714,271 

$34,268 

Restored Entitlement1

**145,957**

**30.1%**

**$17,337,852,728**

**$118,787**

**$5,127,019,123**

$35,127 

###### TOTAL

**407,987**

**84.0%**

**$45,230,039,231**

**$110,861**

**$13,932,222,152**

**$34,149**

****

Service Personnel

61,271 

12.6%

$7,021,414,233 

$114,596 

$2,157,452,490 

**$35,212**

Reservists

15,174 

3.1%

$1,727,597,933 

$113,853 

$533,250,896 

$35,142 

Unremarried Survivor

1,153 

0.2%

$106,106,163 

$92,026 

$35,847,092 

$31,090 

Spouse of POW

25 

0.0%

$2,523,482 

$100,939 

$766,122 

$30,645 

###### TOTAL

**77,623**

**16.0%**

**$8,857,641,811**

**$114,111**

**$2,727,316,600**

**$35,135**

****

**GRAND TOTAL**

**485,610**

**100.0%**

**$54,087,681,042**

**$111,381**

**$16,659,538,752**

**$34,306**

****

Source:  LGY SAS ENTLAVGS using ACTSEPT99 Workfile

1 Based on when the loan was made

**By Income**

The next table shows the distribution of purchase loans guaranteed during fiscal year 1999 by the annual income of the eligible borrower.  The highest number of loans is highlighted in yellow.

**Purchase Loans Guaranteed During Fiscal Year 1999**

****

****

****

****

****

****

****

****

**Based on Annual Income**

****

****

****

****

****

****

****

****

**Income**

**Number**

**of Loans**

**Percent of**

**Total**

**Total Loan**

### Amount

**Average**

**Loan**

**Amount**

**Total Guaranty**

**Amount**

**Average**

**Guaranty**

**Amount**

**Median**

**Assets**

****

**Less than $25,000**

16,001 

6.2%

$1,135,841,316 

$70,986 

$441,279,202 

$27,578 

$2,312 

**$25,000 to $34,999**

43,569 

16.9%

$3,781,217,772 

$86,787 

$1,370,517,044 

$31,456 

$2,954 

**$35,000 to $44,999**

**57,096**

**22.2%**

$5,896,148,805 

$103,267 

$1,936,316,455 

$33,913 

$3,684 

**$45,000 to $54,999**

51,862 

20.1%

$6,164,610,222 

$118,866 

$1,856,949,291 

$35,806 

$4,501 

**$55,000 to $64,999**

37,882 

14.7%

$5,025,415,402 

$132,660 

$1,419,699,281 

$37,477 

$5,501 

**$65,000 to $74,999**

23,131 

9.0%

$3,341,401,601 

$144,456 

$904,598,524 

$39,108 

$6,928 

**$75,000 and over**

28,113 

10.9%

$4,469,072,079 

$158,968 

$1,162,748,469 

$41,360 

$9,785 

**TOTAL1**

**257,654**

**100.0%**

**$29,813,707,197**

**$115,712**

**$9,092,108,266**

**$35,288**

**$4,501**

****

##### Average Income:  

**$  50,536**

****

**Median Income:**

**$  47,232**

****

**Median Loan:**

**$111,839**

****

Source:  LGY SAS Incommed

1 Note: Eleven purchase loans made in FY 1999 did not contain any income information.

**By Age**

The distribution of new loan guaranties by age of the borrower is shown in the next table. The highest number of loans is highlighted in yellow.

**Home Loans Guaranteed During Fiscal Year 1999**

****

****

****

****

****

****

****

**Based On Age**

****

****

****

****

****

****

****

**Age**

**Number**

**of Loans**

**Percent**

**of**

**Total**

**Total Loan**

**Amount**

**Average**

**Loan**

**Amount**

**Total Guaranty**

**Amount**

**Average**

**Guaranty**

**Amount**

****

**18 - 25**

11,988 

2.5%

$1,096,613,817 

$91,476 

$381,657,685 

$31,837 

**26 - 35**

148,699 

30.6%

$16,626,664,964 

$111,814 

$5,176,090,956 

$34,809 

**36 - 45**

**154,932**

**31.9%**

$18,031,376,326 

$116,383 

$5,445,396,868 

$35,147 

**46 - 55**

112,317 

23.1%

$12,560,338,213 

$111,829 

$3,817,714,329 

$33,991 

**56 - 65**

38,294 

7.9%

$4,007,199,620 

$104,643 

$1,249,362,448 

$32,626 

**Over 65**

19,380 

4.0%

$1,765,488,102 

$91,098 

$589,316,466 

$30,408 

###### TOTAL

**485,610**

**100.0%**

**$54,087,681,042**

**$111,381**

**$16,659,538,752**

**$34,306**

****

**Average overall age:  42.1**

Source:  LGY SAS agevet2

**By Race**

Providing race information on the application for a purchase loan is voluntary.  About 80 percent of borrowers provided race information during fiscal year 1999.  The race demographics presented in the following table show the distribution among the 80 percent who provided that information.

**Purchase Loans Guaranteed During Fiscal Year 1999**

****

****

****

****

****

****

****

**Based On Known Racial Codes**

****

****

****

****

****

****

****

**Race**

**Number**

**of Loans**

**Percent of**

**Total**

**Total Loan**

**Amount**

**Average**

**Loan**

**Amount**

**Total Guaranty**

**Amount**

**Average**

**Guaranty**

**Amount**

****

White

305,690 

78.7%

$33,892,342,907 

$110,872 

$10,474,244,142 

$34,264 

Black

52,936 

13.6%

$5,813,416,517 

$109,820 

$1,806,834,910 

$34,132 

Hispanic

21,419 

5.5%

$2,364,701,550 

$110,402 

$732,049,761 

$34,178 

Native American

2,390 

0.6%

$262,287,879 

$109,744 

$81,397,989 

$34,058 

Asian

5,853 

1.5%

$776,045,944 

$132,589 

$219,196,138 

$37,450 

###### TOTAL

**388,288**

**100.0%**

**$43,108,794,797**

**$111,023**

**$13,313,722,940**

**$34,288**

****

Source:  LGY SAS Raceavgs

***8.Vocational Rehabilitation And Employment***

**a.VR&E Program Participants during Fiscal Year 1999**

The total number of eligible persons who participated in the Vocational Rehabilitation training program during fiscal year 1999 is shown in the next table.  The numbers of participants reported in the table are not limited to “new business,” i.e., those who began their rehabilitation program during fiscal year 1999.  Participants who entered the program during prior fiscal years are also included.

**Veterans Participating In The**

**Vocational Rehabilitation Programs**

**During Fiscal Year 1999**

**Program**

**Number**

**Percent**

****

Service-Connected Veterans (Chapter 31)

51,936 

99.93%

Pension Recipients (Chapter 15)

8 

0.02%

Vietnam Veterans' Children With Spina Bifida (Chapter 18)

29 

0.06%

###### Total

**51,973**

**100.0%**

****

Sources:  VR&E Program Management Reports (FY 1999) and Regional Office Reports

**b.    Rehabilitation of Veterans with Service-Connected Disabilities**

**(Chapter 31 Benefits)**

The mission of the VR&E program is to provide services to veterans whose service-connected disabilities prevent or impair their ability to obtain and/or maintain suitable employment and independence in daily living.  Five general steps are involved in the rehabilitative process:

Step 1.  Application for the benefit

Step 2.  Evaluation to determine entitlement

Step 3.  Development of a plan for a specific occupational goal (or independence in

   daily living)

Step 4.  Providing rehabilitation services to prepare for employment (case

   management, counseling, subsistence allowance for training)

Step 5.  Employment services

The following subsections provide information about veterans who participated in each of the steps during fiscal year 1999.  A veteran proceeds through the rehabilitation process step by step.  While a veteran may be counted in more than one step as a result of completing a step and moving on, no veteran participates in more than one step at a time.  Basic data concerning the number of veterans involved in each step is provided first, followed by demographic information.

**Step 1:  Applicants for a Program of Rehabilitation Services**

A total of 61,096 veterans applied for rehabilitation services during fiscal year 1999.

The following three tables show demographic characteristics of the veterans who applied.  Yellow highlight notes the highest group in each table.

# By Combined Degree of Service-Connected Disability 

The distribution by combined degree of service-connected disabilities among veterans who applied for VR&E services in fiscal year 1999 is shown first.  The “Other” category includes applicants with non-compensable service-connected disabilities or nonservice-connected disabilities. (e.g., disabilities were not found to be service connected; disabilities were service connected but not so disabling as to allow payment of compensation; or no application for service connection was made).  If no rating was previously done, a “memorandum rating” is required, solely for the purpose of determining vocational rehabilitation entitlement on the basis of service-connected disability level. 

**Applicants For Vocational Training**

**By Combined Degree Of Disability**

**During Fiscal Year 1999**

****

**0%**

**10%**

**20%**

**30%**

**40%**

**50%**

**60%**

****

Number

136 

7,665 

**12,256**

11,264 

7,356 

4,223 

3,182 

Percent

0.2%

12.5%

**20.1%**

18.4%

12.0%

6.9%

5.2%

****

**70%**

**80%**

**90%**

**100%**

**Other1**

**Total**

****

****

Number

1,834 

835 

310 

2,440 

9,595 

**61,096**

Percent

3.0%

1.4%

0.5%

4.0%

15.7%

**100.0%**

Source:  VR&E Program Management Reports (FY 1999) and Disability Compensation Database

1 Other contains cases not rated and memo ratings

**By Gender**

**Applicants For Vocational Training**

**By Gender**

**During Fiscal Year 1999**

****

**Female**

**Male**

**Total1**

****

Number

9,301 

**51,793**

**61,094**

****

Percent

15.2%

**84.8%**

**100.0%**

****

Source:  VR&E Program Management Reports (FY 1999)

1 Two records had no gender identification.

**By Age**

**Applicants For Vocational Training**

**By Age**

**During Fiscal Year 1999**

****

****

****

****

****

****

****

****

****

**Age**

**17 - 21**

**Age**

**22 - 29**

**Age**

**30 - 39**

**Age**

**40 - 49**

**Age**

**50 - 59**

**Age**

**60 >**

**Total For**

**All Ages1**

****

Number

1,216 

11,394 

15,893 

**19,905**

10,157 

2,528 

**61,093**

****

Percent

2.0%

18.7%

26.0%

**32.6%**

16.6%

4.1%

**100.0%**

****

Source:  VR&E Program Management Reports (FY 1999)

1 Three records had no age information.

**Step 2:  Evaluation for Entitlement for a Program of Rehabilitation Services**

Once basic eligibility is established, veterans are provided a comprehensive rehabilitation evaluation.  The purposes of the evaluation are: to fully assess the veteran’s aptitudes, interests and abilities; to determine whether the veteran’s disabilities cause an employment handicap; and, if a handicap exists, to determine the veteran’s rehabilitation needs and the feasibility of achieving a vocational goal.

A total of 31,448 veterans (51.5 percent of those who applied) were found to be entitled to rehabilitation services in fiscal year 1999.  The following tables provide demographic data for veterans found to be entitled to rehabilitation services during fiscal year 1999.  Yellow highlight notes the highest group in each table.

**By Combined Degree of Service-Connected Disability**

**Note:** As previously noted, the “Other” category includes applicants with 

non-compensable service-connected disabilities or nonservice-connected disabilities.

**Veterans Entitled to Vocational Training**

**By Combined Degree Of Disability**

**During Fiscal Year 1999**

****

**0%**

**10%**

**20%**

**30%**

**40%**

**50%**

**60%**

****

Number

8 

1,266 

**6,571**

6,504 

5,322 

3,279 

2,934 

Percent

0.0%

4.0%

**20.9%**

20.7%

16.9%

10.4%

9.3%

****

**70%**

**80%**

**90%**

**100%**

**Other1**

**Total**

****

****

Number

1,801 

982 

376 

1,811 

594 

**31,448**

Percent

5.7%

3.1%

1.2%

5.8%

1.9%

**100.0%**

Source:  VR&E Program Management Reports (FY 1999) and Disability Compensation Database

1 Other contains cases not rated and memo ratings.

**By Gender**

**Veterans Entitled to Vocational Training**

**By Gender**

**During Fiscal Year 1999**

****

**Female**

**Male**

**Total**

****

Number

5,311 

**26,137**

**31,448**

****

Percent

16.9%

**83.1%**

**100.0%**

****

Source:  VR&E Program Management Reports (FY 1999)

**By Age**

**Veterans Entitled to Vocational Training**

**By Age**

**During Fiscal Year 1999**

****

****

****

****

****

****

****

****

****

**Age**

**17 - 21**

**Age**

**22 - 29**

**Age**

**30 - 39**

**Age**

**40 - 49**

**Age**

**50 - 59**

**Age**

**60 >**

**Total For**

**All Ages**

****

Number

303 

5,968 

9,222 

**10,419**

4,792 

744 

**31,448**

****

Percent

1.0%

19.0%

29.3%

**33.1%**

15.2%

2.4%

**100.0%**

****

Source:  VR&E Program Management Reports (FY 1999)

**By Period of Service**

**Veterans Entitled to Vocational Training**

**By Period Of Service**

**During Fiscal Year 1999**

****

**World**

**War II**

**Post**

**World**

**War II1**

**Korean**

**War**

**Post**

**Korean**

**War1**

**Vietnam**

**Era**

**Post**

**Vietnam**

**Era1**

**Gulf War**

**Era**

**Total All**

**Service**

**Periods**

****

Number

89 

14 

79 

289 

3,706 

7,257 

**20,014**

**31,448**

****

Percent

0.3%

0.0%

0.3%

0.9%

11.8%

23.1%

**63.6%**

**100.0%**

****

Source:  VR&E Program Management Reports (FY 1999)

1 These three periods are generally combined into "Peacetime" service in other sections of this report.

**By Serious Employment Handicap**

A “serious employment handicap” is a significant impairment, caused in part by a service-connected disability, in the veterans’ ability to prepare for, obtain, or retain employment consistent with their abilities, aptitudes, and interests.

**Veterans Entitled to Vocational Training**

**With A Serious Employment Handicap**

**During Fiscal Year 1999**

**Number**

**Percent**

****

Total Veterans

31,448 

Total With Serious Employment Handicap

12,086 

38%

Source:  VR&E Program Management Reports (FY 1999)

**Step 3:  Planning a Program of Rehabilitation Services**

Once eligibility is established, the veteran and a vocational rehabilitation counselor or counseling psychologist partner to develop an individualized plan of services.  The plan is designed to lead either to employment in a suitable occupation or to independence in daily living, if suitable gainful employment is not feasible due to the veteran’s disability limitations.  The following table identifies the number of veterans for whom individualized rehabilitation plans were completed during fiscal year 1999.

**Veterans Participating In A**

**Vocational Training Program**

**Number Of Training Plans Developed**

**During Fiscal Year 1999**

Total Participants1

51,936 

Training Plans Developed2

21,484 

Percent Of Training Plans

41%

1Source:  VR&E Program Management Reports (FY 1999)

2Source:  COIN TAR 6001

**Step 4:  Participating in a Program of Rehabilitation Services**

Following completion of a rehabilitation service plan, the veteran enters a rehabilitation program to prepare for the planned occupational goal or independent living.  The rehabilitation program may include training programs or other types of services.  The length of training varies with the individual rehabilitation plan.  The average time spent in the rehabilitation program is approximately two-and-a-half years.

A total of 51,936 veterans actively participated in training programs during fiscal year 1999.  These veterans received subsistence allowance payments during their training programs.  

**Note:**  The number of trainees cited above, 51,936, does not equal the number of applicants and the number of veterans found to be entitled to services during fiscal year 1999.  This is because most training programs last more than one year.  The 51,936 includes not only veterans who began their program during fiscal year 1999, but also those who began their program in previous years and continued in the program during fiscal year 1999.

**Type Of Occupational Goals and Training Activities of Veterans Who Participated In A Training Program**

This section provides data relating to occupational goals and training activities of veterans who participated in vocational training during fiscal year 1999.

**By Occupational Goals**

The following table shows occupational goals of veterans who participated in a training program, by gender.

**Veterans Participating In A Vocational Training Program**

**By Occupational Goal**

**During Fiscal Year 1999**

****

**Total**

**Number**

**Percent**

**of Total**

**Number**

**of Male**

**Percent**

**of Total**

**Number**

**of Female**

**Percent**

**of Total**

****

Agricultural, Fishery and Forestry

131 

0.3%

109 

0.3%

22 

0.2%

Benchwork

398 

0.8%

383 

0.9%

15 

0.1%

Clerical

2,669 

5.1%

1,913 

4.6%

756 

7.3%

Independent Living

358 

0.7%

312 

0.8%

46 

0.4%

Machine Trades

1,188 

2.3%

1,163 

2.8%

25 

0.2%

Miscellaneous

1,424 

2.7%

1,223 

2.9%

201 

1.9%

Processing (Butcher, Meat Processor, etc.)

39 

0.1%

32 

0.1%

7 

0.1%

Professional, Technical, and Managerial

42,166 

81.2%

33,210 

80.0%

8,956 

86.1%

Sales

379 

0.7%

317 

0.8%

62 

0.6%

Service

1,156 

2.2%

939 

2.3%

217 

2.1%

Structural (Building Trades)

1,625 

3.1%

1,585 

3.8%

40 

0.4%

Unknown/Other

403 

0.8%

351 

0.8%

52 

0.5%

###### Total

**51,936**

**100.0%**

**41,537**

**100%**

**10,399**

**100.0%**

****

Source:  VR&E Program Management Reports (FY 1999)

**By Type of Training Activity**

The next table shows the types of training activities for veterans who participated in a training program, by gender.

**Veterans Participating In A Vocational Training Program**

**By Type Of Training And Gender**

**During Fiscal Year 1999**

**Type Of Training**

**Total**

**Number**

**Percent of**

**Total**

**Number of**

**Male**

**Percent of**

**Total**

**Number of**

**Female**

**Percent of**

**Total**

****

Undergraduate

43,398 

83.6%

34,179 

82.3%

9,219 

88.7%

Vocational/Technical

4,328 

8.3%

3,833 

9.2%

495 

4.8%

Graduate

1,865 

3.6%

1,415 

3.4%

450 

4.3%

College, Non-Degree

1,041 

2.0%

926 

2.2%

115 

1.1%

Extend. Eval/Indep. Living

627 

1.2%

570 

1.4%

57 

0.5%

On The Job

273 

0.5%

259 

0.6%

14 

0.1%

Eval/Improv. Rehab. Pot.

112 

0.2%

100 

0.2%

12 

0.1%

High School

69 

0.1%

63 

0.2%

6 

0.1%

Non/Nominal Pay in Govt.

123 

0.2%

97 

0.2%

26 

0.3%

Govt. Work Experience

0 

0.0%

0 

0.0%

0 

0.0%

Apprenticeship

91 

0.2%

86 

0.2%

5 

0.0%

Farm Co-op

9 

0.0%

9 

0.0%

0 

0.0%

###### Total

**51,936**

**100.0%**

**41,537**

**100.0%**

**10,399**

**100.0%**

****

Source:  VR&E Program Management Reports (FY 1999)

**Demographic Characteristics of Veterans Who Participated In A Training Program**

A variety of demographic information about veterans who received vocational rehabilitation training during fiscal year 1999 is shown in the next ten tables.  Yellow highlight notes the highest group in each table.

**By Combined Degree of Service-Connected Disability**

**Veterans Participating In A Vocational Training Program**

**By Combined Degree Of Disability**

**During Fiscal Year 1999**

****

**0%**

**10%**

**20%**

**30%**

**40%**

**50%**

**60%**

****

Number

29 

2,157 

**11,613**

11,453 

9,179 

5,381 

4,856 

Percent

0.1%

4.2%

**22.4%**

22.1%

17.7%

10.4%

9.3%

****

**70%**

**80%**

**90%**

**100%**

**Other**

**Total**

****

****

Number

2,626 

1,568 

553 

2,167 

354 

**51,936**

Percent

5.1%

3.0%

1.1%

4.2%

0.7%

**100.0%**

Source:  VR&E Program Management Reports (FY 1999) and Disability Compensation Database

**By Serious Employment Handicap**

**Veterans Participating In A**

## Vocational Training Program

**With A Serious Employment Handicap**

**During Fiscal Year 1999**

Total Participants

51,936 

Number With Serious Employment Handicap 

18,521 

Percent With Serious Employment Handicap 

36%

Source:  VR&E Program Management Reports (FY 1999)

**By Gender**

**Veterans Participating In A**

**Vocational Training Program**

**By Gender**

**During Fiscal Year 1999**

****

**Female**

**Male**

**Total**

****

Number

10,399 

**41,537**

**51,936**

****

Percent

20.0%

**80.0%**

**100.0%**

****

Source:  VR&E Program Management Reports (FY 1999)

**By Age**

**Veterans Participating In A Vocational Training Program**

**By Age**

**During Fiscal Year 1999**

****

****

****

****

****

****

****

****

****

**Age**

**17 - 21**

**Age**

**22 - 29**

**Age**

**30 - 39**

**Age**

**40 - 49**

**Age**

**50 - 59**

**Age**

**60 >**

**Total For**

**All Ages**

****

Number

136 

9,409 

**17,729**

17,303 

6,686 

673 

**51,936**

****

Percent

0.3%

18.1%

**34.1%**

33.3%

12.9%

1.3%

**100.0%**

****

###### Average Age For Veterans In Training Status:   38.9

****

****

****

Source:  VR&E Program Management Reports (FY 1999)

**By Period of Service**

**Veterans Participating In A Vocational Training Program**

**By Period Of Service**

**During Fiscal Year 1999**

****

****

****

****

****

****

****

****

**World**

**War II**

**Post**

**World**

**War II1**

**Korean**

**War**

**Post**

**Korean**

**War1**

**Vietnam**

**Era**

**Post**

**Vietnam**

**Era1**

**Gulf War**

**Era**

**Total All**

**Service**

**Periods**

****

Number

32 

3 

50 

252 

3,848 

10,455 

**37,296**

**51,936**

****

Percent

0.1%

0.0%

0.1%

0.5%

7.4%

20.1%

**71.8%**

**100.0%**

****

Source:  VR&E Program Management Reports (FY 1999)

1 These three periods are generally combined into "Peacetime" service in other sections of this report.

# By Branch of Service 

**Veterans Participating In A Vocational Training Program**

**By Branch Of Service**

**During Fiscal Year 1999**

****

****

****

****

****

****

****

****

****

**Army1**

**Navy**

**Air Force**

**Marine**

**Corps**

**Coast**

**Guard**

**Other2**

**Total**

****

Number

**23,347**

12,103 

9,293 

5,672 

674 

847 

**51,936**

****

Percent

**45.0%**

23.3%

17.9%

10.9%

1.3%

1.6%

**100.0%**

****

Source:  VR&E Program Management Reports (FY 1999) and Disability Compensation Database

1 Army includes 3 from Women's Army Corps and 2 from Army Air Corps.

2 Other includes 2 from NOAA, 3 from Public Health Service and 842 records with no branch of service data.

**By Length of Service**

**Veterans Participating In A Vocational Training Program**

**By Length Of Service**

**During Fiscal Year 1999**

****

**3 Months**

**or Less**

**3 to 6**

**Months**

**6 Months**

**to 2 Years**

**2 to 4**

**Years**

**4 to 10**

**Years**

****

Number

257 

621 

5,571 

12,634 

**15,014**

Percent

0.5%

1.2%

10.7%

24.3%

**28.9%**

**10 to 15**

**Years**

**15 to 20**

**Years**

**20 to 30**

**Years**

**Over 30**

**Years**

**Total**

****

Number

5,714 

4,361 

7,564 

200 

**51,936**

****

Percent

11.0%

8.4%

14.6%

0.4%

**100.0%**

****

Source:  VR&E Program Management Reports (FY 1999)

**By Dependency Status**

**Note:**  Dependency status identifies known dependents for both single and married veteran participants.

**Veterans Participating In A Vocational Training Program**

**By Dependency Status**

**During Fiscal Year 1999**

****

**Single**

**Single With**

**Children**

**Married**

**Married With**

**Children**

**Dependent**

**Parent(s)**

**Total1**

****

Number

12,482 

6,365 

8,879 

**23,986**

106 

**51,818**

****

Percent

24.1%

12.3%

17.1%

**46.3%**

0.2%

**100.0%**

****

Source:  VR&E Program Management Reports (FY 1999)

1 Does not include 118 veterans whose dependency status is unknown.

**By Prior Education Level**

The following table shows the distribution by level of education attained prior to the veteran’s enrollment in a training program.

**Veterans Participating In A Vocational Training Program**

**By Prior Education Level**

**During Fiscal Year 1999**

****

**Less Than**

**High School**

### High School

**Post**

**High School**

**Four Year**

**College**

**Degree**

**Graduate**

**Training**

**Total**

****

Number

332 

**30,353**

17,530 

2,584 

1,137 

**51,936**

****

Percent

0.6%

**58.4%**

33.8%

5.0%

2.2%

**100.0%**

****

Source:  VR&E Program Management Reports (FY 1999)

**By Prior Use of VA Educational Benefits**

**Veterans Participating In A**

**Vocational Training Program**

**By Prior Use Of VA Benefits**

**During Fiscal Year 1999**

****

**Prior Use**

**No Prior**

**Use**

**Total**

****

Number

17,939 

**33,997**

**51,936**

****

Percent

34.5%

**65.5%**

**100.0%**

****

Source:  VR&E Program Management Reports (FY 1999)

**Step 5:  Employment Services – Preparing and Searching for a Suitable Job**

Employment services, to prepare and search for a suitable job, may be provided to veterans who have completed all portions of the rehabilitation plan.  Some veterans already have sufficient training without using the training services described in Step 4.  These veterans, if they are considered ready to enter the job market, may choose to use employment services immediately after the evaluation and planning in Steps 2 and 3.  Employment services include, but are not limited to, resume preparation, interview techniques, job site modification, and help in finding employers.  The following table shows the number and percentage of veterans who received employment services during fiscal year 1999.

**Veterans Participating In A**

**Vocational Training Program**

**Veterans Who Entered Employment Services During Fiscal Year 1999**

Total Participants1

51,936 

Employment Plans Developed2

11,289 

Percent In Employment Plans

22%

1Source:  VR&E Program Management Reports (FY 1999)

2Source:  COIN TAR 6005

**Summary of Beneficiaries Leaving The Rolls For All Benefits Programs During Fiscal Year 1999**

Because VBA’s programs serve widely varying purposes, the reasons benefits end vary from program to program.  For programs that pay monthly monetary benefits, termination ceases payment.  For Insurance policyholders, termination means either lapse of policy coverage or payment of the policy.  For Home Loan Guaranty, termination means either the payment of the guaranty amount to the lender or full payment of the mortgage by the veteran.  For Vocational Rehabilitation, termination means cessation of training, either by completing or withdrawing from the program.

###### Summary of All

**Active Benefits That Ended**

**During Fiscal Year 1999**

**Benefits Programs**

**Number of People**

**Percent of Total**

****

Compensation – Disability

72,900

7.3%

Compensation – Death1

20,644

2.1%

Pension – Disability

60,913

6.1%

Pension – Death

47,708

4.8%

Education2

19,318

1.9%

Life Insurance

136,724

13.8%

Home Loan Guaranty

615,898

62.0%

Vocational Rehabilitation3

19,410

2.0%

**Total**

**993,515**

**100.0%**

****

1 This category consists of the Death Compensation and DIC Programs.

2 17,267 claimants exhausted their entitlement; 2,051 claimants reached their delimiting date.

3 10,280 veterans completed training; 9,130 veterans discontinued training.

**Individual Data for Each Benefit Program**

The following sections provide additional information about benefits that ended for veterans, dependents, and survivors under each program during fiscal year 1999.

***1.Compensation - Based Upon Service-Connected Disability***

The following table shows the most common reasons for ending disability compensation payments during fiscal year 1999.   

**Note:** Reasons for ending benefit payments are depicted in the boxes above the “Number Removed” and “Percent of Period Removed” columns.  “Percent of Period Removed” means the proportion of the total number of veterans from that period of service whose benefits were ended. 

**Service-Connected Disability Compensation - Reasons For Ending Payments**

**During Fiscal Year 1999**

****

****

****

****

****

****

****

****

**Death Of Veteran**

****

**Veterans Whereabouts or Address Unknown**

****

**Other Reasons Not Specifically Stated**

****

****

**Periods of Service**

**Number**

**Removed**

**Percent of**

**Period**

**Removed**

**Number**

**Removed**

**Percent of**

**Period**

**Removed**

**Number**

**Removed**

**Percent of**

**Period**

**Removed**

****

   World War I

72 

100.0%

0 

0.0%

0 

0.0%

   World War II

42,876 

98.2%

264 

0.6%

444 

1.0%

   Korean War

7,144 

97.8%

40 

0.5%

72 

1.0%

   Vietnam Era

11,172 

93.6%

192 

1.6%

120 

1.0%

   Gulf War Era

550 

25.8%

220 

10.3%

84 

3.9%

   Peacetime Periods

6,784 

87.2%

308 

4.0%

104 

1.3%

**Total**

**68,598**

**1,024**

****

**824**

****

****

**Percent of Grand Total**

**94.1%**

****

**1.4%**

****

**1.1%**

****

****

****

**Veteran On Active**

**Duty Or In Receipt Of**

**Retirement Pay**

****

**All Others1**

****

**Grand Totals by**

**Periods of Service**

****

****

**Periods of Service**

**Number**

**Removed**

**Percent of**

**Period**

**Removed**

**Number**

**Removed**

**Percent of**

**Period**

**Removed**

**Number**

**Removed**

**Percent of**

**Grand**

**Total**

****

   World War I

0 

0.0%

0 

0.0%

**72**

**0.1%**

****

   World War II

8 

0.0%

74 

0.2%

**43,666**

**59.9%**

****

   Korean War

16 

0.2%

36 

0.5%

**7,308**

**10.0%**

****

   Vietnam Era

116 

1.0%

340 

2.8%

**11,940**

**16.4%**

****

   Gulf War Era

375 

17.6%

905 

42.4%

**2,134**

**2.9%**

****

   Peacetime Periods

160 

2.1%

424 

5.4%

**7,780**

**10.7%**

****

**Total**

**675**

**1,779**

**72,900**

**100.0%**

****

**Percent of Grand Total**

**0.9%**

**2.4%**

**100.0%**

****

****

Source:  RCS 20-0243

1 The “All Other” category combines 12 other reasons for ending benefits.

***2.Compensation - Based Upon A Service-Connected Death***

The following table shows the most common reasons for ending DIC and Death Compensation payments during fiscal year 1999.  

## Service-Connected Death Benefits - Reasons For Ending Payments

**During Fiscal Year 1999**

****

****

****

****

****

****

****

****

**Death Of Payee**

****

**Child Over 18**

**Terminates School or Reaches Age 23**

****

**Child Reaches Age 18**

****

****

**Periods of Service**

**Number**

**Removed**

**Percent of**

**Period**

**Removed**

**Number**

**Removed**

**Percent of**

**Period**

**Removed**

**Number**

**Removed**

**Percent of**

**Period**

**Removed**

****

   World War I and Earlier

680 

91.9%

8 

1.1%

0 

0.0%

   World War II

7,524 

91.6%

144 

1.8%

8 

0.1%

   Korean War

1,820 

84.3%

92 

12.0%

20 

0.9%

   Vietnam Era

2,584 

44.8%

1,676 

29.1%

428 

7.4%

   Gulf War Era

16 

2.7%

248 

42.2%

80 

13.6%

   Peacetime Periods

1,808 

56.9%

640 

20.2%

292 

9.2%

**Total**

**14,432**

**2,808**

****

**828**

****

****

**Percent of Grand Total**

**69.9%**

****

**13.6%**

****

**4.0%**

****

****

****

**Marital Status Change -**

**Person Entitled**

**or Dependent**

****

**All Others1**

****

**Grand Totals by**

**Periods of Service**

****

****

**Periods of Service**

**Number**

**Removed**

**Percent of**

**Period**

**Removed**

**Number**

**Removed**

**Percent of**

**Period**

**Removed**

**Number**

**Removed**

**Percent of**

**Grand**

**Total**

****

   World War I and Earlier

4 

0.5%

48 

6.5%

**740**

**3.6%**

****

   World War II

116 

1.4%

424 

5.2%

**8,216**

**39.8%**

****

   Korean War

60 

2.8%

168 

7.8%

**2,160**

**10.5%**

****

   Vietnam Era

340 

5.9%

736 

12.8%

**5,764**

**27.9%**

****

   Gulf War Era

144 

24.5%

100 

17.0%

**588**

**2.8%**

****

   Peacetime Periods

136 

4.3%

300 

9.4%

**3,176**

**15.4%**

****

**Total**

**800**

**1,776**

**20,644**

**100.0%**

****

**Percent of Grand Total**

**3.9%**

**8.6%**

**100.0%**

****

****

Source:  RCS 20-0243

1 The “All Other” category combines 13 other reasons for ending benefits.

***3.Pension - Based Upon Nonservice-Connected Disability***

The following table shows the most common reasons for ending disability pension payments during fiscal year 1999. 

**Nonservice-Connected Disability Pension - Reasons For Ending Payments**

**During Fiscal Year 1999**

****

****

****

****

****

****

****

****

**Death Of Veteran**

****

**Income Provisions**

****

**Other Reasons Not**

**Specifically Stated**

****

****

**Periods of Service**

**Number**

**Removed**

**Percent of**

**Period**

**Removed**

**Number**

**Removed**

**Percent of**

**Period**

**Removed**

**Number**

**Removed**

**Percent of**

**Period**

**Removed**

****

   World War I

260 

96.3%

1 

0.4%

4 

1.5%

   World War II

30,228 

81.6%

4,732 

12.8%

408 

1.1%

   Korean War

7,768 

59.6%

4,140 

31.8%

120 

0.9%

   Vietnam Era

4,212 

40.4%

4,996 

47.9%

60 

0.6%

   Gulf War Era

20 

16.9%

60 

50.8%

8 

6.8%

   Peacetime Periods

N/A

N/A

N/A

**Total**

**42,488**

**13,929**

****

**600**

****

****

**Percent of Grand Total**

**69.8%**

****

**22.9%**

****

**1.0%**

****

****

****

**Veterans Whereabouts or Address Unknown**

****

**All Others1**

****

**Grand Totals by**

**Periods of Service**

****

****

**Periods of Service**

**Number**

**Removed**

**Percent of**

**Period**

**Removed**

**Number**

**Removed**

**Percent of**

**Period**

**Removed**

**Number**

**Removed**

**Percent of**

**Grand**

**Total**

****

   World War I

0 

0.0%

5 

1.9%

**270**

**0.4%**

****

   World War II

212 

0.6%

1,481 

4.0%

**37,061**

**60.8%**

****

   Korean War

72 

0.6%

929 

7.1%

**13,029**

**21.4%**

****

   Vietnam Era

128 

1.2%

1,039 

10.0%

**10,435**

**17.1%**

****

   Gulf War Era

0 

0.0%

30 

25.4%

**118**

**0.2%**

****

   Peacetime Periods

N/A

N/A

**N/A**

****

****

**Total**

**412**

**3,484**

**60,913**

**100.0%**

****

**Percent of Grand Total**

**0.7%**

**5.7%**

**100.0%**

****

****

Source:  RCS 20-0243

1 The “All Other” category combines 15 other reasons for ending benefits.

***4.Pension - Based Upon Nonservice-Connected Death***

The following table shows the most common reasons for ending death pension payments to survivors of wartime veterans during fiscal year 1999.  

**Nonservice-Connected Death Pension - Reasons For Ending Payments**

**During Fiscal Year 1999**

****

****

****

****

****

****

****

****

**Death Of Payee**

****

**Income Provisions**

****

**Marital Status Change -**

**Person Entitled**

**or Dependent**

****

****

**Periods of Service**

**Number**

**Removed**

**Percent of**

**Period**

**Removed**

**Number**

**Removed**

**Percent of**

**Period**

**Removed**

**Number**

**Removed**

**Percent of**

**Period**

**Removed**

****

   World War I and Earlier

9,144 

93.6%

164 

1.7%

12 

0.1%

   World War II

16,868 

57.5%

10,044 

34.3%

300 

1.0%

   Korean War

1,036 

17.2%

4,316 

71.6%

104 

1.7%

   Vietnam Era

272 

10.8%

1,584 

62.9%

96 

3.8%

   Gulf War Era

0 

0.0%

44 

64.7%

12 

17.6%

   Peacetime Periods

N/A

N/A

N/A

###### Total     

**27,320**

**16,152**

****

**524**

****

****

**Percent of Grand Total**

**57.3%**

****

**33.9%**

****

**1.1%**

****

****

****

**Child Over 18**

**Terminates School or Reaches Age 23**

****

**All Others1**

****

**Grand Totals by**

**Periods of Service**

****

****

**Periods of Service**

**Number**

**Removed**

**Percent of**

**Period**

**Removed**

**Number**

**Removed**

**Percent of**

**Period**

**Removed**

**Number**

**Removed**

**Percent of**

**Grand**

**Total**

****

   World War I and Earlier

0 

0.0%

452 

4.6%

**9,772**

**20.5%**

****

   World War II

37 

0.1%

2,071 

7.1%

**29,320**

**61.5%**

****

   Korean War

35 

0.6%

537 

8.9%

**6,028**

**12.6%**

****

   Vietnam Era

336 

13.3%

232 

9.2%

**2,520**

**5.3%**

****

   Gulf War Era

8 

11.8%

4 

5.9%

**68**

**0.1%**

****

   Peacetime Periods

N/A

N/A

**N/A**

****

****

###### Total     

**416**

**3,296**

**47,708**

**100.0%**

****

**Percent of Grand Total**

**0.9%**

**6.9%**

**100.0%**

****

****

Source:  RCS 20-0243

1 The “All Other” category combines 16 other reasons for ending benefits.

***5.Education***

Educational assistance ends for one of two reasons - entitlement is exhausted or the deadline for using the benefit (i.e., the delimiting date) is reached.

Veterans, servicepersons and reservists are generally entitled to 36 months of educational assistance (entitlement).  Dependents are entitled to 45 months of educational assistance.  Once 36 or 45 months of educational assistance is used, payment of the benefit ends.

Beneficiaries have a limited amount of time to use their educational assistance.  Veterans and servicepersons, generally, have 10 years from the date of their last discharge from active military service.  Reservists have either 10 years from the date their eligibility began or until the day following separation from the Selected Reserve, whichever is the earlier.  In the Dependents Educational Assistance program, children usually have until age 26 and spouses, or surviving spouses, generally, have 10 years from their date of eligibility.

**Beneficiaries Whose Benefits Terminated**

**During Fiscal Year 1999**

**Program**

**Entitlement**

**Exhausted**

**Delimiting**

**Date**

**Total**

**Terminations**

**Percent of**

**Total**

**Terminations**

****

   Dependents Education

185 

99 

284 

1.5%

   Montgomery GI Bill - Active Duty1

14,272 

1,526 

15,798 

81.8%

   Montgomery GI Bill – Reserves2

2,300 

136 

2,436 

12.6%

   Post-Vietnam Veterans Education

510 

290 

800 

4.1%

###### Total     

**17,267**

**2,051**

**19,318**

**100.0%**

****

Percent of Total Terminations     

**89.4%**

10.6%

100.0%

Source:  Education Service SAS Reports

1 Based on Active Duty service

2 Based on service in the Selected Reserve

****

***6.Life Insurance***

Life insurance policies terminate for two reasons - either they are “paid off” or they lapse.  The following two tables provide data concerning the policies that terminated during fiscal year 1999.

**a.Policies That Were “Paid Off”**

Policies may be “paid off” by any of three types of payment.  Death claims are paid to a veteran’s designated beneficiary upon the death of the veteran.  Cash surrenders and matured endowments are paid to the veteran.  The following table provides a distribution of payments by insurance program.

**Insurance Payments**

**During Fiscal Year 1999**

****

****

****

****

**Death Claims**

**Number1**

**Amount2**

**Average Payment**

****

USGLI

1,481 

$4,897,772 

$3,307 

NSLI

90,455 

$811,041,965 

$8,966 

VSLI

4,611 

$49,107,428 

$10,650 

VRI

4,591 

$34,237,881 

$7,458 

SDVI

4,197 

$40,100,325 

$9,555 

VMLI

134 

$8,856,175 

$66,091 

SGLI3

1,664 

$315,206,508 

$189,427 

VGLI3

1,005 

$94,612,998 

$94,142 

###### TOTAL

**108,138**

**$1,358,061,052**

**$12,559**

****

**Matured Endowment**

**Number1**

**Amount2**

**Average Payment**

****

USGLI

24 

$95,768 

$3,990 

NSLI

1,642 

$15,001,978 

$9,136 

VSLI

1,378 

$16,073,910 

$11,665 

VRI

35 

$377,476 

$10,785 

SDVI

338 

$2,535,144 

$7,500 

###### TOTAL

**3,417**

**$34,084,276**

**$9,975**

****

**Cash Surrender**

**Number1**

**Amount2**

**Average Payment**

****

USGLI

182 

$462,116 

$2,539 

NSLI

9,194 

$35,709,082 

$3,884 

VSLI

1,131 

$4,677,310 

$4,136 

VRI

455 

$2,014,584 

$4,428 

SDVI

1,091 

$5,898,319 

$5,406 

###### TOTAL

**12,053**

**$48,761,411**

**$4,046**

****

**GRAND TOTAL**

**123,608**

**$1,440,906,739**

**$11,657**

****

1 Source:  510 Monthly Report, VMLI Quarterly Report, OSGLI Monthly Report

2 Source:  CFO Fiscal Year 1999 Life Insurance Statements (Incurred Basis)

3 Source:  SGLI and VGLI data are for the policy year ending June 30, 1999

**b.Policies That Lapsed**

Policies lapse mainly due to failure of the policyholder to pay the premiums.  The following table provides data about policies that lapsed during FY 1999.

**Policy Lapses**

**During Fiscal Year 1999**

****

****

****

****

**Policy Lapses**

**Number1**

**Face Value1**

**Average**

**Face Value**

****

NSLI

10,421 

$69,275,511 

$6,648 

VSLI

711 

$5,597,250 

$7,872 

VRI

267 

$1,384,586 

$5,186 

SDVI

1,717 

$16,529,750 

$9,627 

###### TOTAL

**13,116**

**$92,787,097**

**$7,074**

****

1 Source:  510 Monthly Report, VMLI Quarterly Report, OSGLI Monthly Report

***7.HOME Loan Guaranty***

A home loan guaranty is terminated in one of two ways.  “Paid in Full” means that the loan was paid in full, by the borrower, to the lending institution.  Therefore, the guaranty is no longer applicable and no payment was made based on the guaranty.  “Loan Defaulted - Guaranty Payment Made” means that the loan was defaulted by the borrower and the loan guaranty claim was paid.  The following table shows the disposition of loan guaranties terminated during fiscal year 1999.  Also shown is the amount of money paid to lending institutions under the guaranty provisions during fiscal year 1999. 

**Disposition of Home Loans**

**During Fiscal Year 1999**

****

****

****

****

****

**Disposition**

**Number**

**of Loans**

**Percent**

**of Total**

**Amount of Payment**

**Average Payment**

****

Paid in Full by Borrower

590,101 

95.8%

$0 

$0 

Loan Defaults - Guaranty Payment Made

25,797 

4.2%

$635,374,000

$24,630 

###### TOTAL

**615,898**

**100.0%**

****

****

****

Source:  COIN GIL 01-01, 02-01 & 50-01;  DOOR Report 6005

1 Source: Budget Statistics.  This amount is based upon claims processed.

***8.Vocational Rehabilitation And Employment***

Vocational rehabilitation program participants end their association with the program in one of three ways:  

· By completing the program and finding employment; 

· By completing the program and achieving greater independence in living; or 

· By discontinuing pursuit of the rehabilitation objectives. 

**a.Veterans Ending Their Participation in a Training Program**

The following table shows the number and percentage of veterans, whose participation ended during fiscal year 1999, sorted by termination reason.

**Veterans Who Ended**

**A Training Program**

**During Fiscal Year 1999**

**Reason For Ending Program**

**Number**

**Percent**

****

Employment

9,975 

51.4%

****

Discontinue1

9,130 

47.0%

Independent Living

305 

1.6%

###### Total

**19,410**

**100.0%**

****

Source:  VR&E Program Management Reports (FY 1999)

1 Source:  VR&E Balanced Scorecard FY 1999

**b.Participants with Serious Employment Handicaps Who Completed Their Program**

The next table shows the number and percentage of participants who had a serious employment handicap and completed a program of vocational rehabilitation during fiscal year 1999. 

**Veterans With A**

**Serious Employment Handicap**

**Who Completed Training**

**During Fiscal Year 1999**

****

**Number**

**Percent**

****

Total Veterans

10,280 

Total With Serious Employment Handicap

3,829 

37%

Source:  VR&E Program Management Reports (FY 1999)

**c.Pre- and Post-Training Annual Earnings**

**By Gender**

The next table compares annual and average earnings of veterans, by gender, before entering their rehabilitation program and after completing it and finding employment. 

**Veterans Who Successfully Completed Training**

**Pre And Post Annual Earnings - By Gender**

**During Fiscal Year 1999**

****

**Number**

**Rehabilitated**

**Average Annual**

**Earnings Prior**

**To Training**

**Total Annual**

**Earnings Prior**

**To Training**

**Average Annual**

**Earnings At**

**Rehabilitation**

**Total Annual**

**Earnings At**

**Rehabilitation**

**Percent Of**

**Increase In**

**Earnings**

****

Male

8,654 

$4,705 

$40,717,070 

$26,179 

$226,553,060 

456%

Female

1,626 

$3,261 

$5,302,386 

$22,938 

$37,295,562 

603%

###### Total

**10,280**

**$3,983**

**$43,733,340**

**$24,558**

**$252,456,240**

**477%**

****

Source:  VR&E Program Management Reports (FY 1999)

**By Occupation Type**

The next table shows the distribution of average and total annual earnings before entering the program and following rehabilitation, by occupational categories.

**Veterans Who Successfully Completed Training**

**Pre And Post Annual Earnings - By Occupational Category**

**During Fiscal Year 1999**

****

**Number**

**Rehabilitated**

**Average Annual**

**Earnings Prior**

**To Training**

**Total Annual**

**Earnings Prior**

**To Training**

**Average Annual**

**Earnings At**

**Rehabilitation**

**Total Annual**

**Earnings**

**At**

**Rehabilitation**

**Percent Of**

**Increase In**

**Earnings**

****

Professional, Technical and Managerial

6,496 

$4,842 

$31,456,360 

$28,124 

$182,693,504 

481%

Clerical

931 

$3,915 

$3,645,200 

$21,975 

$20,458,837 

461%

Sales

231 

$5,452 

$1,259,449 

$25,893 

$5,981,304 

375%

Services

511 

$4,143 

$2,117,078 

$21,411 

$10,941,231 

417%

Agricultural, Fishery and Forestry

56 

$2,721 

$152,400 

$22,112 

$1,238,292 

713%

Processing (Butcher, Meat Processor, etc.)

46 

$5,794 

$266,532 

$24,287 

$1,117,224 

319%

Machine Trades

374 

$5,278 

$1,974,095 

$23,518 

$8,795,545 

346%

Bench Work

132 

$5,110 

$674,579 

$22,162 

$2,925,432 

334%

Structural (Building Trades)

426 

$4,165 

$1,774,294 

$24,651 

$10,501,130 

492%

Miscellaneous

318 

$4,157 

$1,321,926 

$23,943 

$7,613,820 

476%

**Total1**

**9,521**

**$4,689**

**$44,641,915**

**$26,496**

**$252,266,318**

**465%**

****

Source:  VR&E Program Management Reports (FY 1999)

1 Does not include 440 persons who went to independent living and do not have earnings and 319 records which have unidentified occupational categories.

**d.Type of Training Activity by Gender**

The distribution of participants by gender is shown for each type of training in the following table.  A subsistence allowance is paid to participants for some or all of the time they are in the training program.

**Veterans Who Successfully Completed Training**

## By Type Of Training And Gender

**During Fiscal Year 1999**

**Type Of Training**

**Total**

**Number**

**Percent of**

**Total**

**Number of**

**Male**

**Percent of**

**Total**

**Number of**

**Female**

**Percent of**

**Total**

****

Undergraduate

6,615 

64.3%

5,443 

62.9%

1,172 

72.1%

Vocational/Technical

1,267 

12.3%

1,130 

13.1%

137 

8.4%

Graduate

569 

5.5%

441 

5.1%

128 

7.9%

College, Non-Degree

257 

2.5%

222 

2.6%

35 

2.2%

Extend. Eval/Indep. Living

138 

1.3%

120 

1.4%

18 

1.1%

On The Job

111 

1.1%

107 

1.2%

4 

0.2%

Eval/Improv. Rehab. Pot.

42 

0.4%

35 

0.4%

7 

0.4%

High School

15 

0.1%

13 

0.2%

2 

0.1%

Non/Nominal Pay in Govt.

49 

0.5%

39 

0.5%

10 

0.6%

Govt. Work Experience

37 

0.4%

34 

0.4%

3 

0.2%

Apprenticeship

25 

0.2%

24 

0.3%

1 

0.1%

Farm Co-op

0 

0.0%

0 

0.0%

0 

0.0%

Not Classified

1,155 

11.2%

1,046 

12.1%

109 

6.7%

###### Total

**10,280**

**100.0%**

**8,654**

**100.0%**

**1,626**

**100.0%**

****

Source:  VR&E Program Management Reports (FY 1999)

e. **Demographic Characteristics of Participants Who Successfully Completed Training**

Yellow highlight notes the highest group in each table.

**By Gender**

**Veterans Who Successfully**

**Completed Training**

**By Gender**

**During Fiscal Year 1999**

****

**Female**

**Male**

**Total**

****

Number

1,626 

**8,654**

**10,280**

****

Percent

15.8%

**84.2%**

**100.0%**

****

Source:  VR&E Program Management Reports (FY 1999)

**By Age**

**Veterans Who Successfully Completed Training**

**By Age**

**During Fiscal Year 1999**

****

****

****

****

****

****

****

****

****

**Age**

**17 - 21**

**Age**

**22 - 29**

**Age**

**30 - 39**

**Age**

**40 - 49**

**Age**

**50 - 59**

**Age**

**60 >**

**Total For**

**All Ages**

****

Number

4 

1,188 

3,265 

**3,632**

1,899 

292 

**10,280**

****

Percent

0.0%

11.6%

31.8%

**35.3%**

18.5%

2.8%

**100.0%**

****

Source:  VR&E Program Management Reports (FY 1999)

**By Prior Education Level**

This table shows the distribution of pre-training education among those who completed training. 

**Veterans Who Successfully Completed Training**

**By Prior Education Level**

**During Fiscal Year 1999**

****

**Less Than**

**High School**

**High School**

**Post**

**High School**

**Four Year**

**College**

**Degree**

**Graduate**

**Training**

**Total**

****

Number

89 

**5,752**

3,190 

904 

345 

**10,280**

****

Percent

0.9%

**56.0%**

31.0%

8.8%

3.4%

**100.0%**

****

Source:  VR&E Program Management Reports (FY 1999)

**By Dependency Status**

**Veterans Who Successfully Completed Training**

**By Dependency Status**

**During Fiscal Year 1999**

****

**Single**

**Single With**

**Children**

**Married**

**Married With**

**Children**

**Dependent**

**Parent(s)**

**Total1**

****

Number

1,986 

940 

1,826 

**4,335**

17 

**9,104**

****

Percent

21.8%

10.3%

20.1%

**47.6%**

0.2%

**100.0%**

****

Source:  VR&E Program Management Reports (FY 1999)

1 Does not include 1176 veterans whose dependency status is unknown.

**By Branch of Service**

The next table provides a distribution by branch of service among those who completed rehabilitation programs.  

**Note:**  Consistent with requirements established in 38 U.S.C. § 101, service in the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and the Public Health Service qualify persons for vocational rehabilitation programs. 

**Veterans Who Successfully Completed Training**

**By Branch Of Service**

**During Fiscal Year 1999**

****

**Army**

**Navy**

**Air Force**

**Marine**

**Corps**

**Coast**

**Guard**

**Other1**

**Total**

****

Number

**4,479**

2,330 

2,045 

1,125 

146 

155 

**10,280**

****

Percent

**43.6%**

22.7%

19.9%

10.9%

1.4%

1.5%

**100.0%**

****

Source:  VR&E Program Management Reports (FY 1999) and Disability Compensation Database

1 Other includes 1 from Regular Philippine Scouts, 1 from Public Health Service and 153 records with no branch of service data.

**By Length of Service**

The distribution by length of time in service among veterans who completed rehabilitation programs follows.

**Veterans Who Successfully Completed Training**

**By Length Of Service**

**During Fiscal Year 1999**

****

**3 Months**

**or Less**

**3 to 6**

**Months**

**6 Months**

**to 2 Years**

**2 to 4**

**Years**

**4 to 10**

**Years**

****

Number

38 

98 

1,033 

2,458 

**2,721**

Percent

0.4%

1.0%

10.1%

24.1%

**26.6%**

**10 to 15**

**Years**

**15 to 20**

**Years**

**20 to 30**

**Years**

**Over 30**

**Years**

**Total1**

****

Number

1,119 

872 

1,811 

70 

**10,220**

****

Percent

10.9%

8.5%

17.7%

0.7%

**100.0%**

****

Source:  VR&E Program Management Reports (FY 1999)

1 Does not include 60 veterans whose length of service is unknown.

**By Period of Service**

This table shows the distribution by period of service among those who completed rehabilitation programs.

**Veterans Who Successfully Completed Training**

**By Period Of Service**

**During Fiscal Year 1999**

****

****

****

****

****

****

****

****

**World**

**War II**

**Post**

**World**

**War II1**

**Korean**

**War**

**Post**

**Korean**

**War1**

**Vietnam**

**Era**

**Post**

**Vietnam**

**Era1**

**Gulf War**

**Era**

**Total All**

**Service**

**Periods**

****

Number

38 

4 

25 

86 

1,092 

2,521 

**6,514**

**10,280**

****

Percent

0.4%

0.0%

0.2%

0.8%

10.6%

24.5%

**63.4%**

**100.0%**

****

Source:  VR&E Program Management Reports (FY 1999)

1These three periods are generally combined into "Peacetime" service in other sections of this report.

**Summary of Active Accounts for All Benefits Programs at the Beginning**

**of Fiscal Year 2000**

The following three tables summarize the number of active beneficiaries in VA benefits programs at the beginning of fiscal year 2000 and the monetary value of their benefits.

The first table pertains to programs that pay monthly monetary benefits.  It shows the total number of people who were receiving the benefit at the beginning of fiscal year 2000.

**Summary of Beneficiaries Receiving Benefits**

**For Programs That Pay Ongoing Monthly Benefits**

**At the Beginning of Fiscal Year 2000**

****

****

****

****

****

**Benefit Programs**

**Number**

**of People**

**Percent**

**of Total**

**Total**

**Annual Amounts**

**Average**

**Annual Amounts**

****

Compensation - Disability

2,294,453 

70.4%

$13,902,570,108 

$6,059 

Compensation - Death1

311,631 

9.6%

$3,323,656,997 

$10,665 

Pension - Disability

378,712 

11.6%

$2,150,044,092 

$5,677 

Pension - Death

274,106 

8.4%

$687,719,184 

$2,509 

###### Total

**3,258,902**

**100.0%**

**$20,063,990,381**

**$6,157**

****

1 Includes the DIC and Death Compensation programs

The second table pertains to programs that pay monthly monetary benefits to trainees only during a period of training.  The “Number of People” is the numbers who were receiving benefits at the beginning of fiscal year 2000.  

###### Summary of Beneficiaries Receiving

**Benefits For Programs That Pay**

**Monthly Benefits During Training**

**At the Beginning of Fiscal Year 2000**

**Benefit Programs**

**Number of People**

**Percent of Total**

****

Education

243,453

88.9%

Vocational Rehabilitation

30,397

11.1%

**Total**

**273,850**

**100.0%**

****

The third table pertains to programs that pay benefits when certain events occur, such as death of the insured veteran or default on a mortgage.  For Life Insurance, the monetary amount represents the face value of policies in force at the beginning of fiscal year 2000.  For Home Loan Guaranty, the monetary amount represents the guaranty obligations (not the value of the underlying mortgages) of all guaranties in effect at the beginning of fiscal year 2000.  For the Life Insurance and Home Loan Guaranty programs, the “Total Coverage Amounts” do *not* represent benefits actually paid out during the year; instead, they represent potential liabilities that could be paid at some time in the future.

###### Summary of All

**Benefits That Constitute Potential Liabilities**

**At the Beginning of Fiscal Year 2000**

**Benefit Programs**

**Number of People**

**Percent of Total**

**Total Coverage Amounts**

**Average Coverage Amounts**

****

Life Insurance

4,986,600

60.9%

$484,616,832,433

$97,184

Home Loan Guaranty1

3,204,997

39.1%

$84,326,839,505

$26,311

**Total**

**8,191,597**

**100.0%**

**$568,943,671,938**

**$69,455**

****

1 Includes direct loans sold and later guaranteed.

**Individual Data for Each Benefit Program**

The following sections of this chapter are organized by benefit program.  Each section provides information about people receiving benefits at the beginning of fiscal year 2000.  Many of the tables below correspond with tables in Chapter 2 that provide similar information.  The distinction is that the following tables describe the entire population of program beneficiaries as of the beginning of fiscal year 2000.  Tables in Chapter 2 describe only those program beneficiaries who began receiving benefits during fiscal year 1999. 

***1.Compensation - Based Upon Service-Connected Disability***

**a.Total Veterans Receiving Service-Connected Disability Compensation**

This table shows the total number of veterans, by period of service, receiving disability compensation at the beginning of fiscal year 2000.  Also shown are projected total annual and average annual payments to these veterans if all continue on the benefit rolls, receiving the same compensation throughout the fiscal year.  The highest period of service is highlighted in yellow.

**Total Veterans Receiving Service-Connected Disability Benefits**

**Beginning of Fiscal Year 2000**

****

****

****

**Period of Service**

**Number of Veterans**

**Percent of Total**

**Total Annual Amounts**

**Average Annual Amounts**

****

Mexican Border

8

0.0%

$66,828

$8,354

World War I

79

0.0%

$771,096

$9,761

World War II

541,225

23.6%

$3,025,743,204

$5,591

Korean War

174,807

7.6%

$1,173,177,528

$6,711

Vietnam Era

**735,627**

**32.1%**

**$5,578,616,028**

$7,583

Gulf War Era

282,140

12.3%

$1,167,592,428

$4,138

Peacetime Periods

560,567

24.4%

$2,956,602,996

$5,274

###### TOTAL

**2,294,453**

**100.0%**

**$13,902,570,108**

**$6,059**

****

Source:  RCS 20-0221

**b.Total Number of Veterans Receiving Disability Compensation Shown by Combined Degree of Disability**

The combined degree of disability is expressed as a percentage (from zero to 100 in increments of 10) and represents the overall disabling effect on a veteran of all his or her service-connected disabilities.  Disability compensation monetary amounts are set by Congress and correspond to the combined degree of disability.  This table shows the number of veterans receiving compensation, sorted by combined percentage of disability.  It also shows the projected total annual and average annual payments to these veterans for fiscal year 2000.  

**Note:**  “Percent of combined disability” is not calculated by summing all the individual degrees of disability.  Instead, a rating formula is applied to calculate the overall disabling effect of the veteran’s service-connected conditions.  Under certain circumstances, a number of disabilities individually evaluated zero percent produce 10 percent combined disability and entitle the veteran to receive disability compensation.  These will be called “compensable zeros” and are shown in the 0% column of this table.  

The largest group of veterans with the same combined disability evaluation is highlighted in yellow.  Also highlighted is the largest aggregate dollar amount of compensation paid to veterans with the same combined disability evaluation.

**Total Service-Connected Benefits by Combined Percent of Disability**

****

****

****

****

****

**Beginning of Fiscal Year 2000**

****

****

****

****

****

**Combined Degree**

**Number**

**Percent of Total**

**Total Annual Amounts**

**Average Annual Amounts**

****

0%

17,961

0.8%

$14,870,772

$828

10%

**853,544**

**37.2%**

$987,609,876

$1,157

20%

370,441

16.1%

$819,964,524

$2,213

30%

309,391

13.5%

$1,167,764,004

$3,774

40%

194,151

8.5%

$1,053,796,464

$5,428

50%

116,053

5.1%

$887,024,052

$7,643

60%

118,144

5.1%

$1,521,868,644

$12,881

70%

77,934

3.4%

$1,348,266,576

$17,300

80%

48,083

2.1%

$970,213,572

$20,178

90%

22,269

1.0%

$497,032,368

$22,319

100%

166,482

7.3%

**$4,634,166,180**

$27,836

**TOTAL**

**2,294,453**

**100.0%**

**$13,902,577,032**

**$6,059**

****

****

**Number of disabilities 0% thru 30%:**

**1,551,337**

****

****

****

**Percent of all disabilities:**

**67.6%**

****

****

Source:  RCS 20-0223

c.  **Total Number of Individual Service-Connected Disabilities**

As noted above, a veteran may have more than one disability.  In such cases, each disability is evaluated according to its disabling effect, without regard to other disabling conditions present.  A rating formula is then applied to assess the overall disabling effect (combined degree) of all the veteran’s service-connected conditions.  In contrast to the previous table, which organized information according to the number of service-connected veterans and their combined evaluations, the following table organizes information according to the number of service-connected disabilities and their separate evaluations.  The table includes the total number of veterans receiving compensation and the average number of service-connected disabilities per veteran. 

A “zero percent” service-connected disability rating means that a disability exists and is related to the veteran’s service but is not so disabling that it entitles the veteran to compensation payments.  Data for the following tables are derived from compensation payment records.  Consequently, the disabilities of service-connected veterans who do not receive compensation (because their combined disability ratings are zero percent) are not represented in the table.  Zero percent disabilities shown in the table are those occurring among veterans who receive compensation.  The largest category is highlighted in yellow.

**Total Individual Service-Connected Disabilities - by Percent**

****

****

****

****

****

****

****

**For Veterans Receiving Compensation**

****

****

****

****

****

****

****

**Beginning of Fiscal Year 2000**

****

****

****

****

****

****

****

****

**0%**

**10%**

**20%**

**30%**

**40%**

**50%**

****

Number of Disabilities

2,021,155

**2,124,381**

504,756

457,325

151,144

105,128

Percent of All Disabilities

35.6%

**37.4%**

8.9%

8.1%

2.7%

1.9%

****

**60%**

**70%**

**80%**

**90%**

**100%**

**Total**

****

Number of Disabilities

98,944

40,894

8,426

2,693

165,344

**5,680,190**

Percent of All Disabilities

1.7%

0.7%

0.1%

0.0%

2.9%

**100.0%**

Total Veterans:

2,294,453

Average number of disabilities per veteran:

**2.48**

**Number of Disabilities 0% thru 30%:**

**5,107,617**

**Percent of all Disabilities:**

****

****

**89.9%**

Source:  RCS 20-0227 and COIN CP-127

**d.Individual Service-Connected Disabilities by Body Systems**

The following table shows all service-connected disabilities among veterans receiving compensation at the beginning of fiscal year 2000, sorted by body system and listed in descending order of frequency. 

**Ranking of Individual Service-Connected Disabilities - by Body System**

**For Veterans Receiving Compensation**

**Beginning of Fiscal Year 2000**

**Body System**

**Total Number**

**Percent of Total**

**Body System**

**Total Number**

**Percent of Total**

****

Musculoskeletal System

2,280,843

40.2%

Genitourinary System

136,852

2.4%

Skin

711,700

12.5%

Eye

103,704

1.8%

Impairment of Auditory Acuity

483,532

8.5%

Endocrine System

57,576

1.0%

Digestive System

429,546

7.6%

Infectious Diseases, Immune Disorders, Nutritional Disorder

49,042

0.9%

Mental Disorders

403,175

7.1%

Gynecological Conditions

32,004

0.6%

Cardiovascular System

339,195

6.0%

Dental and Oral Conditions

25,798

0.5%

Neurological Conditions

313,252

5.5%

Hemic & Lymphatic Systems

20,792

0.4%

Respiratory System

293,179

5.2%

**Grand Total - All Conditions**

**5,680,190**

**100.0%**

Source:  RCS 20-0227

**e.Individual Service-Connected Disabilities by Body System and Degree of Disability**

A total of 947 diagnostic codes were assigned to describe the 5,680,190 separate service-connected disabilities noted among veterans receiving disability compensation at the beginning of the fiscal year.  Diagnostic codes are four-digit numbers that are used to signify specific medical conditions, and these numeric diagnostic codes are prescribed in Title 38, Code of Federal Regulations, Part 4.  The following 4-page table identifies the total number of individual service-connected disabilities, grouped by body systems and percent of disability assigned.  Body system groupings are shown in the numeric order of the diagnostic codes associated with the body system.  Yellow highlights the degree of disability appearing most often in each body system as of the beginning of the fiscal year.

**Total Individual Service-Connected Disabilities – by Percent and Body System**

**For Veterans Receiving Compensation**

###### Beginning of Fiscal Year 2000

****

**0%**

**10%**

**20%**

****

### Body System

**Number of Disabilities**

**Percent**

**of System**

**Number of Disabilities**

**Percent**

**of System**

**Number of Disabilities**

**Percent**

**of System**

****

Musculoskeletal System 

(Codes 5000-5399)

600,278

26.3%

1,037,029

**45.5%**

341,398

15.0%

Eye

(Codes 6000-6099)

31,100

**30.0%**

28,778

27.8%

5,253

5.1%

Impairment of Auditory Acuity

(Codes 6100-6299)

266,582

**55.1%**

174,670

36.1%

16,249

3.4%

Infectious Diseases, Immune Disorders, Nutritional Disorder (Codes 6300-6399)

40,505

**82.6%**

3,283

6.7%

575

1.2%

Respiratory System

(Codes 6501-6899)

137,355

**46.9%**

91,340

31.2%

9,695

3.3%

Cardiovascular System

(Codes 7000-7199)

55,194

16.3%

165,033

**48.7%**

25,271

7.5%

Digestive System

(Codes 7200-7399)

248,219

**57.8%**

111,280

25.9%

31,864

7.4%

Genitourinary System

(Codes 7500-7599)

69,459

**50.8%**

31,484

23.0%

9,809

7.2%

Gynecological Conditions

(Codes 7610-7699)

11,645

**36.4%**

5,427

17.0%

103

0.3%

Hemic & Lymphatic Systems (Codes 7700-7799)

5,407

26.0%

1,340

6.4%

731

3.5%

Skin

(Codes 7800-7899)

467,375

**65.7%**

210,149

29.5%

4,591

0.6%

Endocrine System

(Codes 7900-7999)

5,617

9.8%

22,713

**39.4%**

15,671

27.2%

Neurological Conditions

(Codes 8000-8999)

47,253

15.1%

123,919

**39.6%**

41,808

13.3%

Mental Disorders

(Codes 9200-9599)

19,188

4.8%

111,053

**27.5%**

257

0.1%

Dental and Oral Conditions 

(Codes 9900-9999)

15,978

**61.9%**

6,883

26.7%

1,481

5.7%

**Grand Total - All Conditions (Codes 5000-9999)**

**2,021,155**

**35.6%**

**2,124,381**

**37.4%**

**504,756**

**8.9%**

****

Source:  RCS 20-0227

**Total Individual Service-Connected Disabilities – by Percent and Body System**

**For Veterans Receiving Compensation**

###### Beginning of Fiscal Year 2000

****

**30%**

**40%**

**50%**

****

### Body System

**Number of Disabilities**

**Percent**

**of System**

**Number of Disabilities**

**Percent**

**of System**

**Number of Disabilities**

**Percent**

**of System**

****

Musculoskeletal System 

(Codes 5000-5399)

135,002

5.9%

85,423

3.7%

19,461

0.9%

Eye

(Codes 6000-6099)

23,420

22.6%

7,705

7.4%

1,364

1.3%

Impairment of Auditory Acuity

(Codes 6100-6299)

7,675

1.6%

8,230

1.7%

2,026

0.4%

Infectious Diseases, Immune Disorders, Nutritional Disorder (Codes 6300-6399)

1,959

4.0%

205

0.4%

61

0.1%

Respiratory System

(Codes 6501-6899)

33,164

11.3%

2,508

0.9%

2,489

0.8%

Cardiovascular System

(Codes 7000-7199)

54,638

16.1%

4,764

1.4%

2,969

0.9%

Digestive System

(Codes 7200-7399)

16,063

3.7%

9,318

2.2%

852

0.2%

Genitourinary System

(Codes 7500-7599)

11,608

8.5%

2,415

1.8%

33

0.0%

Gynecological Conditions

(Codes 7610-7699)

7,314

22.9%

312

1.0%

7,024

21.9%

Hemic & Lymphatic Systems (Codes 7700-7799)

10,567

**50.8%**

135

0.6%

22

0.1%

Skin

(Codes 7800-7899)

22,924

3.2%

2,089

0.3%

4,006

0.6%

Endocrine System

(Codes 7900-7999)

1,419

2.5%

6,837

11.9%

51

0.1%

Neurological Conditions

(Codes 8000-8999)

39,908

12.7%

20,801

6.6%

9,232

2.9%

Mental Disorders

(Codes 9200-9599)

90,682

22.5%

152

0.0%

55,365

13.7%

Dental and Oral Conditions 

(Codes 9900-9999)

982

3.8%

250

1.0%

173

0.7%

**Grand Total - All Conditions (Codes 5000-9999)**

**457,325**

**8.1%**

**151,144**

**2.7%**

**105,128**

**1.9%**

****

Source:  RCS 20-0227

**Total Individual Service-Connected Disabilities – by Percent and Body System**

**For Veterans Receiving Compensation**

###### Beginning of Fiscal Year 2000

****

**60%**

**70%**

**80%**

****

### Body System

**Number of Disabilities**

**Percent**

**of System**

**Number of Disabilities**

**Percent**

**of System**

**Number of Disabilities**

**Percent**

**of System**

****

Musculoskeletal System 

(Codes 5000-5399)

38,659

1.7%

4,655

0.2%

2,241

0.1%

Eye

(Codes 6000-6099)

896

0.9%

1,037

1.0%

121

0.1%

Impairment of Auditory Acuity

(Codes 6100-6299)

2,679

0.6%

794

0.2%

1,501

0.3%

Infectious Diseases, Immune Disorders, Nutritional Disorder (Codes 6300-6399)

1,369

2.8%

20

0.0%

90

0.2%

Respiratory System

(Codes 6501-6899)

9,363

3.2%

295

0.1%

462

0.2%

Cardiovascular System

(Codes 7000-7199)

20,266

6.0%

472

0.1%

111

0.0%

Digestive System

(Codes 7200-7399)

4,966

1.2%

108

0.0%

90

0.0%

Genitourinary System

(Codes 7500-7599)

6,333

4.6%

9

0.0%

310

0.2%

Gynecological Conditions

(Codes 7610-7699)

62

0.2%

4

0.0%

19

0.1%

Hemic & Lymphatic Systems (Codes 7700-7799)

552

2.7%

121

0.6%

6

0.0%

Skin

(Codes 7800-7899)

77

0.0%

32

0.0%

303

0.0%

Endocrine System

(Codes 7900-7999)

3,698

6.4%

15

0.0%

7

0.0%

Neurological Conditions

(Codes 8000-8999)

9,896

3.2%

3,252

1.0%

3,099

1.0%

Mental Disorders

(Codes 9200-9599)

121

0.0%

30,077

7.5%

65

0.0%

Dental and Oral Conditions 

(Codes 9900-9999)

7

0.0%

3

0.0%

1

0.0%

**Grand Total - All Conditions (Codes 5000-9999)**

**98,944**

**1.7%**

**40,894**

**0.7%**

**8,426**

**0.1%**

****

Source:  RCS 20-0227

**Total Individual Service-Connected Disabilities – by Percent and Body System**

**For Veterans Receiving Compensation**

###### Beginning of Fiscal Year 2000

****

**90%**

**100%**

**Total**

****

### Body System

**Number of Disabilities**

**Percent**

**of System**

**Number of Disabilities**

**Percent**

**of System**

**Number of Disabilities**

**Percent**

**of System**

****

Musculoskeletal System 

(Codes 5000-5399)

1,175

0.1%

15,522

0.7%

2,280,843

100%

Eye

(Codes 6000-6099)

466

0.4%

3,564

3.4%

103,704

100%

Impairment of Auditory Acuity

(Codes 6100-6299)

390

0.1%

2,736

0.6%

483,532

100%

Infectious Diseases, Immune Disorders, Nutritional Disorder (Codes 6300-6399)

2

0.0%

973

2.0%

49,042

100%

Respiratory System

(Codes 6501-6899)

3

0.0%

6,505

2.2%

293,179

100%

Cardiovascular System

(Codes 7000-7199)

14

0.0%

10,463

3.1%

339,195

100%

Digestive System

(Codes 7200-7399)

0

0.0%

6,786

1.6%

429,546

100%

Genitourinary System

(Codes 7500-7599)

0

0.0%

5,392

3.9%

136,852

100%

Gynecological Conditions

(Codes 7610-7699)

0

0.0%

94

0.3%

32,004

100%

Hemic & Lymphatic Systems (Codes 7700-7799)

0

0.0%

1,911

9.2%

20,792

100%

Skin

(Codes 7800-7899)

8

0.0%

146

0.0%

711,700

100%

Endocrine System

(Codes 7900-7999)

9

0.0%

1,539

2.7%

57,576

100%

Neurological Conditions

(Codes 8000-8999)

625

0.2%

13,459

4.3%

313,252

100%

Mental Disorders

(Codes 9200-9599)

1

0.0%

96,214

23.9%

403,175

100%

Dental and Oral Conditions 

(Codes 9900-9999)

0

0.0%

40

0.2%

25,798

100%

**Grand Total - All Conditions (Codes 5000-9999)**

**2,693**

**0.0%**

**165,344**

**2.9%**

**5,680,190**

**100%**

****

Source:  RCS 20-0227

**f.Most Prevalent Service-Connected Disabilities**

This section presents data identifying the most common service-connected disabilities as of the beginning of the fiscal year.  

**By Body Systems**

The first 3-page table identifies the five most prevalent individual disabilities (by diagnostic code) for each of the body systems, in descending order of frequency.

**Note:**The “Percent of System Total” column indicates the proportion of service-connected disabilities within each body system that have been assigned the diagnostic code shown at the left of each row.  The “Percent of Grand Total” column indicates the proportion of service-connected disabilities in all body systems that have been assigned the diagnostic code at the left of each row. 

**Most Prevalent Service-Connected Disabilities within Body Systems**

**For Veterans Receiving Compensation**

**Beginning of Fiscal Year 2000**

**Code**

**Body System and Disability**

**Total Number**

**Percent of System Total**

**Percent of Grand Total**

****

###### Musculoskeletal System

****

**2,280,843**

**100.0%**

**40.2%**

****

5299

Skeletal conditions

234,610

10.3%

4.1%

5257

Knee, other impairment of

223,214

9.8%

3.9%

5010

Arthritis, due to trauma

170,603

7.5%

3.0%

5295

Lumbosacral strain

163,639

7.2%

2.9%

5293

Intervertegral disc syndrome

125,191

5.5%

2.2%

###### Skin

****

**711,700**

**100.0%**

**12.5%**

****

7805

Scars, other

283,286

39.8%

5.0%

7800

Scars, disfiguring, head, face, neck

93,438

13.1%

1.6%

7899

Skin condition

82,832

11.6%

1.5%

7804

Scars, superficial, tender and painful on objective demonstration

69,642

9.8%

1.2%

7806

Eczema

53,013

7.4%

0.9%

###### Auditory

****

**483,532**

**100.0%**

**8.5%**

****

6260

Tinnitus

128,591

26.6%

2.3%

6100

Auditory, acuity impairment, 0%

119,041

24.6%

2.1%

6297

Hearing Loss

78,014

16.1%

1.4%

6200

Otitis media, suppurative, chronic

24,204

5.0%

0.4%

6101

Auditory, acuity impairment, 10%

16,979

3.5%

0.3%

###### Digestive System

****

**429,546**

**100.0%**

**7.6%**

****

7336

Hemorrhoids, external or internal

122,113

28.4%

2.1%

7305

Ulcer, duodenal

64,241

15.0%

1.1%

7338

Hernia, inguinal

49,015

11.4%

0.9%

7346

Hernia, hiatal

34,465

8.0%

0.6%

7399

Digestive system, disease of 

29,006

6.8%

0.5%

###### Mental Disorders

****

**403,175**

**100.0%**

**7.1%**

****

9411

Post-traumatic stress disorder

122,070

30.3%

2.1%

9400

Generalized anxiety disorder

92,472

22.9%

1.6%

9203

Schizophrenic reaction, paranoid type

36,918

9.2%

0.6%

9204

Schizophrenic reaction, chronic undifferentiated type

24,790

6.1%

0.4%

9405

Depressive reaction

20,821

5.2%

0.4%

Source:  RCS 20-0227

**Most Prevalent Service-Connected Disabilities within Body Systems**

**For Veterans Receiving Compensation**

**Beginning of Fiscal Year 2000**

### Code

**Body System and Disability**

**Total Number**

**Percent of System Total**

**Percent of Grand Total**

****

###### Cardiovascular System

****

**339,195**

**100.0%**

**6.0%**

****

7101

Hypertensive vascular disease

138,329

40.8%

2.4%

7120

Varicose veins

41,827

12.3%

0.7%

7122

Cold injury residuals

38,533

11.4%

0.7%

7005

Arteriosclerotic heart disease

35,568

10.5%

0.6%

7000

Rheumatic heart disease

13,978

4.1%

0.2%

###### Neurological Conditions and Convulsive Disorders

****

**313,252**

**100.0%**

**5.5%**

****

8100

Migraine

39,690

12.7%

0.7%

8045

Brain disease due to trauma

23,459

7.5%

0.4%

8515

Median nerve, paralysis of

22,492

7.2%

0.4%

8516

Ulnar nerve, paralysis of

19,780

6.3%

0.3%

8520

Sciatic nerve, paralysis of

18,597

5.9%

0.3%

###### Respiratory System

****

**293,179**

**100.0%**

**5.2%**

****

6602

Asthma, bronchial

42,569

14.5%

0.7%

6513

Sinusitis maxillary, chronic

30,117

10.3%

0.5%

6599

Nose and throat, disease of 

25,649

8.7%

0.5%

6502

Septum, nasal, deviation of

23,320

8.0%

0.4%

6600

Bronchitis, chronic

16,350

5.6%

0.3%

###### Genitourinary System

****

**136,852**

**100.0%**

**2.4%**

****

7599

Genitourinary system condition

27,781

20.3%

0.5%

7527

Prostate gland injuries, infections, postoperative 

24,450

17.9%

0.4%

7508

Nephrolithiasis

13,310

9.7%

0.2%

7528

Malignant neoplasm

9,864

7.2%

0.2%

7512

Cystitis, chronic

8,413

6.1%

0.1%

###### Eye

****

**103,704**

**100.0%**

**1.8%**

****

6099

Eye condition

11,627

11.2%

0.2%

6018

Eye, Conjunctivitis other, chronic

8,983

8.7%

0.2%

6070

Blindness, light perception only one eye, other normal

7,800

7.5%

0.1%

6066

Blindness, anatomical loss one eye, other normal

6,798

6.6%

0.1%

6009

Eye, injury of, unhealed

6,487

6.3%

0.1%

Source:  RCS 20-0227

**Most Prevalent Service-Connected Disabilities within Body Systems**

**For Veterans Receiving Compensation**

**Beginning of Fiscal Year 2000**

**Code**

**Body System and Disability**

**Total Number**

**Percent of System Total**

**Percent of Grand Total**

****

###### Endocrine System

****

**57,576**

**100.0%**

**1.0%**

****

7913

Diabetes mellitus

37,808

65.7%

0.7%

7903

Hypothyroidism

8,357

14.5%

0.1%

7900

Hyperthyroidism

4,354

7.6%

0.1%

7999

Endocrine system condition

2,177

3.8%

0.0%

7914

Neoplasm, malignant, endocrine system

1,195

2.1%

0.0%

**Infectious Diseases, Immune Disorders, Nutritional Deficiencies**

****

**49,042**

**100.0%**

**0.9%**

****

6304

Malaria

35,497

72.4%

0.6%

6399

Infectious disease, immune disorder, nutritional deficiency

3,351

6.8%

0.1%

6351

HIV-Related illness

2,441

5.0%

0.0%

6350

Lupus erythematosus, systemic

1,567

3.2%

0.0%

6313

Avitaminosis

1,349

2.8%

0.0%

###### Gynecological Conditions

****

**32,004**

**100.0%**

**0.6%**

****

7617

Uterus and ovaries, removal of, complete

6,357

19.9%

0.1%

7618

Uterus, removal of, including corpus

6,069

19.0%

0.1%

7699

Gynecological condition or disorder of the breast

5,843

18.3%

0.1%

7619

Ovaries, removal of

2,660

8.3%

0.0%

7628

Benign neoplasms, gynecological or breast

2,484

7.8%

0.0%

###### Dental and Oral Conditions

****

**25,798**

**100.0%**

**0.5%**

****

9999

Dental and oral conditions

7,894

30.6%

0.1%

9904

Mandible, malunion of

6,637

25.7%

0.1%

9905

Temporomandibular articulation, limited motion

6,612

25.6%

0.1%

9913

Teeth, loss of, due to loss of body of maxilla or mandible

1,381

5.4%

0.0%

9910

Maxilla, loss of whole or part, nonunion of or malunion of

1,061

4.1%

0.0%

###### Hemic & Lymphatic Systems

****

**20,792**

**100.0%**

**0.4%**

****

7706

Splenectomy

7,575

36.4%

0.1%

7799

Hemic & lymphatic system condition

3,966

19.1%

0.1%

7709

Lymphoganulomatosis (Hodgkin's disease)

2,620

12.6%

0.0%

7715

Non-Hodgkin's lymphoma

2,069

10.0%

0.0%

7700

Anemia, hypochromic-microcytic & megaloblastic

1,197

5.8%

0.0%

###### Grand Total - All Body Systems

****

**5,680,190**

**100.0%**

**100.0%**

Source:  RCS 20-0227

**By The 20 Most Prevalent Disabilities**

The next table identifies the 20 most prevalent service-connected disabilities (by diagnostic code) among veterans receiving compensation at the beginning of fiscal year 2000.

**Note:**  The “Percent Within System” column indicates the proportion of service-connected disabilities within each body system that have been assigned the diagnostic code shown at the left of each row.  The “Percent of Total” column shows the proportion of all 5,680,190 service-connected disabilities that have been assigned the diagnostic code shown at the left of each row.  The “Cumulative Percent” column shows the sum of the “Percent of Total” box in each row for the associated diagnostic code and all preceding diagnostic codes.  For example, 44.6 percent of all disabilities rated service-connected are accounted for by the 20 most prevalent service-connected diagnostic codes.

**Most Prevalent Disabilities**

****

**For Veterans Receiving Compensation**

****

**Beginning of Fiscal Year 2000**

****

**Diagnostic Code**

**Disability**

**Total**

**Percent**

**Within System**

**FY 2000**

**Percent of Total**

**FY 2000**

**Cumulative Percent**

**FY 2000**

****

**TOTAL NUMBER OF DISABILITIES IN FY 2000**

****

**5,680,190**

****

**100.0%**

****

****

7805

Scars, other

283,286

39.8%

5.0%

5.0%

5299

Skeletal conditions

234,610

10.3%

4.1%

9.1%

5257

Knee, other impairment of

223,214

9.8%

3.9%

13.0%

5010

Arthritis, due to trauma

170,603

7.5%

3.0%

16.1%

5295

Lumbosacral strain

163,639

7.2%

2.9%

18.9%

7101

Hypertensive vascular disease

138,329

40.8%

2.4%

21.4%

6260

Tinnitus

128,591

26.6%

2.3%

23.6%

5293

Intervertegral disc syndrome

125,191

5.5%

2.2%

25.8%

7336

Hemorrhoids, external or internal

122,113

28.4%

2.1%

28.0%

9411

Post-traumatic stress disorder

122,070

30.3%

2.1%

30.1%

6100

Auditory, acuity impairment, 0%

119,041

24.6%

2.1%

32.2%

7800

Scars, disfiguring, head, face, neck

93,438

13.1%

1.6%

33.9%

9400

Generalized anxiety disorder

92,472

22.9%

1.6%

35.5%

5003

Arthritis, degenerative

91,872

4.0%

1.6%

37.1%

7899

Skin condition

82,832

11.6%

1.5%

38.6%

6297

Hearing loss

78,014

16.1%

1.4%

40.0%

7804

Scars, superficial, tender, painful

69,642

9.8%

1.2%

41.2%

5271

Ankle, limited motion of

66,463

2.9%

1.2%

42.3%

7305

Ulcer, duodenal

64,241

15.0%

1.1%

43.5%

5284

Foot injuries, other

61,077

2.7%

1.1%

44.6%

Source:  RCS 20-0227

**By Period of Service**

The next five tables in this section show the 10 service-connected disabilities most prevalent (by diagnostic code) among veterans of World War II, the Korean War, the Vietnam Era, the Gulf War Era, and the various Peacetime periods.  In addition, grand totals for each of those five periods are shown.  Data for WWI veterans and other periods with very few beneficiaries are not included.

**Most Prevalent Disabilities - World War II Service**

**Beginning of Fiscal Year 2000**

**Diagnostic Code**

**Disability**

**Number of Disabilities**

**Percent of Total**

****

9400

Generalized anxiety disorder

58,681

6.0%

7805

Scars, other

46,923

4.8%

5010

Arthritis, due to trauma

30,540

3.1%

7122

Cold injury residuals

25,402

2.6%

5276

Flatfoot, acquired

25,236

2.6%

7804

Scars, superficial, tender, painful

20,562

2.1%

7800

Scars, disfiguring, head, face, neck

17,819

1.8%

5314

Muscle injuries, thigh

16,386

1.7%

5311

Muscle injuries, foot and leg

16,375

1.7%

6304

Malaria

15,953

1.6%

**Total Number of Disabilities1**

**969,991**

**Average Number of Disabilities Per Veteran**

**1.79**

**Total Number of Disability Codes**

**873**

**Total World War II Veterans With Compensation2**

**541,225**

**Percent of All Veterans With Compensation**

**23.6%**

**Total World War II Veteran Population3**

**5,940,000**

**Percent of Total Veteran Population4**

**23.9%**

1 Source:  RCS 20-0227

2 Source:  RCS 20-0221

3 Source:  VA Office of Planning and Analysis – Veteran Population as of July 1, 1999

4 Total Veteran Population as of July 1, 1999 - 24,803,000 (Source:  VA Office of Planning and Analysis)

**Most Prevalent Disabilities – Korean War**

**Beginning of Fiscal Year 2000**

**Diagnostic Code**

**Disability**

**Number of Disabilities**

**Percent of Total**

****

7805

Scars, other

18,879

5.4%

7305

Ulcer, duodenal

9,033

2.6%

5010

Arthritis, due to trauma

8,903

2.5%

7122

Cold injury residuals

8,036

2.3%

9400

Generalized anxiety disorder

7,554

2.1%

5299

Skeletal conditions

6,914

2.0%

5257

Knee, other impairment of

6,862

1.9%

7804

Scars, superficial, tender, painful

6,801

1.9%

7800

Scars, disfiguring, head, face, neck

6,713

1.9%

7336

Hemorrhoids, external or internal

6,414

1.8%

**Total Number of Disabilities1**

**352,236**

**Average Number of Disabilities Per Veteran**

**2.01**

**Total Number of Disability Codes**

**844**

**Total Korean War Veterans With Compensation2**

**174,807**

**Percent of All Veterans With Compensation**

**7.6%**

**Total Korean War Veteran Population3**

**4,064,000**

**Percent of Total Veteran Population4**

**16.4%**

1 Source:  RCS 20-0227

2 Source:  RCS 20-0221

3 Source:  VA Office of Planning and Analysis – Veteran Population as of July 1, 1999

4 Total Veteran Population as of July 1, 1999 - 24,803,000 (Source:  VA Office of Planning and Analysis)

**Most Prevalent Disabilities – Vietnam Era Service**

**Beginning of Fiscal Year 2000**

**Diagnostic Code**

**Disability**

**Number of Disabilities**

**Percent of Total**

****

7805

Scars, other

127,023

6.2%

9411

Post-traumatic stress disorder

90,695

4.5%

5299

Skeletal conditions

82,446

4.1%

5257

Knee, other impairment of

67,836

3.3%

7101

Hypertensive vascular disease

56,231

2.8%

5295

Lumbosacral strain

53,619

2.6%

7336

Hemorrhoids, external or internal

51,289

2.5%

6297

Hearing loss

50,184

2.5%

6260

Tinnitus

49,388

2.4%

5010

Arthritis, due to trauma

48,263

2.4%

**Total Number of Disabilities1**

**2,032,762**

**Average Number of Disabilities Per Veteran**

**2.76**

**Total Number of Disability Codes**

**875**

**Total Vietnam Era Veterans With Compensation2**

**735,627**

**Percent of All Veterans With Compensation**

**32.1%**

**Total Vietnam Era Veteran Population3**

**8,113,000**

**Percent of Total Veteran Population4**

**32.7%**

1 Source:  RCS 20-0227

2 Source:  RCS 20-0221

3 Source:  VA Office of Planning and Analysis – Veteran Population as of July 1, 1999

4 Total Veteran Population as of July 1, 1999 - 24,803,000 (Source:  VA Office of Planning and Analysis)

**Most Prevalent Disabilities – Gulf War Era Service**

**Beginning of Fiscal Year 2000**

**Diagnostic Code**

**Disability**

**Number of Disabilities**

**Percent of Total**

****

5299

Skeletal conditions

59,337

6.6%

5257

Knee, other impairment of

56,320

6.2%

5295

Lumbosacral strain

41,687

4.6%

5010

Arthritis, due to trauma

35,304

3.9%

7805

Scars, other

33,719

3.7%

6260

Tinnitus

30,053

3.3%

7101

Hypertensive vascular disease

28,405

3.1%

6100

Auditory, acuity impairment, 0%

28,208

3.1%

5293

Intervertegral disc syndrome

26,788

3.0%

5271

Ankle, limited motion of

19,652

2.2%

**Total Number of Disabilities1**

**903,110**

**Average Number of Disabilities Per Veteran**

**3.20**

**Total Number of Disability Codes**

**835**

**Total Gulf War Era Veterans With Compensation2**

**282,140**

**Percent of All Veterans With Compensation**

**12.3%**

**Total Gulf War Era Veteran Population3**

**2,223,000**

**Percent of Total Veteran Population4**

**9.0%**

1 Source:  RCS 20-0227

2 Source:  RCS 20-0221

3 Source:  VA Office of Planning and Analysis – Veteran Population as of July 1, 1999

4 Total Veteran Population as of July 1, 1999 - 24,803,000 (Source:  VA Office of Planning and Analysis)

**Most Prevalent Disabilities – Peacetime Periods**

**Beginning of Fiscal Year 2000**

**Diagnostic Code**

**Disability**

**Number of Disabilities**

**Percent of Total**

****

5257

Knee, other impairment of

80,357

5.7%

5299

Skeletal conditions

75,665

5.4%

7805

Scars, other

56,311

4.0%

5295

Lumbosacral strain

52,902

3.7%

7101

Hypertensive vascular disease

48,896

3.5%

5010

Arthritis, due to trauma

47,479

3.4%

5293

Intervertegral disc syndrome

39,323

2.8%

6100

Auditory, acuity impairment, 0%

37,657

2.7%

7336

Hemorrhoids, external or internal

36,172

2.6%

6260

Tinnitus

32,843

2.3%

**Total Number of Disabilities1**

**1,411,226**

**Average Number of Disabilities Per Veteran**

**2.52**

**Total Number of Disability Codes**

**884**

**Total Peacetime Veterans With Compensation2**

**560,567**

**Percent of All Veterans With Compensation**

**24.4%**

**Total Peacetime Veteran Population3**

**5,835,000**

**Percent of Total Veteran Population4**

**23.5%**

1 Source:  RCS 20-0227

2 Source:  RCS 20-0221

3 Source:  VA Office of Planning and Analysis – Veteran Population as of July 1, 1999

4 Total Veteran Population as of July 1, 1999 - 24,803,000 (Source:  VA Office of Planning and Analysis)

**g.Demographic Characteristics of Veterans Receiving Compensation**

This section presents age and period of service information about all veterans with service-connected disabilities and in receipt of compensation at the beginning of fiscal year 2000.

**By Age**

The first table in this section shows the distribution, by age, of all veterans receiving compensation.  The age group with the most veterans and receiving the highest total dollar amount is highlighted in yellow.

**Service-Connected Disability Compensation**

**By Age**

**Beginning of Fiscal Year 2000**

****

****

****

****

**Age**

**Total Veterans**

**Percent of All Ages**

**Annual Payments**

****

**Under 20**

117

0.0%

$292,116

**20 - 29**

80,780

3.5%

$269,759,388

**30 - 39**

209,468

9.1%

$972,553,728

**40 - 49**

405,979

17.7%

$2,396,152,944

**50 - 59**

**566,211**

**24.7%**

**$4,020,435,564**

****

**60 - 69**

329,374

14.4%

$2,098,661,664

**70 - 79**

498,862

21.7%

$2,998,043,100

**80 - 89**

194,932

8.5%

$1,099,952,028

**90 and Over**

8,679

0.4%

$46,663,512

**Ages Unknown**

51

0.0%

$56,064

**ALL AGES**

**2,294,453**

**100.0%**

**$13,902,570,108**

**Average Age of Veterans:  59      Mean Age of Veterans:  55**

Source:  RCS 20-0236

# By Period of Service 

The distribution of all veterans receiving compensation by period of service and by combined degree of disability is shown in the next table.  For each combined disability rating level, yellow highlighting indicates the largest group of veterans, by service period, rated at that level.

**Service-Connected Disability Compensation**

**By Period of Service and Combined Percent of Disability**

**Beginning of Fiscal Year 2000**

**Combined                Percent**

**World War I1**

**World War II**

**Korean War**

**Vietnam War**

**Gulf War Era**

**Peacetime Periods**

**Total For All Periods**

****

**0%**

1

**8,007**

5,235

1,540

445

2,733

17,961

Percent of All Periods

0.0%

**44.6%**

29.1%

8.6%

2.5%

15.2%

100.0%

**10%**

16

207,107

58,590

232,299

113,505

**242,027**

853,544

Percent of All Periods

0.0%

24.3%

6.9%

27.2%

13.3%

**28.4%**

100.0%

**20%**

14

75,246

24,755

104,403

59,182

**106,841**

370,441

Percent of All Periods

0.0%

20.3%

6.7%

28.2%

16.0%

**28.8%**

100.0%

**30%**

13

78,968

24,062

**102,419**

40,477

63,452

309,391

Percent of All Periods

0.0%

25.5%

7.8%

**33.1%**

13.1%

20.5%

100.0%

**40%**

6

44,889

14,733

**66,317**

27,800

40,406

194,151

Percent of All Periods

0.0%

23.1%

7.6%

**34.2%**

14.3%

20.8%

100.0%

**50%**

6

29,810

8,975

**43,207**

12,686

21,369

116,053

Percent of All Periods

0.0%

25.7%

7.7%

**37.2%**

10.9%

18.4%

100.0%

**60%**

7

31,527

11,150

**40,558**

11,057

23,845

118,144

Percent of All Periods

0.0%

26.7%

9.4%

**34.3%**

9.4%

20.2%

100.0%

**70%**

4

18,577

6,632

**33,523**

5,866

13,332

77,934

Percent of All Periods

0.0%

23.8%

8.5%

**43.0%**

7.5%

17.1%

100.0%

**80%**

2

12,575

4,305

**19,609**

3,418

8,174

48,083

Percent of All Periods

0.0%

26.2%

9.0%

**40.8%**

7.1%

17.0%

100.0%

**90%**

1

5,761

2,057

**9,328**

1,372

3,750

22,269

Percent of All Periods

0.0%

25.9%

9.2%

**41.9%**

6.2%

16.8%

100.0%

**100%**

17

28,758

14,313

**82,424**

6,332

34,638

166,482

Percent of All Periods

0.0%

17.3%

8.6%

**49.5%**

3.8%

20.8%

100.0%

**Total Receiving Comp.**

87

541,225

174,807

735,627

282,140

560,567

2,294,453

Percent of All Periods

0.0%

23.6%

7.6%

32.1%

12.3%

24.4%

100.0%

**Total Veterans2**

**3,400**

**5,940,000**

**4,064,000**

**8,113,000**

**2,223,000**

**5,835,000**

**24,803,0003**

**Percent of All Veterans**

**0.0%**

**23.9%**

**16.4%**

**32.7%**

**9.0%**

**23.5%**

**100.0%**

Source:  RCS 20-0223

1 Includes 8 veterans with Mexican Border service

2 Source:  VA Office of Planning and Analysis – Veteran Population as of July 1, 1999

3 Veterans who served in more than one war period only counted once in total.

***2.Compensation - Based Upon Service-Connected Death***

**a.Total Number Of Beneficiaries Receiving DIC/Death Compensation Benefits At The**

**Beginning Of Fiscal Year 2000**

This table shows the number of survivors receiving DIC or Death Compensation benefits, the total projected annual payment amount to beneficiaries, and the projected average annual payment amount to each beneficiary.

## Total Beneficiaries Receiving

**Service-Connected Death Benefits**

**Beginning of Fiscal Year 2000**

**Type of Benefit**

**Number**

**Percent of**

**Total**

**Total**

**Annual Amounts**

**Average**

**Annual Amounts**

****

**DIC - Surviving Spouses**

**284,311**

**91.2%**

**$3,227,826,583**

**$11,353**

****

DIC - Surviving Children

13,219 

4.2%

$66,487,902 

$5,030 

DIC - Surviving Parents

11,634 

3.7%

$26,941,444 

$2,316 

###### SUBTOTAL

**309,164**

**99.2%**

**$3,321,255,929**

**$10,743**

****

Death Compensation

2,467 

0.8%

$2,401,068 

$973 

###### GRAND TOTAL

**311,631**

**100.0%**

**$3,323,656,997**

**$10,665**

****

Source:  COIN CP-127 and RCS 20-0221

**b.Demographic Characteristics of All DIC and Death Compensation Beneficiaries**

This section provides demographic characteristics of survivors receiving DIC or Death Compensation benefits at the beginning of fiscal year 2000.

**By The Veteran’s Period of Service**

The first table shows total survivors receiving DIC or Death Compensation sorted by the veteran’s period of service.  Also shown are projected total annual payment amounts and average annual payment amounts, by period of service and program.

**Total Beneficiaries Receiving Service-Connected Death Benefits**

**By Period of Service**

**Beginning of Fiscal Year 2000**

****

****

****

****

****

**Period of Service**

**Number of**

**Beneficiaries1**

**Percent of**

**Beneficiaries**

**Total**

**Annual Amounts2**

**Average**

**Annual**

**Amounts**

****

**Civil War**

**1**

**0.0%**

**$11,003**

**$11,003**

****

     Death Compensation

0 

0.0%

$0 

$0 

     DIC

1 

0.0%

$11,003 

$11,003 

**Spanish American War**

**15**

**0.0%**

**$165,047**

**$11,003**

****

     Death Compensation

0 

0.0%

$0 

$0 

     DIC

15 

0.0%

$165,047 

$11,003 

**Mexican Border Period**

**3**

**0.0%**

**$33,009**

**$11,003**

****

     Death Compensation

0 

0.0%

$0 

$0 

     DIC

3 

0.0%

$33,009 

$11,003 

**World War I**

**3,466**

**1.1%**

**$37,224,496**

**$10,740**

****

     Death Compensation

1 

0.0%

$973 

$973 

     DIC

3,465 

1.1%

$37,223,523 

$10,743 

**World War II**

**118,926**

**38.2%**

**$1,265,984,848**

**$10,645**

****

     Death Compensation

1,187 

48.1%

$1,155,277 

$973 

     DIC

117,739 

38.1%

$1,264,829,571 

$10,743 

**Korean Conflict**

**37,476**

**12.0%**

**$391,676,541**

**$10,451**

****

     Death Compensation

1,118 

45.3%

$1,088,121 

$973 

     DIC

36,358 

11.8%

$390,588,421 

$10,743 

**Vietnam Era**

**103,199**

**33.1%**

**$1,108,610,326**

**$10,742**

****

     Death Compensation

3 

0.1%

$2,920 

$973 

     DIC

103,196 

33.4%

$1,108,607,407 

$10,743 

**Gulf War Era**

**6,510**

**2.1%**

**$69,935,771**

**$10,743**

****

     Death Compensation

0 

0.0%

$0 

$0 

     DIC

6,510 

2.1%

$69,935,771 

$10,743 

**Peacetime**

**42,034**

**13.5%**

**$450,015,955**

**$10,706**

****

     Death Compensation

158 

6.4%

$153,777 

$973 

     DIC

41,876 

13.5%

$449,862,177 

$10,743 

**All Periods**

**311,631**

**100.0%**

**$3,323,656,997**

**$10,665**

****

     Death Compensation

2,467 

100.0%

$2,401,068 

$973 

     DIC

309,164 

100.0%

$3,321,255,929 

$10,743 

Source:  RCS 20-0221 and COIN CP-127

1 The number of DIC beneficiaries for each period of service is calculated by multiplying the total number of beneficiaries from the COIN CP-127 by the percentage of DIC cases for each period of service (derived from RCS 20-0221).

2 The total annual amounts of DIC for each period of service are calculated by multiplying the percentage of beneficiaries for each period of service (derived from RCS 20-0221) by the total annual amounts from COIN CP-127.

**By Relationship to the Veteran**

This table shows the distribution of DIC beneficiaries based upon relationship to the veteran - surviving spouse, child, or dependent parent.

**Total Beneficiaries Receiving DIC by Relationship**

**Beginning of Fiscal Year 2000**

****

**Surviving Spouse**

**Children**

**Parent**

**Total Beneficiaries**

****

###### Number

284,311

13,219

11,634

**309,164**

**Percent**

92.0%

4.3%

3.8%

**100.0%**

Source:  COIN CP 127

**By Age of Surviving Spouses**

The age distribution of surviving spouses in receipt of DIC and the projected total annual payments, by age group, are presented in the following table.

**Surviving Spouses Receiving DIC**

**by Age**

**Beginning of Fiscal Year 2000**

**Age**

**Number**

**Percent of All Ages**

**Annual**

**Payments**

****

**Under Age 25**

219

0.1%

$2,415,514

**25 - 35**

2,915

1.0%

$31,382,606

**36 - 45**

9,854

3.5%

$107,004,189

**46 - 55**

27,160

9.6%

$300,284,519

**56 - 65**

43,650

15.4%

$494,702,778

**66 - 75**

81,638

28.7%

$935,878,146

### Over 75

118,875

41.8%

$1,356,158,831

**All Ages**

**284,311**

**100.0%**

**$3,227,826,583**

Source:  COIN CP 127

**By Dependency Status of Surviving Spouses**

Surviving spouses with dependents are entitled to higher DIC payments than those with no dependents.  The following table provides a distribution of surviving spouses, sorted by dependency status.

**Dependency and Indemnity Compensation (DIC)**

**by Surviving Spouse and Dependents**

**Beginning of Fiscal Year 2000**

****

**Surviving Spouses Without Dependents**

**Surviving Spouses**

**with Dependents**

**Total**

**Surviving Spouses1**

****

**Number**

273,131

11,176

**284,307**

**Percent**

96.1%

3.9%

**100.0%**

Source:  COIN CP-127

1 Four surviving spouse records did not show status of dependents.

**By Age of Children**

The following table shows the distribution of DIC children in two age categories: under age 18 and over age 18.  Children over age 18 are shown according to their eligibility status:  Those who are eligible because of school attendance and those who are eligible because of incapacity for self support prior to age 18

**Children Receiving DIC**

**By Age**

**Beginning of Fiscal Year 2000**

****

**Under Age 181**

**Age 18 and Over in School**

**Age 18 and Over and Helpless**

**Total All Categories**

****

###### Number

4,949

1,339

6,931

**13,219**

**Percent**

37.4%

10.1%

52.4%

**100.0%**

**Annual Payments**

$24,060,547

$3,643,419

$38,783,935

**$66,487,902**

Source:  COIN CP-127

1 Includes 2,679 consolidated awards that account for more than one child.

# By Marital Status of Surviving Parents 

DIC benefit payment amounts are calculated according to the marital status of a surviving parent.  Marital status categories and their definitions are: 

· No Spouse - one parent is alive and is not married

· Spouse - both parents are alive and one or both married other persons

· Apart - both parents are alive but do not live together

· Together - both parents are alive and live together

· Remarried - one parent is alive and has remarried

The following table shows the distribution of dependent parents, by marital status.

**Surviving Parents Receiving DIC**

**By Marital Status**

**Beginning of Fiscal Year 2000**

****

**No**

**Spouse**

**Spouse**

**Apart**

**Together**

**Remarried**

**Total**

****

###### Number

8,471

151

1,644

1,259

109

**11,634**

**Percent**

72.8%

1.3%

14.1%

10.8%

0.9%

**100.0%**

**Annual Payments**

$22,259,755

$247,519

$3,026,275

$1,259,554

$148,340

**$26,941,444**

Source:  COIN CP-127

***3.Pension - Based Upon Nonservice-Connected Disability***

**a.Total Number of Veterans Receiving Disability Pension**

The number of veterans receiving disability pension at the beginning of fiscal year 2000 is shown in the following table.  Also shown are projected total annual amounts and average annual amounts of disability pension payments for the three disability pension programs.

**Total Veterans Receiving Disability Pension By Program**

**Beginning of Fiscal Year 2000**

****

****

****

**Type of Pension**

**Number of Veterans**

**Percent of Total**

**Total Annual Amounts**

**Average Annual Amounts**

****

PL 95-588 - New Law Pension

350,240

92.5%

$2,103,574,632

$6,006

Section 306 Pension

28,124

7.4%

$46,110,468

$1,640

Protected Pension

348

0.1%

$358,992

$1,032

**TOTAL**

**378,712**

**100.0%**

**$2,150,044,092**

**$5,677**

****

Source:  RCS 20-0221

**b.Demographic Characteristics of Veterans Receiving Disability Pension at the Beginning of Fiscal Year 2000**

**By Age**

The number and projected total annual amount of disability pension payments for each age group is shown in the next table.  For each category of pension, yellow highlighting indicates the age group with the most veteran beneficiaries.

## Total Veterans Receiving Disability Pension 

## By Age

**Beginning of Fiscal Year 2000**

****

****

****

****

****

**Other Pension1**

****

**New Law Pension**

****

### All Pension Programs

****

****

****

**Age**

### Number

**Percent of All Ages**

**Number**

**Percent of All Ages**

**Total For Age Group**

**Percent of All Ages**

**Annual Payments**

****

**Under Age 20**

0

0.0%

3

0.0%

3

0.0%

$46,428

**20 - 29**

0

0.0%

321

0.1%

321

0.1%

$2,577,276

**30 - 39**

0

0.0%

663

0.2%

663

0.2%

$5,265,684

**40 - 49**

238

0.8%

33,073

9.4%

33,311

8.8%

$270,068,592

****

**50 - 59**

936

3.3%

62,120

17.7%

63,056

16.7%

$506,801,352

**60 - 69**

3,869

13.6%

65,106

18.6%

68,975

18.2%

$377,016,132

**70 - 79**

**13,227**

**46.5%**

**135,160**

**38.6%**

**148,387**

**39.2%**

$682,406,940

**80 - 89**

8681

30.5%

49130

14.0%

57,811

15.3%

$275,732,292

****

**90 and Over**

1521

5.3%

4656

1.3%

6,177

1.6%

$30,087,708

****

**Age Unknown**

0

0.0%

8

0.0%

8

0.0%

$41,688

****

**All Ages**

**28,472**

**100.0%**

**350,240**

**100.0%**

**378,712**

**100.0%**

**$2,150,044,092**

****

**Average Age of Veterans:  69**

****

Source:  RCS 20-0236

1 The “Other Pension” category groups the two older pension programs (Protected Pension and Section 306 Pension) into one category.

**By Period of Service**

The next table provides a distribution by period of service for those veterans receiving disability pension at the beginning of fiscal year 2000.  The total projected annual amount of disability pension payments for each period of service is shown in the last column of the table.

**Nonservice-Connected Disability Pension by Period of Service**

**Beginning of Fiscal Year 2000**

****

****

****

****

****

**Other Pension1**

****

**New Law Pension**

****

### All Pension Programs

****

****

****

**Period of**

**Service**

### Number

**Percent of All Periods**

**Number**

**Percent of All Periods**

**Totals for Period**

**Percent of All Periods**

**Annual Payments**

****

**Mexican Border**

0

0.0%

5

0.0%

5

0.0%

$26,736

**World War I**

55

0.2%

251

0.1%

306

0.1%

$2,173,104

### World War II

21,749

76.4%

166,783

47.6%

188,532

49.8%

$873,869,124

**Korean War**

5,439

19.1%

83,485

23.8%

88,924

23.5%

$462,500,772

**Vietnam Era**

1,229

4.3%

98,525

28.1%

99,754

26.3%

$801,947,340

**Gulf War Era**

0

0.0%

1,191

0.3%

1,191

0.3%

$9,527,016

**All Periods**

**28,472**

**100.0%**

**350,240**

**100.0%**

**378,712**

**100.0%**

**$2,150,044,092**

****

Source:  RCS 20-0221

1 The “Other Pension” category groups the 2 older pension programs (Protected Pension and Section 306 Pension) into one category.

***4.Pension - Based Upon Nonservice-Connected Death***

**a.Total Number of Beneficiaries Receiving Death Pension at the Beginning of Fiscal Year 2000**

The number of beneficiaries receiving death pension at the beginning of fiscal year 2000, as well as projected total annual amounts and average annual amounts of payment for all three VA death pension programs is provided in the following table.  Beneficiaries include:  surviving spouses, children and parents.

**Total Beneficiaries Receiving Death Pension By Program**

**Beginning of Fiscal Year 2000**

****

****

****

**Type of Pension**

**Number of Beneficiaries**

**Percent of Total**

**Total Annual Amounts**

**Average Annual Amounts**

****

PL 95-588 - New Law Pension

187,544

68.4%

$597,902,676

$3,188

Section 306 Pension

84,818

30.9%

$88,595,364

$1,045

Protected Pension

1,744

0.6%

$1,221,144

$700

**TOTAL**

**274,106**

**100.0%**

**$687,719,184**

**$2,509**

****

Source:  RCS 20-0221

b. **Demographic Characteristics of Beneficiaries Receiving Death Pension at the**

**Beginning of Fiscal Year 2000**

# By Age for Surviving Spouses 

The following table shows the distribution by age among surviving spouses.  The projected total annual amount of death pension payments for each age group is also shown in the last column of the table.

**Total Surviving Spouses Receiving Death Pension**

**By Age**

**Beginning of Fiscal Year 2000**

****

****

****

****

****

**Other Pension1**

****

**New Law Pension**

****

### All Pension Programs

****

****

****

**Age**

### Number

**Percent of All Ages**

**Number**

**Percent of All Ages**

**Total For Age Group**

**Percent of All Ages**

**Annual Payments**

****

**Under Age 25**

4

0.0%

228

0.1%

232

0.1%

$742,964

**25 - 35**

19

0.0%

480

0.3%

499

0.2%

$1,576,211

**36 - 45**

93

0.1%

4,048

2.2%

4,141

1.6%

$13,221,618

****

**46 - 55**

703

1.0%

17,032

9.4%

17,735

6.9%

$55,972,819

**56 - 65**

2,277

3.1%

33,841

18.6%

36,118

14.1%

$112,183,935

**66 - 75**

13,151

17.8%

48,122

26.5%

61,273

24.0%

$170,390,450

**Over 75**

57,603

78.0%

78,142

43.0%

135,745

53.1%

$315,921,607

****

**All Ages**

**73,850**

**100.0%**

**181,893**

**100.0%**

**255,743**

**100.0%**

**$670,009,606**

****

Source:  COIN CP-103

1 The “Other Pension” category groups the two older pension programs (Protected Pension and Section 306 Pension) into one category.

**By Period of Service for All Beneficiaries**

The number of surviving spouses, children and dependent parents receiving death pensions, sorted by the veteran’s period of service, is shown in the next table.  The table also includes projected annual payments.  The largest group is highlighted in yellow.

**Nonservice-Connected Death Pension by Period of Service**

**Beginning of Fiscal Year 2000**

****

****

****

****

****

**Other Pension1**

****

**New Law Pension**

****

### All Pension Programs

****

****

****

**Period of**

**Service**

### Number

**Percent of All Periods**

**Number**

**Percent of All Periods**

**Totals for Period**

**Percent of All Periods**

**Annual Payments**

****

**Wars of the 1800s2**

642

0.7%

442

0.2%

1,084

0.4%

$2,327,400

**World War I**

18,625

21.5%

19,469

10.4%

38,094

13.9%

$75,800,256

**World War II**

**62,136**

**71.8%**

**123,272**

**65.7%**

**185,408**

**67.6%**

**$406,834,980**

****

**Korean War**

4,373

5.1%

28,511

15.2%

32,884

12.0%

$119,032,380

**Vietnam Era**

786

0.9%

15,718

8.4%

16,504

6.0%

$83,081,916

**Gulf War Era**

0

0.0%

132

0.1%

132

0.0%

$642,252

**All Periods**

**86,562**

**100.0%**

**187,544**

**100.0%**

**274,106**

**100.0%**

**$687,719,184**

****

Source:  RCS 20-0221

1 The “Other Pension” category groups the 2 older pension programs (Protected Pension and Section 306 Pension) into one category.

2 “Wars of the 1800s” include the Civil War, Indian Wars, Mexican Border Era and Spanish-American War.

***5.Education***

**a.Beneficiaries Receiving Education Benefits at the Beginning of Fiscal Year 2000**

Number of veterans and dependents receiving education benefits at the beginning of fiscal year 2000 in each education benefit program is shown in the following table.  

**Beneficiaries Receiving Education Benefits**

**Beginning of Fiscal Year 2000**

****

****

****

**Program**

**Number of**

**Beneficiaries**

**Percent**

**of Total**

****

Dependents Education

20,367 

8.4%

Montgomery GI Bill - Active Duty1

175,754 

72.2%

Montgomery GI Bill – Reserves2

46,054 

18.9%

Post-Vietnam Veterans Education

1,278 

0.5%

###### Total

**243,453**

**100.0%**

****

Source:  Education Service SAS Reports

1 Based on Active Duty service

2 Based on service in the Selected Reserve

**b.Characteristics of the Training Being Pursued by Beneficiaries**

**By Type of Training**

The next table shows the distribution, by program, of the types of training in which the beneficiaries were using their education benefit at the beginning of fiscal year 2000.  The most frequent type of training and the program with the largest enrollment are highlighted in yellow. 

**Beneficiaries Receiving Education Benefits**

**By Type Of Training and Program**

**Beginning of Fiscal Year 2000**

**Education Program**

**College,**

**Non-Degree**

**Graduate**

**Under-**

**Graduate**

**Vocational/**

**Technical**

**Program**

**Totals**

**Percent**

**of All**

**Programs**

****

Dependents Education

219 

723 

18,146 

1,279 

20,367 

8.4%

Montgomery GI Bill - Active Duty1

2,267 

12,165 

152,814 

8,508 

175,754 

**72.2%**

****

Montgomery GI Bill – Reserves2

355 

2,411 

42,637 

651 

46,054 

18.9%

Post-Vietnam Veterans Education

11 

303 

917 

47 

1,278 

0.5%

###### Type Training Totals     

**2,852**

**15,602**

**214,514**

**10,485**

**243,453**

**100.0%**

****

Percent of Program Totals     

1.2%

6.4%

**88.1%**

4.3%

Source:  Education Service SAS Reports

1 Based on Active Duty service

2 Based on service in the Selected Reserve

**By Training Time**

The distribution, by program, of the training times of the beneficiaries using their education benefit at the beginning of fiscal year 2000 is presented in the next table.  The most frequent training time and the program with the largest enrollment are highlighted in yellow. 

**Beneficiaries Receiving Education Benefits**

**By Training Time and Program**

**Beginning of Fiscal Year 2000**

**Education Program**

**Less Than**

**One-Half**

**Time**

**Half**

**Time**

**Three**

**Quarter**

**Time**

**Full**

**Time**

**Program**

**Totals**

**Percent**

**of All**

**Programs**

****

Dependents Education

1,486 

1,759 

2,221 

14,901 

20,367 

8.4%

Montgomery GI Bill - Active Duty1

14,170 

31,735 

23,732 

106,117 

175,754 

**72.2%**

****

Montgomery GI Bill – Reserves2

2,588 

5,201 

4,804 

33,461 

46,054 

18.9%

Post-Vietnam Veterans Education

258 

305 

161 

554 

1,278 

0.5%

###### Training Time Totals

**18,502**

**39,000**

**30,918**

**155,033**

**243,453**

**100.0%**

****

###### Percent of Program Totals

7.6%

16.0%

12.7%

**63.7%**

Source:  Education Service SAS Reports

1 Based on Active Duty service

2 Based on service in the Selected Reserve

***6.Life Insurance***

**a.Total Number of Policyholders and the Value of Their Coverage**

The next table shows the total number of veterans insured under each program, the total face value of their policies, and the average face value of a policy in each program.

**Note:**  The face value of the policies includes “paid up additions” for those programs that offer that feature (USGLI, NSLI, VSLI, VRI).  The face value is the amount that would be paid upon the death of the veteran.

**Total Insurance Policies In-Force**

**Beginning of Fiscal Year 2000**

****

****

****

****

****

**Insurance**

**Number of Policies**

**Total**

**Face Value**

**Average Face Value**

**Maximum**

**Face Value**

****

USGLI1

17,973 

$59,039,453 

$3,285 

$10,000 

NSLI1

1,802,101 

$17,661,884,522 

$9,801 

$10,000 

VSLI1

233,893 

$2,698,956,526 

$11,539 

$10,000 

VRI1

82,545 

$675,118,517 

$8,179 

$10,000 

SDVI1

154,410 

$1,440,384,301 

$9,328 

$10,0002

VMLI3

3,518 

$200,689,114 

$57,046 

$90,000 

SGLI4

2,328,500 

$429,981,500,000 

$184,660 

$200,000 

VGLI4

363,660 

$31,899,260,000 

$87,717 

$200,000 

###### TOTAL

**4,986,600**

**$484,616,832,433**

**$97,184**

****

****

1 Source:  Insurance Statistical Report - 700

2 Additional $20,000 available for totally disabled policyholders

3 Source:  VMLI Quarterly Report

4 Source:  OSGLI Monthly Report

**b.Insurance Payments Made on a Monthly Basis**

Although people usually choose to receive payment in a single “lump sum,” a monthly payment option is available to beneficiaries for death claims, and to veterans for cash surrenders and matured endowments.  In the two disability benefit provisions of policies - Total and Permanent Disability Provision and Total Disability Income Provision - no lump sum option exists.  Payments must be made monthly.  The following table provides data on monthly payments to either veterans or their beneficiaries.

**Insurance Monthly Award Payments**

**Beginning of Fiscal Year 2000**

****

****

****

****

**Payment Type**

**Number of Awards**

**Annual Payments**

**Average Payment**

****

###### Death Awards

USGLI

3,743 

$1,171,800 

$313 

NSLI

58,539 

$36,850,554 

$630 

VSLI

849 

$686,634 

$809 

VRI

332 

$207,012 

$624 

SDVI

329 

$148,368 

$451 

###### TOTAL

**63,792**

**$39,064,368**

**$612**

****

###### Total Disability Income Provision

USGLI

100 

$63,432 

$634 

NSLI

19,538 

$22,843,530 

$1,169 

VSLI

3,308 

$4,749,570 

$1,436 

VRI

972 

$747,144 

$769 

###### TOTAL

**23,918**

**$28,403,676**

**$1,188**

****

###### Matured Endowments

USGLI

1 

$876 

$876 

NSLI

1,308 

$1,619,526 

$1,238 

VSLI

902 

$1,561,830 

$1,732 

VRI

88 

$113,280 

$1,287 

SDVI

15 

$14,664 

$978 

###### TOTAL

**2,314**

**$3,310,176**

**$1,430**

****

###### Cash Surrenders

USGLI

2 

$1,056 

$528 

NSLI

69 

$56,106 

$813 

VSLI

2 

$9,744 

$4,872 

VRI

3 

$1,512 

$504 

SDVI

0 

$0 

$0 

###### TOTAL

**76**

**$68,418**

**$900**

****

###### Total and Permanent Disability

USGLI

167 

$48,516 

$291 

###### TOTAL

**167**

**$48,516**

**$291**

****

**GRAND TOTAL**

**90,267**

**$70,895,154**

**$785**

****

Source:  AVS - 2012

**c.****Ranking Among Commercial Life Insurance Companies**

The following table compares VA life insurance programs with commercial life insurance companies.  The comparison is based on the total face value of active life insurance in force.  Rankings based upon 1999 data were not available at the time of publication.  Therefore, 1998 data were used for the comparison.

**1998 Rankings by Total Life Insurance In-Force**

**Rank**

**Company**

**Total Insurance**

****

1

Metropolitan Life

$1,545,453,000,000 

2

Prudential of America

$1,013,109,000,000 

3

Connecticut General Life

$543,369,000,000 

4

Northwestern Mutual Life

$536,379,000,000 

****

**VA**

**$499,932,000,000**

****

5

Transamerica Occidental Life

$498,247,000,000 

6

New York Life

$440,527,000,000 

Source:  Best's Review, July 1999.  Compilation of 1998 data.

**d.Demographic Characteristics of Policyholders**

# By Age

The next table shows the age distribution of policyholders in VA insurance programs. The age groups that have the greatest percentage of policyholders in each program are highlighted in yellow.

**Note:**  Because certain programs were active only during past wartime periods, their age distributions parallel the aging of all other veterans of those periods.  The programs in which policies can still be obtained (SDVI, VMLI, SGLI, VGLI) have policyholders across a wide distribution of ages.

**Age Distribution for Insurance Programs**

****

****

****

****

****

****

****

****

****

****

****

****

****

**< 19**

**20-29**

**30-39**

**40-49**

**50-59**

**60-69**

**70-79**

**80-89**

**90 >**

**Total**

**Average Age**

****

**USGLI**

5,823 

**11,596**

554 

17,973 

82.6 

****

**% of Total**

0%

0%

0%

0%

0%

0%

32%

**65%**

3%

100%

**NSLI**

211,049 

**1,140,038**

432,923 

18,091 

1,802,101 

75.4 

**% of Total**

0%

0%

0%

0%

0%

12%

**63%**

24%

1%

100%

**VSLI**

15 

**187,748**

44,684 

1,397 

49 

233,893 

67.6 

**% of Total**

0%

0%

0%

0%

0%

**80%**

19%

1%

0%

100%

**VRI**

2 

7,083 

**54,546**

20,540 

374 

82,545 

76.0 

**% of Total**

0%

0%

0%

0%

0%

9%

**66%**

25%

0%

100%

**SDVI**

3 

1,184 

7,562 

32,745 

**58,381**

40,419 

12,401 

1,681 

34 

154,410 

54.7 

**% of Total**

0%

1%

5%

21%

**38%**

26%

8%

1%

0%

100%

**VMLI**

53 

370 

815 

**1,600**

680 

3,518 

50.1 

**% of Total**

0%

2%

11%

23%

**45%**

19%

0%

0%

0%

100%

**SGLI1**

184,675 

**1,023,954**

699,406 

265,803 

66,664 

998 

2,241,500 

30.5 

**% of Total**

8%

**46%**

31%

12%

3%

0%

0%

0%

0%

100%

**VGLI**

104 

57,558 

**123,766**

84,053 

80,246 

18,548 

0 

0 

0 

364,275 

38.7 

**% of Total**

0%

16%

**34%**

23%

22%

5%

0%

0%

0%

100%

**TOTALS**

**184,782**

**1,082,749**

**831,104**

**383,416**

**206,908**

**466,525**

**1,257,492**

**468,137**

**19,102**

**4,900,215**

****

**% by Age Group**

**4%**

**22%**

**17%**

**8%**

**4%**

**10%**

**26%**

**10%**

**0%**

**100%**

****

****

Source:  AVS - 2010

****

All data as of September 30, 1999 with the exception of SGLI and VGLI, which are as of December 31, 1999.

1 Includes both Active Duty and Ready Reservists

**By Component and Branch of Service for SGLI Coverage**

SGLI policyholders, by component and branch of service are shown in the following table.

**Note:**  The top of the table shows the active duty components for the branches.  The bottom of the table shows the reserve components for the branches.  For the branches that have a National Guard, the Guard members are included in the reserve component.

**SGLI Coverage**

**By Branch and Component of Service**

****

****

****

****

****

**Branch**

**Total**

**Number**

**Number**

**With SGLI**

**Percent**

**With SGLI**

**Percent of**

**Total With SGLI**

****

Army Active

476,236 

469,801 

98.6%

21.2%

Navy Active

397,847 

386,822 

97.2%

17.4%

Air Force Active

361,876 

346,854 

95.8%

15.6%

Marine Corps Active

178,571 

176,819 

99.0%

8.0%

Coast Guard Active

35,588 

34,405 

96.7%

1.6%

NOAA

229 

210 

91.7%

0.0%

Public Health Service

5,840 

5,628 

96.4%

0.3%

###### TOTAL

**1,456,187**

**1,420,539**

**97.6%**

**64.0%**

****

Army Reserve/Guard

570,554 

531,307 

93.1%

23.9%

Navy Reserve

74,891 

68,554 

91.5%

3.1%

Air Force Reserve/Guard

181,637 

167,526 

92.2%

7.5%

Marine Corps Reserve

24,272 

23,784 

98.0%

1.1%

Coast Guard Reserve

8,310 

7,200 

86.6%

0.3%

###### TOTAL

**859,664**

**798,371**

**92.9%**

**36.0%**

****

**GRAND TOTAL**

**2,315,851**

**2,218,910**

**95.8%**

**100.0%**

****

Source:  September 1999 SGLI Monthly Premium Payment Reports From Each Branch of Service

**By Amount of SGLI Coverage**

**Note:**  SGLI coverage of up to $200,000 is available in increments of $10,000.  Minimum allowable coverage is $10,000.  This table shows the number of SGLI members covered at each $10,000 increment.  Yellow highlighting indicates the coverage level with the most members.

**SGLI Coverage**

**By Coverage Level**

****

****

****

****

****

****

****

****

****

**Coverage Level**

****

****

****

****

****

****

****

****

**$10,000**

**$20,000**

**$30,000**

**$40,000**

**$50,000**

**$60,000**

**$70,000**

****

Number with Coverage

29,430 

9,735 

3,676 

2,230 

33,281 

2,198 

1,421 

Percent with Coverage

1.33%

0.44%

0.17%

0.10%

1.50%

0.10%

0.06%

****

**$80,000**

**$90,000**

**$100,000**

**$110,000**

**$120,000**

**$130,000**

**$140,000**

****

Number with Coverage

1,717 

794 

175,763 

2,259 

3,953 

1,038 

717 

Percent with Coverage

0.08%

0.04%

7.92%

0.10%

0.18%

0.05%

0.03%

****

**$150,000**

**$160,000**

**$170,000**

**$180,000**

**$190,000**

**$200,000**

### TOTAL

****

Number with Coverage

15,675 

782 

605 

995 

568 

**1,932,073**

**2,218,910**

Percent with Coverage

0.71%

0.04%

0.03%

0.04%

0.03%

**87.07%**

**100%**

Source:  September 1999 SGLI Monthly Premium Payment Reports From Each Branch of Service

***7.HOME Loan Guaranty***

**a.Total Active Guaranteed Loans**

This table shows the total number of active home loan guaranties at the beginning of fiscal year 2000.  The table also includes the total value and average value of the loans, as well as the total value and average value of the VA guaranties on those loans. 

**Active Loans Based on Purchase Loan Versus Refinance Loans**

**Beginning of Fiscal Year 2000**

****

****

****

****

****

****

****

**Type of Loan**

**Number**

**of Loans**

**Percent of Total**

**Total Loan Amount**

**Average Loan Amount**

**Total Guaranty Amount**

**Average Guaranty Amount**

****

Purchase Loans

2,317,242 

72.4%

$161,582,142,413 

$69,730 

$57,743,651,072 

$24,919 

Refinance –

Interest Rate Reduction

771,108 

24.1%

$73,027,133,088 

$94,704 

$23,613,901,650 

$30,623 

Refinance -

Other Reasons

113,349 

3.5%

$8,568,345,058 

$75,593 

$2,930,173,805 

$25,851 

###### TOTAL

**3,201,699**

**100.0%**

**$243,177,620,559**

**$75,953**

**$84,287,726,527**

**$26,326**

****

Source:  LGY SAS act3type

**b.Direct Loan Program**

The next table provides information about the Direct Loans to Native American Veterans program.

**Active Loans as of December 21, 1999**

****

****

****

****

**For Direct Loan Program**

****

****

****

****

**Programs**

**Number of Loans**

**Amount of Grants/Loans**

**Average Grant/Loan Amount**

****

Direct Loans to Native Americans

165 

$12,755,106 

$77,304 

Source:  LGY SAS

**c.Characteristics of Home Loan Guaranties**

**By Down-payment Option**

The objective of the VA home loan guaranty program is to enable veterans (and other eligible people) to enter the home-buying market.  The “no down-payment” feature is intended to help veterans afford to buy suitable homes.  The following table shows the distribution of active loan guaranties, sorted by whether or not the borrower made a down payment.

**Active Purchase Loans By Downpayment Status**

****

****

**Beginning of Fiscal Year 20001**

****

****

**Status**

**Number**

**of Loans**

**Percent of**

**Total**

**Total Loan**

**Amount**

**Average**

**Loan**

**Amount**

**Total Guaranty**

**Amount**

**Average**

**Guaranty**

**Amount**

****

No Down-payment

1,350,066 

84.8%

$119,114,556,848 

$88,229 

$40,939,257,835 

$30,324 

Down-payment

242,473 

15.2%

$21,361,860,188 

$88,100 

$6,968,272,569 

$28,738 

###### TOTAL

**1,592,539**

**100.0%**

**$140,476,417,036**

**$88,209**

**$47,907,530,404**

**$30,082**

****

Source:  LGY SAS dnpmtavg

1 For loans made FY 1979 or later (Purchase Price used to determine downpayment N/A prior to FY 1979).

**By “First Time Buyer” Status**

Distribution of active loan guaranties by “first time buyers”.  A first-time buyer is an eligible person who used the loan guaranty to enter the home-buying market and purchase a home for the first time.

**Active Purchase Loans Based on Buyer Status**

****

****

**Beginning of Fiscal Year 20001**

****

****

**Buyer Status**

**Number**

**of Loans**

**Percent of**

**Total**

**Total Loan**

**Amount**

**Average**

**Loan**

**Amount**

**Total Guaranty**

**Amount**

**Average**

**Guaranty**

**Amount**

****

First Time

Homeowner

562,159 

56.1%

$54,868,333,242 

$97,603 

$18,361,213,214 

$32,662 

Previous

Homeowner

439,944 

43.9%

$48,100,899,735 

$109,334 

$14,875,475,235 

$33,812 

###### TOTAL

**1,002,103**

**100.0%**

**$102,969,232,977**

**$102,753**

**$33,236,688,449**

**$33,167**

****

Source:  SAS FTBUYAVG

1 Closed since Fiscal Year 1993 - First time buyer information N/A prior to that time.

**d.Demographic Characteristics of All People with Active Guarantied Loans**

**By Period of Service and Other Entitlement Criteria**

The next table shows the distribution of active home loan guaranties at the beginning of fiscal year 2000, sorted by the veteran’s period of service and other entitlement criteria.

**Note:**  Brief definitions of the entitlement criteria may be found in Chapter 1.  The following table is divided into two parts.  Data is shown in 2 parts: entitlements for veterans and other entitlement categories. 

**Active Home Loans By Period of Service (or Entitlement)**

****

****

****

****

**Beginning of Fiscal Year 2000**

****

****

****

****

**Entitlement**

**Number**

**of Loans**

**Percent of Grand Total**

**Total Loan**

**Amount**

**Average**

**Loan**

**Amount**

**Total Guaranty**

**Amount**

**Average**

**Guaranty**

**Amount**

****

World War II

98,892 

3.1%

$4,290,286,219 

$43,384 

$1,762,776,230 

$17,825 

Post-World War II

3,376 

0.1%

$236,633,337 

$70,093 

$86,554,451 

$25,638 

Korean War

77,363 

2.4%

$3,809,292,529 

$49,239 

$1,483,558,702 

$19,177 

Post-Korean War

289,884 

9.1%

$12,763,999,530 

$44,031 

$5,109,998,519 

$17,628 

Vietnam Era

965,060 

30.1%

$57,045,304,720 

$59,111 

$21,515,928,025 

$22,295 

Post-Vietnam Era

556,268 

17.4%

$51,610,137,269 

$92,779 

$17,314,335,176 

$31,126 

Gulf War Era

195,432 

6.1%

$19,493,404,194 

$99,745 

$6,419,942,463 

$32,850 

Restored Entitlement1

493,660 

15.4%

$50,522,828,609 

$102,343 

$15,692,258,188 

$31,788 

###### TOTAL

**2,679,935**

**83.7%**

**$199,771,886,407**

**$74,544**

**$69,385,351,754**

**$25,891**

****

Service Personnel

472,259 

14.8%

$38,507,336,568 

$81,539 

$13,299,033,208 

$28,160 

Reservists

41,129 

1.3%

$4,330,185,735 

$105,283 

$1,389,865,088 

$33,793 

Unremarried Survivor

8,128 

0.3%

$549,850,021 

$67,649 

$206,966,652 

$25,463 

Spouse of POW

151 

0.0%

$11,376,553 

$75,341 

$3,875,328 

$25,664 

###### TOTAL

**521,667**

**16.3%**

**$43,398,748,877**

**$83,192**

**$14,899,740,276**

**$28,562**

****

**GRAND TOTAL2**

**3,201,602**

**100.0%**

**$243,170,635,284**

**$75,953**

**$84,285,092,030**

**$26,326**

****

Source:  LGY SAS ENTLAVGS using ACTSEP99 Workfile

1 Based on when the loan was made.

2 Excludes 97 loans that did not contain period of service information in the record.

**By Age**

The distribution of all active loan guaranties by age of the eligible person is shown in the following table.

**Active Home Loans Outstanding Based On Age**

****

****

****

****

****

****

****

**Beginning of Fiscal Year 2000**

****

****

****

****

****

****

****

**Age**

**Number**

**of Loans**

**Percent of**

**Total**

**Total Loan**

**Amount**

**Average**

**Loan**

**Amount**

**Total Guaranty**

**Amount**

**Average**

**Guaranty**

**Amount**

****

**18 - 25**

20,570 

0.6%

$1,748,436,515 

$84,999 

$627,600,675 

$30,510 

**26 - 35**

448,505 

14.0%

$44,234,305,877 

$98,626 

$14,636,670,312 

$32,634 

**36 - 45**

765,226 

23.9%

$72,948,156,209 

$95,329 

$24,093,337,624 

$31,485 

**46 - 55**

1,072,268 

33.5%

$74,900,423,029 

$69,852 

$26,512,866,952 

$24,726 

**56 - 65**

539,824 

16.8%

$31,410,622,297 

$58,187 

$11,482,296,337 

$21,270 

**Over 65**

358,604 

11.2%

$18,001,786,085 

$50,200 

$6,974,067,605 

$19,448 

**TOTAL1**

**3,204,997**

**100.0%**

**$243,243,730,012**

**$75,895**

**$84,326,839,505**

**$26,311**

****

**Average overall age:  49.4**

Source:  LGY SAS agevet2

1 Includes direct loans sold and later guaranteed.

**By Race**

The next table provides the distribution of active purchase loan guaranties by race.

Providing race information on the application is voluntary.  Not all borrowers choose to report their race.  Consequently, the table is based on available information, which describes 63 percent of the total number of active purchase loan guaranties. 

**Active Purchase Loans Based On Known Racial Codes**

****

****

**Beginning of Fiscal Year 2000**

****

****

**Race**

**Number**

**of Loans**

**Percent of**

**Total**

**Total Loan**

**Amount**

**Average**

**Loan**

**Amount**

**Total Guaranty**

**Amount**

**Average**

**Guaranty**

**Amount**

****

###### White

2,098,287 

79.7%

$159,832,806,368 

$76,173 

$55,613,174,811 

$26,504 

**Black**

351,504 

13.4%

$26,097,098,658 

$74,244 

$9,238,727,719 

$26,283 

**Hispanic**

135,181 

5.1%

$10,169,311,872 

$75,227 

$3,559,557,334 

$26,332 

**Native American**

14,894 

0.6%

$1,278,874,599 

$85,865 

$429,955,579 

$28,868 

**Asian**

31,939 

1.2%

$3,396,792,884 

$106,353 

$1,023,427,117 

$32,043 

###### TOTAL

**2,631,805**

**100.0%**

**$200,774,884,381**

**$76,288**

**$69,864,842,560**

**$26,546**

****

Source:  LGY SAS Raceavgs

**By Gender**

**Active Home Loans Based on Gender**

****

****

****

****

****

****

****

**Beginning of Fiscal Year 2000**

****

****

****

****

****

****

****

**Gender**

**Number**

**of Loans**

**Percent of**

**Total**

**Total Loan**

**Amount**

**Average**

**Loan**

**Amount**

**Total Guaranty**

**Amount**

**Average**

**Guaranty**

**Amount**

****

Male

3,049,153 

95.5%

$228,286,532,714 

$74,869 

$79,426,791,286 

$26,049 

Female

143,871 

4.5%

$14,426,395,385 

$100,273 

$4,657,786,055 

$32,375 

**TOTAL1**

**3,193,024**

**100.0%**

**$242,712,928,099**

**$76,013**

**$84,084,577,341**

**$26,334**

****

Source:  LGY SAS Gendavgs

1 Excludes 8,675 loans that did not contain gender information in the record.

***8.Vocational Rehabilitation And Employment***

**a.VR&E Program Participants at the Beginning of Fiscal Year 2000**

The following table shows the total number of eligible persons participating in the Vocational Rehabilitation program at the beginning of fiscal year 2000.

**Veterans Participating In The**

**Vocational Rehabilitation Programs**

**Beginning of Fiscal Year 2000**

**Program**

**Number**

**Percent**

****

Service-Connected Veterans (Chapter 31)

30,360 

99.87%

Pension Recipients (Chapter 15)

8 

0.03%

Vietnam Veterans' Children With Spina Bifida (Chapter 18)

29 

0.10%

###### Total

**30,397**

**100.0%**

****

Sources:  VR&E Program Management Reports (10-1-99) and Regional Office Reports

**b.Type of Occupational Goals and Training Activities of Veterans Who Participated In a Training Program**

The following tables provide information concerning the occupational goals and training activities of veterans participating in vocational training at the beginning of fiscal year 2000.

**By Occupational Goals Sorted by Gender**

**Veterans Participating In A Vocational Training Program**

**By Occupational Goal**

**Beginning Fiscal Year 2000**

****

**Total**

**Number**

**Percent**

**of Total**

**Number**

**of Male**

**Percent**

**of Total**

**Number**

**of Female**

**Percent**

**of Total**

****

Agricultural, Fishery and Forestry

70 

0.2%

60 

0.3%

10 

0.2%

Benchwork

195 

0.6%

184 

0.8%

11 

0.2%

Clerical

1,335 

4.4%

944 

4.0%

391 

5.9%

Independent Living

171 

0.6%

145 

0.6%

26 

0.4%

Machine Trades

556 

1.8%

543 

2.3%

13 

0.2%

Miscellaneous

683 

2.2%

554 

2.3%

129 

2.0%

Processing (Butcher, Meat Processor, etc.)

21 

0.1%

16 

0.1%

5 

0.1%

Professional, Technical, and Managerial

25,477 

83.9%

19,700 

82.9%

5,777 

87.7%

Sales

192 

0.6%

157 

0.7%

35 

0.5%

Service

604 

2.0%

482 

2.0%

122 

1.9%

Structural (Building Trades)

819 

2.7%

792 

3.3%

27 

0.4%

Unknown/Other

237 

0.8%

199 

0.8%

38 

0.6%

###### Total

**30,360**

**100.0%**

**23,776**

**100.0%**

**6,584**

**100.0%**

****

Source:  VR&E Program Management Reports (10-1-99)

**By Type of Training Activity Sorted by Gender**

**Veterans Participating In A Vocational Training Program**

**By Type Of Training And Gender**

**Beginning of Fiscal Year 2000**

**Type Of Training**

**Total**

**Number**

**Percent of**

**Total**

**Number of**

**Male**

**Percent of**

**Total**

**Number of**

**Female**

**Percent of**

**Total**

****

Undergraduate

26,488 

87.2%

20,488 

86.2%

6,000 

91.1%

Vocational/Technical

1,797 

5.9%

1,599 

6.7%

198 

3.0%

Graduate

1,034 

3.4%

756 

3.2%

278 

4.2%

College, Non-Degree

531 

1.7%

475 

2.0%

56 

0.9%

Extend. Eval/Indep. Living

231 

0.8%

208 

0.9%

23 

0.3%

On The Job

128 

0.4%

121 

0.5%

7 

0.1%

Eval/Improv. Rehab. Pot.

31 

0.1%

29 

0.1%

2 

0.0%

High School

28 

0.1%

24 

0.1%

4 

0.1%

Non/Nominal Pay in Govt.

53 

0.2%

40 

0.2%

13 

0.2%

Govt. Work Experience

0 

0.0%

0 

0.0%

0 

0.0%

Apprenticeship

32 

0.1%

29 

0.1%

3 

0.0%

Farm Co-op

7 

0.0%

7 

0.0%

0 

0.0%

###### Total

**30,360**

**100.0%**

**23,776**

**100.0%**

**6,584**

**100.0%**

****

Source:  VR&E Program Management Reports (10-1-99)

**c.Demographic Characteristics of Veterans Participating in a Training Program**

This section provides various demographic information about veterans participating in vocational rehabilitation training at the beginning of fiscal year 2000.  Yellow highlight notes the highest group in each table.

**By Combined Degree of Service-Connected Disability**

**Veterans Participating In A Vocational Training Program**

**By Combined Degree Of Disability**

**Beginning of Fiscal Year 2000**

****

**0%**

**10%**

**20%**

**30%**

**40%**

**50%**

**60%**

****

Number

11 

1,194 

**6,999**

6,772 

5,447 

3,147 

2,910 

Percent

0.0%

3.9%

**23.1%**

22.3%

17.9%

10.4%

9.6%

****

**70%**

**80%**

**90%**

**100%**

**Other**

**Total**

****

****

Number

1,408 

846 

263 

1,115 

248 

**30,360**

Percent

4.6%

2.8%

0.9%

3.7%

0.8%

**100.0%**

Source:  VR&E Program Management Reports (10-1-99) and Disability Compensation Database

**By Serious Employment Handicap**

**Veterans Participating In A**

## Vocational Training Program

**With A Serious Employment Handicap**

**Beginning of Fiscal Year 2000**

Total Participants

30,360 

Number With Serious Employment Handicap 

10,365 

Percent With Serious Employment Handicap 

34%

Source:  VR&E Program Management Reports (10-1-99)

**By Gender**

**Veterans Participating In A**

**Vocational Training Program**

**By Gender**

**Beginning of Fiscal Year 2000**

****

**Female**

**Male**

**Total**

****

Number

6,584 

**23,776**

**30,360**

****

Percent

21.7%

**78.3%**

**100.0%**

****

Source:  VR&E Program Management Reports (10-1-99)

**By Age**

**Veterans Participating In A Vocational Training Program**

**By Age**

**Beginning of Fiscal Year 2000**

****

****

****

****

****

****

****

****

****

**Age**

**17 - 21**

**Age**

**22 - 29**

**Age**

**30 - 39**

**Age**

**40 - 49**

**Age**

**50 - 59**

**Age**

**60 >**

**Total For**

**All Ages**

****

Number

108 

6,311 

**10,645**

9,682 

3,307 

307 

**30,360**

****

Percent

0.4%

20.8%

**35.1%**

31.9%

10.9%

1.0%

**100.0%**

****

**Average Age For Veterans In Training Status:   38**

Source:  VR&E Program Management Reports (10-1-99)

# By Period of Service

**Veterans Participating In A Vocational Training Program**

**By Period Of Service**

**Beginning of Fiscal Year 2000**

****

****

****

****

****

****

****

****

**World**

**War II**

**Post**

**World**

**War II1**

**Korean**

**War**

**Post**

**Korean**

**War1**

**Vietnam**

**Era**

**Post**

**Vietnam**

**Era1**

**Gulf War**

**Era**

**Total All**

**Service**

**Periods**

****

Number

18 

3 

22 

109 

1,880 

5,646 

**22,682**

**30,360**

****

Percent

0.1%

0.0%

0.1%

0.4%

6.2%

18.6%

**74.7%**

**100.0%**

****

Source:  VR&E Program Management Reports (10-1-99)

1These three periods are generally combined into "Peacetime" service in other sections of this report.

**By Branch of Service**

**Veterans Participating In A Vocational Training Program**

**By Branch Of Service**

**Beginning of Fiscal Year 2000**

****

****

****

****

****

****

****

****

****

**Army1**

**Navy**

**Air Force**

**Marine**

**Corps**

**Coast**

**Guard**

**Other2**

**Total**

****

Number

**13,516**

7,198 

5,487 

3,317 

407 

435 

**30,360**

****

Percent

**44.5%**

23.7%

18.1%

10.9%

1.3%

1.4%

**100.0%**

****

Source:  VR&E Program Management Reports (10-1-99) and Disability Compensation Database

1 Army includes 1 from Women's Army Corps and 1 from Army Air Corps.

2 Other includes 1 from NOAA, 1 from Public Health Service and 433 records with no branch of service data.

**By Length of Service**

**Veterans Participating In A Vocational Training Program**

**By Length Of Service**

**Beginning of Fiscal Year 2000**

****

**3 Months**

**or Less**

**3 to 6**

**Months**

**6 Months**

**to 2 Years**

**2 to 4**

**Years**

**4 to 10**

**Years**

****

Number

155 

380 

3,190 

7,301 

**9,133**

Percent

0.5%

1.3%

10.5%

24.0%

**30.1%**

**10 to 15**

**Years**

**15 to 20**

**Years**

**20 to 30**

**Years**

**Over 30**

**Years**

**Total**

****

Number

3,343 

2,467 

4,292 

99 

**30,360**

****

Percent

11.0%

8.1%

14.1%

0.3%

**100.0%**

****

Source:  VR&E Program Management Reports (10-1-99)

**By Dependency Status**

**Note:**Dependency status identifies known dependents of both single and married veteran participants.

**Veterans Participating In A Vocational Training Program**

**By Dependency Status**

**Beginning of Fiscal Year 2000**

****

**Single**

**Single With**

**Children**

**Married**

**Married With**

**Children**

**Dependent**

**Parent(s)**

**Total1**

****

Number

7,266 

3,701 

5,051 

**14,213**

62 

**30,293**

****

Percent

24.0%

12.2%

16.7%

**46.9%**

0.2%

**100.0%**

****

Source:  VR&E Program Management Reports (10-1-99)

1 Does not include 67 veterans whose dependency status is unknown.

**By Prior Education Level**

The distribution by level of education attained prior to enrollment in a vocational training program is shown in the following table.

**Veterans Participating In A Vocational Training Program**

**By Prior Education Level**

**Beginning of Fiscal Year 2000**

****

**Less Than**

**High School**

**High School**

**Post**

**High School**

**Four Year**

**College**

**Degree**

**Graduate**

**Training**

**Total**

****

Number

171 

**17,627**

10,538 

1,420 

604 

**30,360**

****

Percent

0.6%

**58.1%**

34.7%

4.7%

2.0%

**100.0%**

****

Source:  VR&E Program Management Reports (10-1-99)

**By Prior Use of VA Educational Benefits**

The following table shows VR&E program participants at the beginning of fiscal year 2000, sorted by prior use of VA education benefits. 

**Veterans Participating In A Vocational Training Program**

**By Prior Use Of VA Benefits**

**Beginning of Fiscal Year 2000**

****

**Prior Use**

**No Prior**

**Use**

**Total**

****

Number

9,851 

**20,509**

**30,360**

****

Percent

32.4%

**67.6%**

**100.0%**

****

Source:  VR&E Program Management Reports (10-1-99)

**Forecasting of Program Liabilities**

In this 1999 Annual Benefits Report, we introduce another dimension to the discussion of program activity - the future.  This Chapter 4 presents projections of program usage and associated financial obligations of the government to veterans and survivors, well beyond fiscal year 2000 - the strategic view. 

Historically, VA compensation programs have been funded each year by current appropriations.  This is unlike the Social Security program, for which the government maintains a trust fund against “future liabilities.”  In a broad sense, future liabilities are payments that the government (or any entity) is obligated to deliver in future years.  This is much like the obligation of a life insurance company to pay the face amount of a standard policy to beneficiaries at the time of the insured person’s death.  The present value of these obligations constitutes the company’s future liability. 

Future liabilities are carefully constructed forecasts and, as applied in this report, are conservatively drawn estimates of long-term usage and costs provide a baseline for the dimensions of VBA’s unfunded future liabilities.  This “rational link” to the future of VBA programs brings important contextual information to long-term policy and management decision making in both the Executive and Legislative branches of government.

The data presented in this chapter are drawn from the *Department of Veterans Affairs, Compensation and Pension Programs, Liability for Future Benefits as of September 30, 1999*, study dated November 12, 1999, prepared by Sam Gutterman, FSA, FCAS, MAAA, Hon FIA, PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP.  The study estimates the government’s liability as of the end of fiscal year 1999.  While aggregate information from the study is presented in the Secretary’s report, this report furnishes the detailed descriptions of the study assumptions, parameters, and methods.  It also shows year-by-year projections of compensation payments to veterans and survivors.  A projection period of 70 years - fiscal years 2000 through 2069 - was used in this study.  This period corresponds closely with that used by the Office of the Chief Actuary of the Social Security Administration (which uses 75 years).  

The fiscal year 1999 VBA Annual Benefits Report addresses estimated future liabilities for only the compensation programs - of which, the disability program provides lifetime benefits.  Our attention to the compensation programs in this report is based on the availability of adequate data and the special significance of the disability and death benefit programs to veterans and the Nation.  

**Liability for Future Compensation Benefits**

The liability projections for the compensation program as of September 30, 1999, are shown below.  The total estimated future benefit payments of $1,914.6 billion ($1.9146 trillion) represents the sum of the cash flows needed in future years to pay benefits.  The total program liability estimate of $480.3 billion represents the present value of these expected future benefit payments of the program.  The present value is calculated from the projected cash flows and represents an estimate of the amount which, if invested now, would assure that the government could cover projected future compensation payments.

**Estimate of Compensation Program Liability as of September 30, 1999**

****

**Estimated Future**

**Benefits Payments***

**Compensation Program Liability****

****

Benefits to Veterans

$1,537.3 billion

$397.5 billion

Benefits to Survivors

377.3 billion

82.8 billion

**Total**

**$1,914.6 billion**

**$480.3 billion**

****

*Compensation benefit estimates for the period fiscal years 2000-2069, excluding retroactive payments.  See Table 1.

**Compensation program liability is an estimate of the amount of money which, if invested now, at current Treasury interest 

   rates, would assure that government could provide for the projected future compensation payments.  See Table 2.

The estimated liability for the compensation program is based on the present value of expected future compensation benefit payments for: 

(1) all veterans currently receiving benefits under these programs,

(2) all survivors currently receiving benefits under these programs,

(3) all future survivors of those veterans currently receiving benefit payments,

(4) all existing veterans not currently receiving benefit payments but who are expected to in the future,

(5) all future survivors of existing veterans not currently receiving benefit payments but who are expected to in the future, and

(6) a provision for those currently in active military service who will become veterans in

the future (and their survivors).

These estimates of the compensation liability reflect only current benefits and types of disability.  Benefits associated with types of exposures or significantly increased benefits that may occur in the future (e.g., significant amounts of benefit associated with Gulf War Syndrome or smoking) are not reflected.  

Key financial and actuarial elements associated with the development of this liability estimate are provided in Tables 1 through 5.

**TABLE 1 - Estimated Future Benefit Payments**

Table 1 shows the expected total annual benefit payments for veterans and survivors through fiscal year 2069 (70 years).

· The 70-year projection period is comparable to the period used by the Office of the Chief Actuary of the Social Security Administration (75 years).

· The source of cash flows necessary to pay these benefits is annual U.S. government appropriations for the program.

· The highest annual compensation outlay for payments to service-connected disabled veterans is $31.7 billion and is expected to occur in 2031 and is highlighted in yellow.  

· The highest annual compensation outlay for payments to survivors of veterans whose deaths are related to service is $6.3 billion and is expected to occur in 2050 and is highlighted in yellow.  

· The highest annual compensation outlay for combined payments is $37.3 billion and is expected to occur in 2032 and is highlighted. 

The model used to project the future benefit payments is based on estimates of:

· The number of beneficiaries expected to receive compensation during a fiscal year

· Whether these beneficiaries will receive payments for a full fiscal year or part of a fiscal year

· The amount of benefits they will receive, excluding retroactive payments

· The number of awards stopped during a fiscal year

· Cost of living adjustments that will apply to future benefit payments

**TABLE 1**

**Estimated Future Benefit Payments (Regular Monthly Benefits)**

****

****

****

****

**Fiscal Year**

**Compensation Veterans**

**Compensation Survivors**

**Compensation Veterans & Survivors**

****

2000

$14,355,570,048 

$3,435,695,993 

$17,791,266,041 

2001

$15,058,843,515 

$3,531,563,281 

$18,590,406,796 

2002

$15,768,638,291 

$3,627,395,728 

$19,396,034,019 

2003

$16,479,761,242 

$3,724,210,260 

$20,203,971,502 

2004

$17,190,602,241 

$3,820,543,534 

$21,011,145,775 

2005

$17,900,446,410 

$3,915,821,644 

$21,816,268,054 

2006

$18,609,092,159 

$4,009,010,440 

$22,618,102,598 

2007

$19,316,451,780 

$4,099,771,472 

$23,416,223,252 

2008

$20,022,323,883 

$4,187,761,233 

$24,210,085,117 

2009

$20,726,241,450 

$4,272,637,328 

$24,998,878,778 

2010

$21,427,403,853 

$4,354,169,158 

$25,781,573,011 

*****

*****

*****

*****

2015

$24,856,596,320 

$4,709,287,101 

$29,565,883,421 

***** 

*****

*****

*****

2020

$28,002,132,389 

$4,994,249,342 

$32,996,381,731 

*****

*****

*****

*****

2025

$30,471,054,507 

$5,248,091,075 

$35,719,145,582 

*****

*****

*****

*****

2030

$31,648,135,687 

$5,516,676,452 

$37,164,812,140 

2031

**$31,676,504,274**

$5,572,968,891 

$37,249,473,165 

2032

$31,628,659,752 

$5,630,049,230 

**$37,258,708,982**

****

*****

*****

*****

*****

2035

$31,033,465,462 

$5,801,597,025 

$36,835,062,487 

*****

*****

*****

*****

2040

$28,747,460,765 

$6,060,646,088 

$34,808,106,854 

*****

*****

*****

*****

2045

$25,298,903,180 

$6,240,511,148 

$31,539,414,329 

*****

*****

*****

*****

2050

$21,005,415,065 

**$6,304,543,962**

$27,309,959,027 

*****

*****

*****

*****

2055

$16,345,031,832 

$6,245,465,425 

$22,590,497,257 

*****

*****

*****

*****

2060

$11,836,689,863 

$6,062,126,144 

$17,898,816,007 

*****

*****

*****

*****

2065

$7,850,968,795 

$5,747,981,340 

$13,598,950,135 

*****

*****

*****

*****

2069

$5,361,107,805 

$5,406,296.83 

$10,767,404,630 

**Total**

**$1,537,339,888,842**

**$377,317,580,181**

**$1,914,657,469,023**

****

Source:  *Compensation and Pension Program Liability for Future Benefits as of September 30, 1999 -*

**PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP, Table 2

**TABLE 2 - Discounted Estimated Future Compensation Payments**

Table 2 shows the expected future compensation payments from Table 1 discounted at current (September 30, 1999) U.S. Treasury interest rates.  The present value of the total projected future liability for compensation is $480.3 billion. This figure is calculated by summing the discounted values of projected future cash flows.  It represents the estimated amount which, if invested now, would assure that government could cover the projected future compensation payments shown in Table 1 ($1.9 trillion).

· This method of selecting discount rates was used because VA does not hold specific assets (which might carry a different rate of return) to support future obligations. 

· Under current law, the benefit payments will be made from future general revenues of the U.S. government each year.

· As a result of using current interest rates (which are likely to vary from year to year), the liability estimates may vary considerably from year to year.

· As these rates fluctuate in the future, the value of the liability will fluctuate accordingly (the higher the interest rates, the smaller the present value of the liability).

Table 2 includes estimates of expected compensation payments after the 70-year period, as well as estimates of retroactive benefits.  Retroactive benefits are paid when:  

· A veteran is entitled to compensation for any month(s) earlier than the month in which VA starts his/her award

· A veteran already receiving compensation is found entitled to increased benefits for past months

**TABLE 2**

****

****

****

****

**Discounted Estimated Future Benefit Payments**

****

****

****

****

**Fiscal Year**

**Compensation Veterans**

**Compensation Survivors**

**Compensation Veterans & Survivors**

****

2000

$14,010,269,029 

$3,353,055,643 

$17,363,324,672 

2001

$13,912,561,672 

$3,262,740,057 

$17,175,301,729 

2002

$13,740,978,982 

$3,160,955,787 

$16,901,934,769 

2003

$13,564,408,950 

$3,065,378,815 

$16,629,787,766 

2004

$13,361,173,454 

$2,969,468,093 

$16,330,641,547 

2005

$13,080,153,476 

$2,861,355,908 

$15,941,509,384 

2006

$12,718,568,622 

$2,739,997,951 

$15,458,566,573 

2007

$12,424,822,221 

$2,637,074,980 

$15,061,897,201 

2008

$12,201,539,425 

$2,552,008,153 

$14,753,547,578 

2009

$11,990,583,464 

$2,471,814,034 

$14,462,397,499 

2010

$11,702,276,250 

$2,377,968,450 

$14,080,244,700 

*****

*****

*****

*****

2015

$9,755,376,932 

$1,848,236,587 

$11,603,613,519 

*****

*****

*****

*****

2020

$7,775,081,609 

$1,386,704,972 

$9,161,786,581 

*****

*****

*****

*****

2025

$6,509,414,132 

$1,121,129,503 

$7,630,543,635 

*****

*****

*****

*****

2030

$5,260,458,963 

$916,965,548 

$6,177,424,512 

*****

*****

*****

*****

2035

$3,843,683,917 

$718,563,166 

$4,562,247,083 

*****

*****

*****

*****

2040

$2,653,131,447 

$559,342,992 

$3,212,474,439 

*****

*****

*****

*****

2045

$1,739,814,141 

$429,162,065 

$2,168,976,206 

*****

*****

*****

*****

2050

$1,076,401,556 

$323,070,071 

$1,399,471,627 

*****

*****

*****

*****

2055

$624,123,746 

$238,478,782 

$862,602,527 

*****

*****

*****

*****

2060

$336,788,373 

$172,485,182 

$509,273,555 

*****

*****

*****

*****

2065

$166,453,127 

$121,866,421 

$288,319,548 

*****

*****

*****

*****

  2070 & later     

$353,151,060 

$625,966,979 

$979,118,039 

**Total Regular**

**$364,681,721,806**

**$75,989,239,050**

**$440,670,960,856**

****

**Retroactive**

**$32,821,354,963**

**$6,839,031,514**

**$39,660,386,477**

****

**Total**

**$397,503,076,769**

**$82,828,270,564**

**$480,331,347,333**

****

Source:  *Compensation and Pension Program Liability for Future Benefits as of September 30, 1999 -*

**PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP, Table 1

**TABLE 3**- **Veterans Receiving Compensation**

Table 3 shows the total number of veterans currently receiving compensation payments (2,294,455) and their average monthly benefits, sorted by age and gender, as of the end of fiscal year 1999.

In the table below, the highest number of male and female veterans by age category is highlighted in yellow.

**TABLE 3**

**Veterans Receiving Compensation as of September 30, 1999**

****

****

****

****

****

****

****

****

****

****

****

**Number of Veterans**

****

**Avg. Monthly Benefit**

****

**Number of Veterans**

**Avg. Monthly Benefit**

**Age**

**Males**

**Females**

**Males**

**Females**

**Age**

**Males**

**Females**

**Males**

**Females**

****

17

-

1

$200.00 

$96.00 

60

26,801

385

$515.14 

$719.43 

18

2

2

$140.00 

$140.00 

61

27,186

365

$516.90 

$696.26 

19

54

58

$252.48 

$173.33 

62

27,729

323

$521.79 

$637.47 

20

272

173

$297.55 

$194.13 

63

28,789

354

$514.48 

$639.34 

21

706

356

$303.12 

$214.96 

64

29,244

313

$526.23 

$688.03 

22

1,626

662

$279.72 

$260.06 

65

30,508

317

$522.91 

$642.55 

23

2,935

959

$265.10 

$277.32 

66

33,778

329

$529.44 

$639.15 

24

4,682

1,404

$252.90 

$305.16 

67

40,093

337

$547.37 

$620.74 

25

6,755

1,760

$255.72 

$264.50 

68

40,602

337

$540.86 

$640.13 

26

8,116

1,992

$270.73 

$298.03 

69

41,263

321

$542.60 

$660.94 

27

10,643

2,317

$274.09 

$287.92 

70

37,078

294

$536.09 

$660.86 

28

13,616

3,003

$281.14 

$293.43 

71

33,633

266

$527.30 

$566.60 

29

15,644

3,159

$293.27 

$293.20 

72

30,006

230

$516.86 

$616.05 

30

15,945

3,117

$299.39 

$324.29 

73

40,131

238

$482.57 

$633.64 

31

15,783

3,013

$324.20 

$337.15 

74

60,106

300

$489.04 

$470.13 

32

15,900

3,128

$332.56

$353.10 

75

64,233

672

$498.81 

$569.40 

33

16,027

2,925

$350.87 

$394.45 

76

60,302

836

$495.22 

$476.26 

34

16,875

3,197

$368.91 

$413.21 

77

60,008

888

$495.73 

$465.72 

35

17,793

3,261

$377.98 

$432.07 

78

58,006

816

$496.36 

$455.53 

36

17,985

3,362

$399.40 

$441.33 

79

50,111

719

$495.59 

$465.00 

37

18,575

3,375

$428.16 

$464.52 

80

44,838

515

$488.06 

$458.76 

38

19,850

3,603

$436.22 

$486.30 

81

38,690

438

$481.26 

$541.98 

39

22,041

3,712

$447.15 

$491.35 

82

28,798

374

$464.29 

$500.33 

40

25,587

3,860

$446.60 

$518.44 

83

22,490

316

$463.55 

$493.47 

41

27,777

3,874

$439.80 

$528.23 

84

17,363

285

$461.25 

$461.25 

42

30,693

3,935

$445.51 

$532.53 

85

13,403

229

$458.89 

$472.03 

43

32,694

4,277

$441.96 

$531.24 

86

9,828

212

$452.74 

$491.86 

44

34,600

**4,379**

$444.99 

$562.88 

87

7,333

170

$445.74 

$493.37 

45

36,190

4,141

$448.62 

$593.81 

88

5,392

123

$432.71 

$442.21 

46

37,500

3,789

$462.67 

$587.97 

89

4,038

97

$448.56 

$439.03 

47

40,971

3,471

$476.35 

$609.73 

90

2,787

98

$434.69 

$481.15 

48

45,064

2,980

$531.37 

$597.31 

91

2,012

62

$439.34 

$475.26 

49

57,547

2,650

$597.62 

$609.00 

92

1,462

48

$431.05 

$412.94 

50

75,912

2,219

$621.18 

$635.51 

93

901

41

$436.94 

$740.20 

51

87,205

1,870

$624.37 

$642.99 

94

489

31

$468.49 

$494.00 

52

**89,898**

1,654

$618.74 

$663.18 

95

183

26

$406.17 

$539.00 

53

71,430

1,323

$591.93 

$688.23 

96

107

9

$544.36 

$416.11 

54

49,817

944

$585.73 

$683.49 

97

81

18

$337.59 

$503.61 

55

43,166

761

$566.08 

$704.87 

98

59

7

$623.13 

$438.86 

56

40,782

732

$552.33 

$704.49 

99

52

6

$453.46 

$519.50 

57

37,048

608

$538.94 

$664.51 

100

27

1

$777.48 

$330.00 

58

31,376

514

$536.19 

$707.43 

  101 +

165

7

$741.70 

$270.57 

59

28,485

467

$533.38 

$686.19 

Unknown

43

          -   

$148.22 

$          -   

****

****

****

****

**Total/Average**

****

****

**2,185,715**

**108,740**

**$505.77**

**$488.07**

****

Source:  *Compensation and Pension Program Liability for Future Benefits as of September 30, 1999 -*

**PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP, Table 9

**TABLE 4 - Death Rates**

Table 4 presents a comparison between death rates in the general U.S. population (as reported in the 1989-91 U.S. Life Tables) and those in veterans receiving compensation.  The death rates shown are for ages 40 to 80.  The majority of veterans receiving compensation are in this age group.

The death rates are expressed as percentages by age.  For example, the age 40 male death rate of 0.32% means that this percentage of males in the general population are likely to die during this one-year period.

· Death rates were developed based on compensation program experience for fiscal years 1995 through 1999.  In earlier years, death rates for the Service-Disabled Veterans Life (SDVI) insurance program were used.  The SDVI death rates were significantly higher than those based on actual compensation program experience.

· Death rates for the male compensation group slightly exceed those in the general male population for the ages under 70, but are actually lower at the oldest ages.

· Death rates for the female compensation group exceed those of the general population at all ages.  However, significantly less experience is available for calculating death rates among female veterans. 

· Projected mortality in veterans receiving compensation reflects an assumed annual rate of improvement (decline in the mortality rate) of one percent (e.g., a one percent improvement in the .32% rate would improve to 99 percent of .32%, or .31%).

· The greater the mortality decline, the larger the liability for the compensation program, because more beneficiaries will live to collect benefits for a longer period.

**TABLE 4**

****

****

****

****

****

**Death Rates**

****

****

****

****

****

**1989-1991 U.S. Life**

**Tables (All Races)**

**Veterans Compensation**

**FY 1995-99 Experience**

**Age**

**Males**

**Females**

**Males**

**Females**

****

40

0.32%

0.14%

0.44%

0.26%

41

0.33%

0.15%

0.45%

0.27%

42

0.34%

0.17%

0.47%

0.29%

43

0.37%

0.18%

0.50%

0.30%

44

0.39%

0.20%

0.53%

0.30%

45

0.42%

0.22%

0.57%

0.31%

46

0.46%

0.24%

0.61%

0.32%

47

0.50%

0.27%

0.65%

0.33%

48

0.54%

0.30%

0.69%

0.36%

49

0.58%

0.32%

0.73%

0.40%

50

0.63%

0.36%

0.78%

0.44%

51

0.69%

0.39%

0.82%

0.49%

52

0.76%

0.43%

0.88%

0.54%

53

0.83%

0.48%

0.95%

0.60%

54

0.91%

0.52%

1.02%

0.66%

55

1.00%

0.57%

1.10%

0.73%

56

1.09%

0.62%

1.19%

0.81%

57

1.20%

0.68%

1.29%

0.89%

58

1.32%

0.75%

1.39%

0.97%

59

1.46%

0.82%

1.50%

1.05%

60

1.59%

0.90%

1.62%

1.14%

61

1.73%

0.97%

1.75%

1.24%

62

1.88%

1.06%

1.89%

1.35%

63

2.04%

1.15%

2.05%

1.42%

64

2.21%

1.24%

2.22%

1.49%

65

2.40%

1.35%

2.41%

1.57%

66

2.59%

1.46%

2.61%

1.66%

67

2.79%

1.57%

2.83%

1.74%

68

3.03%

1.71%

3.04%

1.93%

69

3.30%

1.87%

3.27%

2.15%

70

3.61%

2.04%

3.52%

2.38%

71

3.95%

2.24%

3.78%

2.64%

72

4.31%

2.46%

4.07%

2.93%

73

4.69%

2.69%

4.39%

3.17%

74

5.08%

2.93%

4.74%

3.43%

75

5.49%

3.18%

5.12%

3.71%

76

5.94%

3.46%

5.53%

4.01%

77

6.43%

3.77%

5.97%

4.34%

78

6.97%

4.15%

6.50%

4.73%

79

7.58%

4.60%

7.07%

5.16%

80

8.28%

5.11%

7.69%

5.62%

Source:  *Compensation and Pension Program Liability for Future Benefits as of September 30, 1999 -*

**PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP, Table 11

**TABLE 5 - Rates of Newly Adjudicated Compensation Cases**

The following two tables provide information about newly adjudicated disability compensation awards to veterans.  In this table, the term “newly adjudicated” cases includes both initial first-time awards and subsequent award actions.

Table 5.1 shows the projected number of newly adjudicated compensation awards, in total and sorted by age and gender, for fiscal year 2000.  These projections come directly from the model used to estimate future liability.  The projected total of 80,549 additional awards corresponds with the fiscal year 2000 estimate of new compensation cases shown in Table 3 of the PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP report.  Approximately 1.2 million new awards are projected over the entire 70-year period through fiscal year 2069 (also shown in Table 3).

Table 5.2 presents the rates of disability compensation awards as percentages.  These percentages were the basis for determining the projected number of newly adjudicated awards in Table 5.1.  For example, the age 25 male disability rate of 2.24% means that this percentage of male veterans are likely to receive a new compensation award during the one-year period.

· Rates of newly adjudicated awards were developed based on compensation program experience for fiscal years 1995 through 1999.

· Data were not explicitly available by individual age and gender. The values had to be derived indirectly from the in-force and termination data that were available.

· Rates of new awards were then developed by dividing the derived number of new entrants by the number of living veterans not currently receiving compensation.

· These rates were then applied to the veteran population to arrive at estimates of new compensation awards for fiscal year 2000 and for future years.

**TABLE 5.1**

**Projected FY 2000 Newly Adjudicated Compensation Cases for Veterans**

****

****

****

****

****

****

****

****

**Age**

**Males**

**Females**

**Combined**

**Age**

**Males**

**Females**

**Combined**

****

17

14

3

17

57

901

25

926

18

27

6

33

58

732

20

752

19

35

7

42

59

652

16

668

20

82

13

95

60

615

14

629

21

269

39

308

61

563

11

574

22

698

93

791

62

537

9

546

23

1,125

154

1,279

63

539

8

547

24

1,365

209

1,574

64

555

7

562

25

1,395

255

1,650

65

593

6

599

26

1,346

314

1,660

66

639

5

644

27

1,277

362

1,639

67

707

5

712

28

1,306

371

1,677

68

656

4

660

29

1,376

367

1,743

69

644

3

647

30

1,411

367

1,778

70

585

3

588

31

1,315

333

1,648

71

516

2

518

32

1,202

287

1,489

72

562

2

564

33

1,214

280

1,494

73

636

2

638

34

1,211

271

1,482

74

661

2

663

35

1,275

275

1,550

75

675

3

678

36

1,268

269

1,537

76

659

5

664

37

1,295

266

1,561

77

682

5

687

38

1,448

295

1,743

78

643

5

648

39

1,658

337

1,995

79

575

4

579

40

1,963

369

2,332

80

485

2

487

41

2,105

365

2,470

81

389

2

391

42

2,478

399

2,877

82

316

1

317

43

2,255

394

2,649

83

204

1

205

44

1,983

366

2,349

84

122

1

123

45

1,748

333

2,081

85

60

1

61

46

1,499

286

1,785

86

22

0

22

47

1,464

246

1,710

87

23

0

23

48

1,457

194

1,651

88

16

0

16

49

1,701

165

1,866

89

11

0

11

50

2,072

136

2,208

90

7

0

7

51

2,217

103

2,320

91

4

0

4

52

2,562

91

2,653

92

3

0

3

53

2,377

73

2,450

93

2

0

2

54

1,580

46

1,626

94

1

0

1

55

1,262

37

1,299

95

0

0

0

56

1,042

30

1,072

96

0

0

0

**Total**

**71,569**

**8,980**

**80,549**

****

Source:  *Compensation and Pension Program Liability for Future Benefits as of September 30, 1999 -*

**PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP

**TABLE 5.2**

**Rates of Newly Adjudicated Compensation Cases for Veterans**

****

****

****

****

****

****

**Age**

**Males**

**Females**

**Age**

**Males**

**Females**

****

17

4.00%

5.00%

57

0.19%

0.21%

18

4.00%

5.00%

58

0.17%

0.18%

19

4.00%

5.00%

59

0.16%

0.15%

20

4.00%

5.00%

60

0.15%

0.13%

21

4.00%

5.00%

61

0.14%

0.11%

22

4.00%

5.00%

62

0.13%

0.09%

23

3.30%

4.64%

63

0.13%

0.08%

24

2.72%

4.30%

64

0.13%

0.07%

25

2.24%

3.99%

65

0.14%

0.06%

26

1.85%

3.70%

66

0.14%

0.05%

27

1.52%

3.43%

67

0.14%

0.04%

28

1.31%

2.80%

68

0.13%

0.04%

29

1.12%

2.28%

69

0.13%

0.03%

30

0.96%

1.86%

70

0.12%

0.03%

31

0.82%

1.52%

71

0.12%

0.02%

32

0.70%

1.24%

72

0.11%

0.02%

33

0.68%

1.16%

73

0.12%

0.02%

34

0.66%

1.08%

74

0.13%

0.02%

35

0.64%

1.01%

75

0.14%

0.02%

36

0.62%

0.95%

76

0.16%

0.02%

37

0.60%

0.88%

77

0.17%

0.02%

38

0.66%

0.94%

78

0.17%

0.02%

39

0.72%

1.00%

79

0.17%

0.02%

40

0.78%

1.07%

80

0.16%

0.01%

41

0.86%

1.13%

81

0.16%

0.01%

42

0.94%

1.21%

82

0.16%

0.01%

43

0.81%

1.17%

83

0.13%

0.01%

44

0.70%

1.14%

84

0.10%

0.01%

45

0.60%

1.11%

85

0.06%

0.01%

46

0.52%

1.08%

86

0.03%

0.01%

47

0.44%

1.05%

87

0.04%

0.01%

48

0.43%

0.92%

88

0.04%

0.01%

49

0.42%

0.80%

89

0.04%

0.01%

50

0.41%

0.70%

90

0.03%

0.00%

51

0.40%

0.61%

91

0.03%

0.00%

52

0.39%

0.54%

92

0.02%

0.00%

53

0.34%

0.44%

93

0.02%

0.00%

54

0.29%

0.37%

94

0.01%

0.00%

55

0.25%

0.31%

95

0.01%

0.00%

56

0.22%

0.25%

96

0.00%

0.00%

Source:  *Compensation and Pension Program Liability for Future Benefits as of September 30, 1999 -*

PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP, Table 13

**VBA REGIONAL OFFICE ADDRESSES**

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**ARKANSAS**VA Regional Office Ft. Roots, Building 65

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**CALIFORNIA**VA Regional OfficeOakland Federal Building1301 Clay Street - Suite 1300NOakland, CA 94612-5209 

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**COLORADO**VA Regional Office 155 Van Gordon St.Denver, CO 80225-0126

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**INDIANA**VA Regional Office575 North Pennsylvania StreetIndianapolis, IN 46204-1526

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**MINNESOTA**VA Regional Office

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**NORTH CAROLINA**VA Regional Office Federal Building251 North Main StreetWinston-Salem, NC 27155-1000

**NORTH DAKOTA**VA Medical & Regional Office Center2101 Elm StreetFargo, ND 58102-2417

**OHIO**VA Regional OfficeAnthony J. Celebreeze Federal Building1240 East Ninth StreetCleveland, OH 44199-2001

**OKLAHOMA**VA Regional Office Federal Building125 South Main StreetMuskogee, OK 74401-7025

**OREGON**VA Regional OfficeFederal Building1220 Southwest 3rd Avenue Room 1217Portland, OR 97204-2825

**PENNSYLVANIA**VA Regional Office and Insurance Center 5000 Wissahickon AvenuePhiladelphia, PA 19144-486

**PENNSYLVANIA**VA Regional Office 1000 Liberty AvenuePittsburgh, PA 15222-4004

**PHILIPPINES**U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs1131 Roxas Blvd.Manila, PI 1000

**PUERTO RICO**VA Regional Office 150 Carlos Chardon AvenueSan Juan, PR 00918-1746

**RHODE ISLAND**VA Regional Office 380 Westminster MallProvidence, RI 02903-3246

**SOUTH CAROLINA**VA Regional Office 1801 Assembly StreetColumbia, SC 29201-2495

**SOUTH DAKOTA**VA Medical and Regional Office Center 2501 W. 22nd Street

Sioux Falls, SD 57117-5046

**TENNESSEE**VA Regional Office 110 Ninth Avenue, SouthNashville, TN 37203-3817

**TEXAS**VA Regional Office 6900 Almeda RoadHouston, TX 77030-4200

**TEXAS**VA Regional Office One Veterans Plaza701 Clay AvenueWaco, TX 76799-0001

**UTAH**VA Regional Office Federal Bldg.125 South State St.Salt Lake City, UT 84147-0500

**VERMONT**VA Medical and Regional Office Center 215 N. Main StreetWhite River Junction, VT 05009-0001

**VIRGINIA**VA Regional Office 210 Franklin Road, SWRoanoke, VA 24011-2204

**WASHINGTON**VA Regional OfficeFederal Building915 Second AvenueSeattle, WA 98174-1060

**WEST VIRGINIA**VA Regional Office 640 4th AvenueHuntington, WV 25701-1340 

**WISCONSIN**VA Regional Office 5000 W. National Avenue - Bldg. 6Milwaukee, WI 53295-0006

**WYOMING**2360 E. Pershing Blvd.

Cheyenne, WY 82001

# Contacting VA by Telephone

## General Benefits

Disability Compensation, Pension, Vocational Rehabilitation, and Home Loans

1-800-827-1000 *

Education & Training

1-888-GI BILL 1 * 

(1-888-442-4551)

Burial, Headstones and Markers

1-800-697-6947 *

VA Life Insurance

1-800-669-8477 *

# Healthcare Benefits

Veterans Healthcare

1-800-827-1000 *

Veterans Healthcare in Canada

1-800-296-6379

Veterans Healthcare in Philippines

011-632-833-4566

Veterans Healthcare in all Other Countries

1-303-331-7590

National Mammography Helpline

1-888-492-7844 *

CHAMPVA

1-800-733-8387 *

# Miscellaneous

Telecommunication Device for the Deaf (TDD)

1-800-829-4833 *

Persian Gulf Hotline

1-800-PGW-VETS*

* Indicates toll-free numbers

**WEB SITES**

Web sites where additional information may be obtained about VA.

**VA Web Sites**

Board of Veterans’ Appeals

http://www.va.gov/vbs/bva/index.htm

Center for Minority Veterans

http://www.va.gov/minority/index.htm

Center for Women Veterans

http://www.va.gov/womenvet/index.htm

Compensation & Pension Benefits Home Page

http://www.vba.va.gov/bln/21/internet.htm

Education Benefits Home Page

http://www.gibill.va.gov

Health Benefits & Services

http://www.va.gov/vbs/health/index.htm

Home Loan Guaranty Service Home Page

http://www.homeloans.va.gov

Homeless Program Web Page

http://www.va.gov/health/homeless

Hot Topics

http://www.va.gov/hottopic/index.htm

Life Insurance Program Home Page

http://www.insurance.va.gov.

National Cemetery Administration Home Page

http://www.cem.va.gov

Public Affairs & Special Events

http://www.va.gov/opa/index.htm

VA Home Page – Department of Veterans Affairs

http://www.va.gov

VA’s Office of Congressional Affairs Home Page

http://www.va.gov/oca/index.htm

VBA Forms Page

http://www.vba.va.gov/pubs/forms1.htm 

Veterans Benefits Administration

http://www.vba.va.gov

Vocational Rehabilitation & Employment Services

http://www.vba.va.gov/bln/vre/vbsvre.htm

What’s New

http://www.va.gov/whatsnew/index.htm 

White House

http://www.whitehouse.gov

**Congressional Web Sites**

House Committee on Veterans’ Affairs

http://veterans.house.gov

House of Representatives

http://www.house.gov

Senate

http://www.senate.gov

Senate Committee on Veterans’ Affairs

http://www.senate.gov/~veterans

**White House Web Site**

White House

http://www.whitehouse.gov

# INDEX

A

## Page

Active Home Loan Guaranties - Beginning FY 2000

113

Active Home Loans Based on Gender - Beginning FY 2000

117

Active Loans Outstanding - Based on Age - Beginning FY 2000

116

Active Purchase Loans Based on Buyer Status - Beginning FY 2000

114

Active Purchase Loans by Downpayment Status - Beginning FY 2000

114

Addresses of Regional Offices

137

Age Distribution for Insurance Programs

110

Age Distribution of Active Home Loan Guaranties - Beginning FY 2000

116

Age Distribution of Borrower - Loans Guaranteed During FY 1999

47

Age Distribution of Children Receiving DIC - Beginning FY 2000

100

Age Distribution of Compensation Recipients - Beginning FY 2000

95

Age Distribution of Surviving Spouses Receiving Death Pension - Beginning FY 2000

103

Age Distribution of Surviving Spouses Receiving DIC - Beginning FY 2000

99

Age Distribution of Veterans Entitled to Vocational Training During FY 1999

52

Age Distribution of Veterans Receiving Pension - Beginning FY 2000

101

Age Distribution of Veterans Who Began Receiving Compensation During FY 1999

27

Age Distribution of Veterans Who Successfully Completed Vocational Training - FY 1999

71

Age Distribution of Vocational Training Applicants During FY 1999

51

Age Distribution of Vocational Training Program Participants During FY 1999

56

Age Distribution of VR&E Program Participants - Beginning FY 2000

120

Age of Children Who Began Receiving DIC During FY 1999

35

Age of Surviving Spouses Who Began Receiving Death Pension During FY 1999

39

Age of Surviving Spouses Who Began Receiving DIC During FY 1999

35

Age of Veterans Who Began Receiving Pension During FY 1999

37

Annual Earnings of Veterans Who Completed Rehabilitation Program During FY 1999

69

Annual Income of Eligible Borrower - Loans Guaranteed During FY 1999

47

Applications for a Program of Rehabilitation Services

50

Applications for Compensation by Number of Disabilities Claimed for FY 1999

14

B

Beneficiaries Leaving the Rolls for All Benefits Programs During FY 1999

60

Beneficiaries Receiving Education Benefits - Beginning FY 2000

105

Beneficiaries Who Began Receiving Benefits for Training During FY 1999

12

Beneficiaries Who Began Receiving Death Pension During FY 1999

38

Beneficiaries Who Began Receiving DIC During FY 1999

33

Beneficiaries Who Began Receiving DIC During FY 1999 - By Relationship

34

Beneficiaries Who Began Receiving Education Benefits During FY 1999

39

Beneficiaries Who Began Receiving Ongoing Monthly Benefits During FY 1999

11

Beneficiaries Who Obtained Coverage - Programs that Constitute Potential Liabilities - FY 1999

12

Beneficiaries Whose Educational Assistance Terminated During FY 1999

65

Benefits Programs In Brief

4

Benefits that Constitute Potential Liabilities at the Beginning of FY 2000

76

Benefits that Ended During FY 1999

60

Body System - Most Common Service Connected Disabilities - Began Receiving FY 1999

23

Branch of Service - Original Service Connected Claims Granted During FY 1999

29

Branch of Service - Veterans Who Successfully Completed Vocational Training FY 1999

72

Branch of Service - VR&E Program Participants - Beginning FY 2000

121

Business Beginning of Fiscal Year 2000

75

Business During FY 1999

11

Buyer Status of Loans Guaranteed During FY 1999

45

C

Characteristics of Home Loan Guaranties - Beginning FY 2000

114

Characteristics of Home Loan Guaranties During FY 1999

44

Characteristics of the Training Being Pursued - Began Using During FY 1999

40

Characteristics of Training Being Pursued by Beneficiaries - Beginning FY 2000

105

Children Who Began Receiving DIC During FY 1999

34

## Page

Combined Degree of Disability - Participants of Vocational Training Program During FY 1999

55

Combined Degree of Disability - Total Veterans - Beginning FY 2000

77

Combined Degree of Disability - Veterans Entitled to Vocational Training During FY 1999

51

Combined Degree of Disability - Vocational Training Applications During FY 1999

50

Combined Percent of Disability - Compensation Recipients - Beginning FY 2000

96

Compensation Program - In Brief

4

Compensation Program Liability

124

Conditions Claimed & Disabilities for Which Compensation is Being Paid

13

Contacting VA by Telephone

141

D

Death Rates

131

Death Rates - TABLE - Comparison - U.S. Population and Veteran Compensation Experience

132

Delimiting Date - Educational Assistance Terminated - FY 1999

65

Demographic Characteristics - Veterans Participating in a VR&E Program - Beginning FY 2000

119

Demographic Characteristics of Beneficiaries Receiving Death Pension - Beginning FY 2000

103

Demographic Characteristics of Beneficiaries Who Began Receiving DIC During FY 1999

34

Demographic Characteristics of DIC/Death Compensation Beneficiaries - Beginning FY 2000

97

Demographic Characteristics of Participants Who Completed Vocational Training - FY 1999

70

Demographic Characteristics of People Who Obtained Home Loan Guaranties During FY 1999

46

Demographic Characteristics of People with Active Guarantied Home Loans

115

Demographic Characteristics of Policyholders

110

Demographic Characteristics of Surviving Spouses Who Began Receiving Pension - FY 1999

38

Demographic Characteristics of Veterans Participating in Vocational Training Program - FY 1999

55

Demographic Characteristics of Veterans Receiving Compensation - Beginning  FY 2000

95

Demographic Characteristics of Veterans Receiving Disability Pension - Beginning FY 2000

101

Demographic Characteristics of Veterans Who Began Receiving Pension During FY 1999

37

Demographic Characteristics of Veterans with Service-Connected Disabilities

27

Dependency Status - Surviving Spouses Receiving DIC - Beginning  FY 2000

99

Dependency Status - VR&E Participants - Beginning FY 2000

122

Dependency Status of Veterans Who Completed Vocational Training Program FY 1999

71

Dependency Status of Vocational Training Program Participants During FY 1999

58

Dependents Educational Assistance Program (DEA)

6

Direct Loans to Native American Veterans During FY 1999

44

Direct Loans to Native American Veterans Program

113

Disabilities Most Frequently Service-Connected - Began FY 1999

26

Discounted Estimated Future Benefit Payments - TABLE - FY 2000 - FY 2070 and Later

128

Discounted Estimated Future Compensation Payments

127

Disposition of Home Loan Guaranties Terminated During FY 1999

67

Distribution of Active Home Loans Based on Gender - Beginning FY 2000

117

Distribution of Active Purchase Loan Guaranties by Race – Beginning FY 2000

116

Distribution of New Loan Guaranties by “First Time Buyer” Status

45

Distribution of Training Time and Program - Beneficiaries Who Began Using Benefits - FY 1999

40

Downpayment Status - Active Purchase Loans - Beginning FY 2000

114

Downpayment Status - Loans Guaranteed During FY 1999

44

E

Education – In Brief

5

Employment Services - Preparing and Searching for a Suitable Job

59

Entitlement Exhausted - Educational Assistance Terminated - FY 1999

65

Estimate of Compensation Program Liability as of September 30, 1999

124

Estimated Future Benefit Payments

125

Estimated Future Benefit Payments (Regular Monthly Benefits) - TABLE - FY2000  - FY 2069

126

Estimated Future Benefit Payments for FY 2000  - FY 2069

124

Evaluation for Entitlement for a Program of Rehabilitation Services

51

F

First Time Buyer Status - Home Loan Guaranties – Beginning FY 2000

114

Forecasting Program Liabilities

123

G

## Page

Gender Distribution - Active Home Loans - Beginning FY 2000

117

Gender Distribution - Participants in a Vocational Training Program - Beginning FY 2000

119

Gender Distribution - Pre- and Post-Training Annual Earnings During FY 1999

69

Gender Distribution - VR&E Program Participants - Beginning FY 2000

120

Gender Distribution of Veterans Entitled to Vocational Training During FY 1999

52

Gender Distribution of Veterans Granted Service Connection During FY 1999

28

Gender Distribution of Veterans Participating in Vocational Training Program During FY 1999

55

Gender Distribution of Veterans Who Completed Vocational Program During FY 1999

70

Gender Distribution of Vocational Training Applicants During FY 1999

50

Gender Distribution of Vocational Training Program Participants During FY 1999

56

Government Life Insurance - In Brief

7

Grants and Denials by Individual Disabilities Claimed During FY 1999

31

Grants and Denials for Service-Connected Disability Claims During FY 1999

31

H

Highlights of Veterans Benefits History

3

History - Highlights of Veterans Benefits

3

Home Loan Guaranty - In Brief

8

Home Loan Guaranty Entitlements - Summary

9

Home Loans Guaranteed During FY 1999

43

Home Loans Guaranteed During FY 1999 Based on Age

47

Home Loans Guaranteed During FY 1999 Based on Annual Income

47

I

Individual SC Disabilities by Body System and Degree of Disability - Beginning FY 2000

80

Individual Service-Connected Disabilities by Body System

17

Insurance Coverage Issued During FY 1999

41

Insurance Payments (Dividends, Loans, and Disability Payments) Made During FY 1999

42

Insurance Payments During FY 1999 - Death Claims, Matured Endowment, and Cash Surrender

66

Insurance Payments Made on a Monthly Basis - Beginning FY 2000

108

Insurance Policies In  Force - Beginning FY 2000

107

Introduction to VBA and Its Benefits Programs

1

L

Length of Service - Original Service-Connected Claims Granted During FY 1999

30

Length of Service - Veterans Who Successfully Completed Vocational Program FY 1999

73

Length of Service - Vocational Training Program Participants During FY 1999

57

Length of Service - VR&E Program Participants - Beginning FY 2000

121

Liability for Future Compensation Benefits

124

Life Insurance - Coverage Established During FY 1999

41

Life Insurance - In Brief

7

Life Insurance Policies Paid Off During FY 1999

66

Life Insurance Policies that Lapsed During FY 1999

67

Life Insurance Programs that Issue Coverage

8

Life Insurance Programs that No Longer Issue Coverage

7

Loan Guaranty - In Brief

8

Loans Guaranteed During FY 1999 Based on Age

47

Loans Guaranteed During FY 1999 Based on Annual Income

47

Loans Guaranteed During FY 1999 by Period of Service or Entitlement

46

M

Marital Status of Parents Who Began Receiving DIC During FY 1999

36

Marital Status of Surviving Parents - DIC Recipients - Beginning FY 2000

100

Military Branch & Component - SGLI Coverage

111

Mission Statement

1

Montgomery GI Bill - Active Duty (MGIB)

6

Montgomery GI Bill - Selected Reserve (MGIB-SR)

6

Monthly Benefits During Training at the Beginning of FY 2000

75

Most Common Reasons Compensation Payments Ended During FY 1999

61

Most Common Reasons Death Pension Payments Ended During FY 1999

64

## Page

Most Common Reasons DIC and Death Compensation Payments Ended During FY 1999

62

Most Common Reasons Disability Pension Payments Ended During FY 1999

63

Most Prevalent Disabilities  - Peacetime Periods 

94

Most Prevalent Disabilities - Gulf War Era 

93

Most Prevalent Disabilities - Korean War 

91

Most Prevalent Disabilities - Vietnam Era 

92

Most Prevalent Disabilities - WWII 

90

Most Prevalent Service-Connected Disabilities – Beginning of FY 2000

89

Most Prevalent Service-Connected Disabilities by Body System - Began Receiving FY 1999

22

Most Prevalent Service-Connected Disabilities within Body Systems - Beginning FY 2000

85

N

Number of Beneficiaries Receiving Death Pension - Beginning FY 2000

103

Number of Beneficiaries Receiving DIC/Death Compensation - Beginning FY 2000

97

Number of Disabilities Determined to Be Service-Connected During FY 1999

14

Number of Disabilities Per Claim - FY 1999

14

Number of Individual Service-Connected Disabilities – Beginning FY 2000

78

Number of Original and Subsequent Compensation Claims During FY 1999

31

Number of Policyholders and Value of Coverage - Beginning FY 2000

107

Number of SGLI Members Covered in $10,000 Increments

112

Number of Veterans Receiving Disability Pension - Beginning FY 2000

101

Number of Veterans Who Began Receiving Compensation During FY 1999

13

Number of Veterans Who Received Employment Services During FY 1999

59

Number of Vocational Training Program Training Plans Developed During FY 1999

53

O

Occupational Category - Pre and Post-Training Annual Earnings During FY 1999

69

Occupational Goals and Training Activities - Vocational Training Program - During FY 1999

54

Occupational Goals/Training Activities - Participants in VR&E Program - Beginning FY 2000

118

Ongoing Monthly Benefits at the Beginning of FY 2000

75

Original and Subsequent Claims

30

Original and Subsequent Compensation Claims During FY 1999

31

Original Service-Connected Claims Granted During FY 1999 by Branch of Service

29

Original Service-Connected Claims Granted During FY 1999 by Length of Service

30

Original Service-Connected Claims Granted During FY 1999 by Period of Service

29

Outstanding Home Loans Based on Age - Beginning FY 2000

116

P

Parents Receiving DIC by Marital Status - Beginning FY 2000

100

Parents Who Began Receiving DIC During FY 1999

34

Parents Who Began Receiving DIC During FY 1999 by Marital Status

36

Participants - VR&E Programs During FY 1999

49

Participants of Vocational Training Program with Serious Employment Handicap During FY 1999

56

Participating in a Program of Rehabilitation Services

53

Pension - In Brief

5

Percentage of Grants & Denials of Original Claims for Service-Connection - During FY 1999

32

Period of Service - Compensation Recipients – Beginning FY 2000

96

Period of Service - Original Service Connected Claims Granted During FY 1999

29

Period of Service - Veterans Who Successfully Completed Vocational Training FY 1999

74

Period of Service - VR&E Program Participants - Beginning FY 2000

121

Period of Service Distribution – DIC/Death Compensation Beneficiaries - Beginning FY 2000

97

Period of Service Distribution of Death Pension Recipients - Beginning FY 2000

104

Period of Service Distribution of Veterans Receiving Pension - Beginning FY 2000

102

Period of Service or Entitlement - Active Home Loans - Beginning FY 2000

115

Period of Service or Entitlement - Loans Guaranteed During FY 1999

46

Planning a Program of Rehabilitation Services

53

Policies that Lapsed During FY 1999 - Life Insurance

67

Policies that were Paid Off During FY 1999 - Life Insurance

66

Post-Vietnam Era Veterans’ Educational Assistance Program (VEAP)

5

Pre- and Post Training Annual Earnings by Gender

69

## Page

Pre- and Post-Training Annual Earnings - Vocational Rehabilitation Program - FY 1999

69

Prior Education Level - VR&E Program Participants - Beginning FY 2000

122

Prior Education Level of Vocational Training Program Participants During FY 1999

58

Prior Educational Level of Veterans Who Completed Vocational Training During FY 1999

71

Prior Use of VA Education Benefits - VR&E Program Participants - Beginning FY 2000

122

Prior Use of VA Educational Benefits - Participants Vocational Training Program - FY 1999

58

Programs that Constitute Potential Liabilities -  Obtained Coverage During FY 1999

12

Programs that Pay Monthly Benefits During Training - Beginning FY 2000

75

Projected FY 2000 Newly Adjudicated Compensation Cases  - TABLE - Age & Gender

134

Purchase Loans Guaranteed During FY 1999 Based on Buyer Status

45

Purchase Loans Guaranteed During FY 1999 by Downpayment Status

44

Purchase Loans Vs. Refinance Loans – Beginning FY 2000

113

Purpose of VBA’s Annual Benefits Report

1

R

Race Distribution of Borrower - Loans Guaranteed During FY 1999

48

Race Distribution of Veterans Granted Service Connection During FY 1999

28

Race Information - Active Purchase Loans - Beginning FY 2000

116

Ranking Among Commercial Life Insurance Companies`

109

Ranking of Individual Service-Connected Disabilities by Body System - Began Receiving FY 1999

17

Ranking of Individual Service-Connected Disabilities by Body System - Beginning FY 2000

79

Rates of Newly Adjudicated Compensation Cases

133

Rates of Newly Adjudicated Compensation Cases for Veterans - TABLE - Age & Gender

135

Reasons Compensation Payments Ended During FY 1999

61

Reasons Death Pension Payments Ended During FY 1999

64

Reasons Disability Pension Payments Ended During FY 1999

63

Reasons Service-Connected Death Benefits Ended During FY 1999

62

Reasons Vocational Rehabilitation Program Ended During FY 1999

68

Rehabilitation of Veterans with Service-Connected Disabilities

49

Relationship of Beneficiaries Who Began Receiving DIC During FY 1999

34

Relationship to Veteran - DIC Beneficiaries - Beginning FY 2000

99

S

Serious Employment Handicap - Veterans Entitled to Vocational Training During FY 1999

53

Serious Employment Handicap - Veterans Who Completed Training During FY 1999

68

Serious Employment Handicap - VR&E Training Program Participants - Beginning FY 2000

120

Service Connected Disabilities by Combined Percent - Began Receiving During FY 1999

15

Service Period of Veterans Entitled to Vocational Training During FY 1999

52

Service Period of Vocational Training Program Participants During FY 1999

57

Service-Connected Disabilities by Body Systems

17

Service-Connected Disabilities-by Percent and Body System-Began Receiving FY 1999

18

Service-Connected Disability Compensation by Percentage During FY 1999

32

Service-Connected Disability Grants and Denials by Individual Disability During FY 1999

31

SGLI Coverage

111

SGLI Coverage in $10,000 Increments

112

Special Adapted Housing Grants and Direct Loans to Native American Veterans During FY 1999

44

Summary of Active Accounts for All Benefits Programs - Beginning FY 2000

75

Summary of Beneficiaries Entering All Benefits Program Rolls During FY 1999

11

Surviving Spouses Who Began Receiving Death Pension by Program During FY 1999

39

Surviving Spouses Who Began Receiving DIC During FY 1999

34

T

Table 1 - Estimated Future Benefit Payments

125

Table 2 - Discounted Estimated Future Compensation Payments

127

Table 3 - Veterans Receiving Compensation

129

Table 4 - Death Rates

131

Table 5 - Rates of Newly Adjudicated Compensation Cases

133

Telephone Numbers - General Benefits, Healthcare Benefits, Miscellaneous

141

The 20 Most Prevalent Service-Connected Disabilities - Beginning FY 2000

89

The Future - Forecasting Program Liabilities

123

## Page

Training Plans Developed During FY 1999 - VR&E Program

53

Training Time and Program - Beginning FY 2000

106

Training Time Distribution - Beneficiaries Who Began Receiving Education Benefits - FY 1999

40

Training Type and Program for Beneficiaries Who Began Using Education Benefits - FY 1999

40

Type of Training - Participants in a Vocational Training Program - Beginning FY 2000

119

Type of Training Activity by Gender - Vocational Training During FY 1999

70

Type of Training and Program - Beginning FY 2000

105

Type of Training Distribution - Beneficiaries Who Began Receiving Education Benefits - FY 1999

40

Type of Training Distribution - Vocational Training Program During FY 1999

55

Types of Home Loans Guaranteed During FY 1999

43

V

VA Web Sites

143

VBA Regional Office Addresses

137

Veteran Participants - VR&E Programs - Beginning FY 2000

118

Veterans Ending Participation in a Vocational Training Program During FY 1999

68

Veterans Entitled to Vocational Training with a Serious Employment Handicap During FY 1999

53

Veterans Participating in a Vocational Training Program by Branch of Service During FY 1999

57

Veterans Participating in a Vocational Training Program by Dependency Status During FY 1999

58

Veterans Participating in a Vocational Training Program by Length of Service During FY 1999

57

Veterans Participating in a Vocational Training Program by Period of Service During FY 1999

57

Veterans Receiving Compensation as of September 30, 1999 - TABLE - by Age & Gender

130

Veterans Receiving Compensation Benefits at the Beginning of FY 2000

77

Veterans Receiving Compensation by Combined Percent - Beginning FY 2000

78

Veterans Receiving Service-Connected Benefits by Period of Service – Beginning FY 2000

77

Veterans Who Began Receiving Disability Pension During FY 1999

36

Veterans with a Serious Employment Handicap Who Completed Training During FY 1999

68

Vision Statement

1

Vocational Rehabilitation and Employment - In Brief

10

Vocational Rehabilitation and Employment Participants During FY 1999

49

Vocational Rehabilitation Program Terminations During FY 1999

68

Vocational Training Applicants During FY 1999 - by Combined Degree of Disability

50

Vocational Training Applicants During FY 1999 - by Gender

50

Vocational Training Program by Occupational Goal - Beginning FY 2000

118

Vocational Training Program by Type of Training and Gender - Beginning FY 2000

119

Vocational Training Program Participants - Prior Education Level

58

Vocational Training Program Participants by Occupational Goal During FY 1999

54

VR&E Program Participants - Beginning FY 2000

118

VR&E Program Participants - by Age - Beginning FY 2000

120

VR&E Program Participants - by Branch of Service - Beginning FY 2000

121

VR&E Program Participants - by Dependency Status - Beginning FY 2000

122

VR&E Program Participants - by Gender - Beginning FY 2000

120

VR&E Program Participants - by Length of Service - Beginning FY 2000

121

VR&E Program Participants - by Period of Service - Beginning FY 2000

121

VR&E Program Participants - by Prior Education Level - Beginning FY 2000

122

VR&E Program Participants - by Prior Use of VA Benefits - Beginning FY 2000

122

VR&E Program Participants with Serious Employment Handicap - Beginning FY 2000

120

W

Web Sites

143

� Veterans benefits were not authorized for veterans of the Confederacy until 1958.

� Source:  The Veterans Benefits Administration: An Organizational History 1776 - 1994

� “Just as D-Day was the greatest military action in our history, so the “G.I. Bill was arguably the greatest investment in our people in American history.”  President William J. Clinton, Washington DC, June 22, 1994.

� Public Law 105-178, amended 38 U.S.C. 1311, effective October 1, 1998, to reinstate eligibility to a surviving spouse of a veteran whose remarriage after the veteran’s death is terminated by death, divorce, or annulment and to a surviving spouse of a veteran who ceases living with another person and holding himself or herself out openly to the public as that person's spouse.

� A “kicker” is an additional monetary contribution paid by the military under certain circumstances.

� Public Law 106-117, signed on November 30, 1999, restores entitlement if a surviving spouse’s remarriage has been terminated by death or divorce.

� This level of detail was not available prior to introduction of the RBA system.  Claims processing data generated by the current systems (i.e., the legacy systems) provide only general information about the number of claimed disabilities (1 to 7 disabilities or 8 or more).  RBA data will give a clearer picture for managing the claims process.

� Service connection at zero percent entitles the veteran to medical treatment for the condition through the Veterans Health Administration.

� Combined disability evaluation is explained below the following table.

� 38 CFR, Part 4 provides several diagnostic codes used in the evaluation of disabilities associated with scars.  These include the following:  7800 - Disfiguring scars to the head, face, or neck; 7801 - Scars from 3rd degree burns; 7802 - Scars from 2nd degree burns; 7803 - Superficial scars which are poorly nourished with repeated ulceration; 7804 - Superficial scars which are tender and painful on objective demonstration.  Other scars not covered under the above criteria are evaluated under diagnostic code 7805.

� See footnote on page 23

� These data do not include designations of Peacetime service.

� Servicemembers, reservists, surviving spouses, and spouses of POW/MIA servicemembers are also eligible under certain circumstances.

� Because information in three of the four FY 1999 quarterly RCS 20-0243 reports was significantly understated, the data in the following table are estimates based upon an extrapolation of the data for the third quarter (June 1999).

� The Death Compensation program preceded the DIC program.  Basic entitlement, generally, exists for a surviving spouse, child/children, and/or parents if the veteran died before January 1, 1957.  

� Because information in three of the four FY 1999 quarterly RCS 20-0243 reports was significantly understated, the data in the following table are estimates based upon an extrapolation of the data for the third quarter (June 1999).

� Because information in three of the four FY 1999 quarterly RCS 20-0243 reports was significantly understated, the data in the following table are estimates based upon an extrapolation of the data for the third quarter (June 1999).

� Because information in three of the four FY 1999 quarterly RCS 20-0243 reports was significantly understated, the data in the following table are estimates based upon an extrapolation of the data for the third quarter (June 1999).

� See footnote on page 23

� See footnote on page 23

� See footnote on page 23

� See footnote on page 23

� See footnote on page 23

� See footnote on page 23

� See footnote on page 23

�  The Denver Regional Office serves the state of Wyoming.  The local address provided is for the Benefits Office.

**12**