Last updated on April 4th, 2023
43. The amount of female veterans is projected to double by 2045, bringing it to around 18 percent.
44. A 2017 survey by the Pew Research Center showed that 75 percent of Americans claimed that they would increase veterans’ services and benefits, if they controlled the federal budget.
45. As of 2020, the veteran population in California, Texas and Florida surpassed one million. States who had the most veterans, around 10 percent of the population, were Virginia, Wyoming, Alaska, Hawaii, Montana and Maine.
46. Military service members typically have more education than those who do not enlist. The National Conference of State Legislatures stated that 37.1 percent of veterans had an associate’s degree or finished some college, while 27.7 percent had a bachelor’s degree or a higher education.
47. The National Coalition for Homeless Veterans concluded that over 40,000 veterans have no homes, comprising nearly 11 percent of the unhoused adult population. Younger veterans are more likely to be homeless, along with Vietnam War era veterans, who make up almost half of the total.
48. Mental illness in veterans is off the charts. The RAND Center for Military Health Policy Research stated in 2008 that about one-fifth of Iraq or Afghanistan war veterans suffered from post-traumatic stress or major depression. Around 7 percent of those affected also reported enduring a traumatic brain injury.
49. The final surviving World War I veteran was Frank Buckles, who had joined the Army in 1917 at the age of 16. He served near the front lines in Europe, driving motorcycles and ambulances, before going on to serve in World War II. There, he was taken prisoner by Japanese forces and spent three years under armed guard in the Philippines.
50. Today, Veterans Day is an emotional reminder of those who put their lives on the line for the country — but it is also one of the most popular days for shopping. Numerous stores offer huge discounts for soldiers and veterans.