Employment Situation of Employment Situation of

Veterans 2009

Submitted with the Statement of

Philip L Rones Philip

L. Rones

Deputy Commissioner

Bureau of Labor Statistics

bf h e

fore t

h

e

Subcommittee on Economic Opportunity

of the House Committee on Veterans’ Affairs

April 15, 2010

Statement available online at Statement available online athttp://www.bls.gov/cps/demographics.h
Where do the data come from?

 The data are collected as part of the Current 

The data are collected as part of the Current 

Survey (CPS). The CPS is a monthly survey 60,000 households.

 The CPS is a joint program between the Bure

Statistics (BLS) and the Census Bureau.

 It is the source of civilian employment and 

unemployment data, including the national unemployment data, including the national

unemployment rate.

 Q ti i l d d i th th t id 

Questions are inclu

d

e

d in the survey th

a

t ide

veterans and their period of service (when th
Who are veterans?

 Veterans are men and women who served on 

are men and women who served on 

duty in the U.S. Armed Forces and were civilthe time of the survey. Members of the Rese

National Guard are counted as veterans if thNational Guard are counted as veterans if th

ever been called to active duty.

 Nonveterans are men and women who have 

served on active duty in the U.S. military.
Periods of Service

 Labor force statistics are available by these p

Labor force statistics are available by these p

service:

Gulf War era II = Sept. 2001- present 

Gulf War era I = Aug. 1990 - Aug. 20Vietnam era = Aug. 1964 - April 19Korean War Korean War = July 1950 July 1950 - Jan 195

Jan. 195

World War II = Dec. 1941- Dec. 194Other service periods = All other time peri

“Other service periods” are the dates between 

May 1975 - July 1990, Jan. 1947 - June 1Feb. 1955 - July 1964, Nov. 1941 or earlie

NOTE: The CPS monthly survey does not identify where a veteran served.
Data on veterans are available monthly fr

Current Population Survey (CPS) Veterans data are published monthly in the Veterans data are published monthly in the Employment Situation news release. Additional tables are available from BLS on to

as:

 Age, sex, race, and Hispanic ethnicity

 Occupation and industry Full or part Full or part

-time status time status

 Class of worker (private, government, self

unpaid family worker)

 Duration of unemployment
Additional data are available from t

veterans supplement Collected every 2 years since 1985; conducte

Collected every

2 years since 1985; conducte

annually beginning in 2009. (August 2009, JuAugust 2011, August 2012).

 Co-sponsored by the Veterans’ Employment 

Training Service (VETS) and the Department Veterans Affairs 

( ) VA

). 

 Provides additional information about vetera

as presence and rating of service as presence and rating of service

-connected connected

disability, Reserve or National Guard status, aservice in a combat or war zone.
E l Si i f V Employment Situation o

f

Vetera

Characteristics of veter
Chart 1. Of the 22 million veterans, the la

group is from WWII Korean War and Vie

Gulf War-era II 

group is from WWII, Korean War, and Vie

veterans (8.7%)

Gulf War-era veterans (13 

Other service periods (26.8%)

veterans (13

WWII, Korean War, and Vietnam-era veterans (51.3%) veterans (51.3%)

NOTE: Gulf War-era II veterans served anywhere on active duty since September 2001. Gulf Wserved anywhere between August 1990 and August 2001. SOURCE: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Population Survey, annual averages 2009
Chart 2. Most veterans are men

Percent of total

8 3

90 18

100

WomenMen

607080

92 97

82

304050

0

102030

Veterans WWII, Korean War,

and Vietnam era

Gulf War-era II

veterans

SOURCE: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Population Survey, annual averages 2009
Chart 3. Overall, veterans are older than no

Percent of total

3540

Veterans Nonveterans

25

20

2530

11

17

14

19 19 20

15 14 20

1

7

5

10

0

18-24 25-34 35-44 45-54 55-64 

SOURCE: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Population Survey, annual averages 2009

Age
Chart 4. Most Gulf War-era II veterans ar

35 years old 35 years old

Percent of total

49

455055

Gulf War-era II veteransNonveteran

s

30354045

16 16

14 15

19 19 20

14 

202530

4

14 14 

5

1015

0

18-24 25-34 35-44 45-54 55-64 

SOURCE: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Population Survey, annual averages 2009

Age
Chart 5. Among men, veterans age 18-24 

somewhat more likel

y than nonveterans t

employed

Employed as a percent of population

78.5

85.0

77.0

80.6

83.6

80.8

8090 Male veterans 

62.0 59.9

67.6

55.9

5060703040501020

0

18-24 25-34 35-44 45-54 55-64 

SOURCE: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Population Survey, annual averages 2009

Age
Chart 6. Women of similar ages are emplo

about the same rates about the same rates

Employed as a percent of population

66.5

75.2 74.3

68.6 70.4 71.4 70

80

Female veterans Fe

55.8 53.9 56.4 55.4

5060

3040

1020

0

18-24 25-34 35-44 45-54 55-64 

SOURCE: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Population Survey, annual averages 2009

Age
Chart 7. WWII, Korean War, and Vietnam

veterans tend to have lower em

py 

lo

yment 

largely reflecting their age

Employed as a percent of population

75.0

81.0

708090

50.1

5060

70

35.4

203040

0

10

Veterans, all Gulf War era II Gulf War era I WWII, Korean 

service periods War, and Vietnam

era

SOURCE: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Population Survey, annual averages 2009
Chart 8. Emp y lo ment varies little by comb

Employed as a percent of population

75.0

80.1

75.0

83.2

8090

Combat veterans Noncombat veterans

43.9

51.4 

506070

29.1

36.1

203040

0

10

Veterans, all Gulf War era II Gulf War era I WWII, Korean 

service periods War, and Vietnam

era

NOTE: Combat or war zone status was not reported for about 1 in 6 veterans.SOURCE: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Population Survey, annual averages 2009
Chart 9. Male veterans and female vetera

similar unemployment rates by period of similar unemployment rates by period of 

Unemployment rate

9.9

10.

11.5

1012 Men Women

8.1 8.0 

68402

Veterans Gulf War-era II veterans N

NOTE: The unemployment rates of male and female Gulf War-era II veterans are similar. The ufemale Gulf War-era II veterans is based on a relatively small sample. Small samples have largSOURCE: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Population Survey, annual averages 2009
Chart 10. Among veterans who served som

since August 1990, there is little differencunemployment rates of those with or with

Unemployment rate

unemployment rates of those with or with

service-connected disability

10.4

9 1

11.4

9 1

1012

9.1 9.1

68402

Disabled, total Less than 30 30 to 50 

percent 60 

percent or 

percent disabled

p

disabled

p

higher disabled

Service-connected disability status

SOURCE: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Population Survey, August 2009 veterans supplement
Chart 11. Among veterans who served som

since August 1990, those with a service-codisability are less likely to be employed th

Employed as a percent of population

disability are less likely to be employed th

without a service-connected disability

70.7

77.3 75.7

708090

55.8

5060

70203040

0

10

Disabled, total Less than 30 30 to 50 

percent 60 

percent or 

percent disabled

p

disabled

p

higher disabled

Service-connected disability status

SOURCE: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Population Survey, August 2009 veterans supplement
Chart 12. 1 of 5 employed disabled veter

works for the Federal government works for the Federal government

Percent of employed

12.2 13.8 12.4

8.1 9.8 6.6

80

100 

7.6 19.9

60

2.1

77.5

68.9

61.1

40

0

20

Nonveterans Nondisabled veterans Disabled veterans

NOTE: “Other workers” includes persons employed in agriculture, the unincorporated self-emplo

workers. Totals may not add to 100 percent because of rounding. SOURCE: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Population Survey, August 2009 veterans supplem
Chart 13. Current or past members of the R

National Guard have higher employment ralower unemployment rates than veterans wlower unemployment rates than veterans w

were members of the Reserve or National 

Gulf War-era II veterans, Gulf War-era II vet

100

Au

gust 2009

Employed as a percent of population

Au

gust 2009

13 

16

Unemployment rate

77.2 73.2

6080

10.6

13

10121416

2040

2468

0

Current or past 

member of the 

Reserve or 

National Guard

Never a member 

of the Reserve or 

National Guard

02

Current or past 

member of the 

Reserve or 

National Guard

Never a 

of the Re

Nationa

SOURCE: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Population Survey, August 2009 veterans supplem

National Guard National Guard
Further information is availab

http://www bls gov/cps/demographics htmhttp://www.bls.gov/cps/demographics.htm

or by calling (202) 691-6378