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A veteran () is a person who has significant experience (and is usually adept and esteemed) and expertise in an occupation or
field Field may refer to: Expanses of open ground * Field (agriculture), an area of land used for agricultural purposes * Airfield, an aerodrome that lacks the infrastructure of an airport * Battlefield * Lawn, an area of mowed grass * Meadow, a grass ...
. A military veteran is a person who is no longer serving in the
armed forces A military, also known collectively as armed forces, is a heavily armed, highly organized force primarily intended for warfare. Militaries are typically authorized and maintained by a sovereign state, with their members identifiable by a ...
. A topic of interest for researchers has been the health of military personnel after leaving the military, particularly those who served in combat areas. This concern stems from veterans in countries like the US and Australia, being disproportionately over-represented in psychological and substance abuse disorders relative to the general population. In Australia, the Department of Veterans' Affairs provides a
proactive Proactivity or proactive behavior refers to self-initiated behavior that endeavours to solve a problem before it has occurred. Proactive behavior involves acting in advance of a future situation, rather than reacting. It refers to taking control ...
service to address 'real life' health care problems in the veteran community.


Public attitude towards veterans

Military veterans often receive special treatment in their respective countries. War veterans are generally treated with great respect and honour, although negative feelings towards veterans may be held in certain situations: veterans of unpopular or lost conflicts may be discriminated against. In some countries (e.g., Germany after 1945), veterans are neither honoured in any special way by the general public, nor have their dedicated
Veterans Day Veterans Day (originally known as Armistice Day) is a federal holiday in the United States observed annually on November 11, for honoring military veterans of the United States Armed Forces. It coincides with holidays in several countries, i ...
, although events are sometimes orchestrated by minority groups. The way veterans are portrayed in the media is likely to contribute to public attitudes. A small scale survey in 2020 indicated several ways in which veterans themselves feel that their representation in the media could be improved, by avoiding certain
stereotype In social psychology, a stereotype is a generalization, generalized belief about a particular category of people. It is an expectation that people might have about every person of a particular group. The type of expectation can vary; it can ...
s. Many countries have longstanding traditions, ceremonies, and holidays to honour their veterans. In Commonwealth member states,
Remembrance Day Remembrance Day (also known as Poppy Day owing to the tradition of wearing a remembrance poppy) is a memorial day observed in Commonwealth of Nations, Commonwealth member states since the end of the First World War to honour armed forces me ...
is held on November the 11th and is focused mostly on the veterans who died in service. A red or white
Poppy A poppy is a flowering plant in the subfamily Papaveroideae of the family Papaveraceae. Poppies are herbaceous plants, often grown for their colourful flowers. One species of poppy, '' Papaver somniferum'', is the source of the narcotic drug ...
is worn on the lapel (for remembrance or for peace, respectively) in the weeks up to the date, and wreaths and flowers laid at memorials to the dead. In Russia, a tradition was established after
World War II World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...
where newly married couples would on their wedding day visit a
military cemetery A war grave is a burial place for members of the armed forces or civilians who died during military campaigns or operations. Definition The term "war grave" does not only apply to graves: ships sunk during wartime are often considered to ...
. In France, for instance, those wounded in war are given the first claim on any seat on
public transit Public transport (also known as public transit, mass transit, or simply transit) are forms of transport available to the general public. It typically uses a fixed schedule, route and charges a fixed fare. There is no rigid definition of wh ...
. Most countries have a holiday such as Veterans Day to honour their veterans, along with the war dead. In
Zimbabwe file:Zimbabwe, relief map.jpg, upright=1.22, Zimbabwe, relief map Zimbabwe, officially the Republic of Zimbabwe, is a landlocked country in Southeast Africa, between the Zambezi and Limpopo Rivers, bordered by South Africa to the south, Bots ...
, the term ''veteran'' is used for political purpose and may not actually refer to someone that participated in a war, but rather to someone who feels entitled to some benefit because of association with a cause for which there had been an actual war.


Veterans' experiences around the world


Congo-Kinshasa

Some veterans from the Belgian commitment of the Congolese to World War II live in communities throughout the Congo. Though they received compensation from the government during the rule of the dictator
Mobutu Sese Seko Mobutu Sese Seko Kuku Ngbendu wa za Banga ( ; born Joseph-Désiré Mobutu; 14 October 1930 – 7 September 1997), often shortened to Mobutu Sese Seko or Mobutu and also known by his initials MSS, was a Congolese politician and military officer ...
, after his overthrow they no longer receive pensions.


United Kingdom

Ex-service is British terminology for veterans, which refers to those who have served in the
British Empire The British Empire comprised the dominions, Crown colony, colonies, protectorates, League of Nations mandate, mandates, and other Dependent territory, territories ruled or administered by the United Kingdom and its predecessor states. It bega ...
or
Commonwealth A commonwealth is a traditional English term for a political community founded for the common good. The noun "commonwealth", meaning "public welfare, general good or advantage", dates from the 15th century. Originally a phrase (the common-wealth ...
Armed Forces A military, also known collectively as armed forces, is a heavily armed, highly organized force primarily intended for warfare. Militaries are typically authorized and maintained by a sovereign state, with their members identifiable by a ...
. Britain, with its historic distrust of standing armies, did little for its veterans before the 19th century. It did set up two small hospitals for them in the 1680s. In London and other cities the streets teemed with disabled or disfigured veterans begging for alms. The First World War focused national attention on veterans, especially those who had been partly or wholly disabled. The King's National Roll Scheme (KNRS) was an employment program for disabled veterans of the First World War. Kowalsky says it was practical, innovative, and ahead of its time and was the most important piece of legislation enacted for disabled veterans in interwar Britain. In addition to direct aid, it stimulated a national discussion regarding the need for employment programs for disabled veterans and the responsibility of the state, setting up a future demand for more benefits. In the 21st century, Britain has one of the highest densities of veterans in a major country, with 13 million in 2000, or 219 per 1,000 population.


United States

In the United States, a ''veteran'' is a person who has served in the
armed forces A military, also known collectively as armed forces, is a heavily armed, highly organized force primarily intended for warfare. Militaries are typically authorized and maintained by a sovereign state, with their members identifiable by a ...
(including the Reserve and certain members of the
United States National Guard The National Guard is a U.S. state, state-based military force that becomes part of the United States Armed Forces, U.S. military's reserve components of the United States Armed Forces, reserve components of the United States Army, U.S. Army a ...
) and was discharged under conditions other than dishonorable. A common misconception is that only those who have served in combat or those who have retired from active duty can be called military veterans. In 1990, 40% of young Americans had a veteran for a parent; this decreased to 16% in 2014. In 2016, of the veterans who were born outside of the United States,
Mexican Mexican may refer to: Mexico and its culture *Being related to, from, or connected to the country of Mexico, in North America ** People *** Mexicans, inhabitants of the country Mexico and their descendants *** Mexica, ancient indigenous people ...
and
Filipino Americans Filipino Americans () are Americans of Filipino ancestry. Filipinos in North America were first documented in the 16th century and other small settlements beginning in the 18th century. Mass migration did not begin until after the end of the Sp ...
made up the two largest populations, with 3% of all veterans having been born outside of the United States. As of 2017 there are some 21 million American veterans. According to the Pew Research Center, "Among men, only 4% of
millennials Millennials, also known as Generation Y or Gen Y, are the demographic cohort following Generation X and preceding Generation Z. Researchers and popular media use the early 1980s as starting birth years and the mid-1990s to early 2000s a ...
orn 1981-96are veterans, compared with 47%" of men in their 70s and 80s, "many of whom came of age during the
Korean War The Korean War (25 June 1950 – 27 July 1953) was an armed conflict on the Korean Peninsula fought between North Korea (Democratic People's Republic of Korea; DPRK) and South Korea (Republic of Korea; ROK) and their allies. North Korea was s ...
and its aftermath."


Veterans' benefits in the United States

President
Abraham Lincoln Abraham Lincoln (February 12, 1809 – April 15, 1865) was the 16th president of the United States, serving from 1861 until Assassination of Abraham Lincoln, his assassination in 1865. He led the United States through the American Civil War ...
, in his second inaugural address in 1865 towards the end of the
American Civil War The American Civil War (April 12, 1861May 26, 1865; also known by Names of the American Civil War, other names) was a civil war in the United States between the Union (American Civil War), Union ("the North") and the Confederate States of A ...
, famously called for good treatment of veterans: " care for him who shall have borne the battle, and for his widow, and his orphan". The American Civil War produced veterans' organizations, such as the
Grand Army of the Republic The Grand Army of the Republic (GAR) was a fraternal organization composed of veterans of the Union Army (United States Army), Union Navy (United States Navy, U.S. Navy), and the United States Marine Corps, Marines who served in the American Ci ...
and
United Confederate Veterans The United Confederate Veterans (UCV, or simply Confederate Veterans) was an American Civil War veterans' organization headquartered in New Orleans, Louisiana. It was organized on June 10, 1889, by ex-soldiers and sailors of the Confederate Sta ...
. The treatment of veterans changed after the
First World War World War I or the First World War (28 July 1914 – 11 November 1918), also known as the Great War, was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War I, Allies (or Entente) and the Central Powers. Fighting to ...
. In the years following, discontented veterans became a source of instability. They could quickly organize, had links to the army and often had arms themselves. The
Bonus Army The Bonus Army was a group of 43,000 demonstration (protest), demonstrators—17,000 veterans of United States in World War I, U.S. involvement in World War I, their families, and affiliated groups—who gathered in Washington, D.C., in mid-193 ...
of unemployed veterans was one of the most important protest movements of the
Great Depression The Great Depression was a severe global economic downturn from 1929 to 1939. The period was characterized by high rates of unemployment and poverty, drastic reductions in industrial production and international trade, and widespread bank and ...
, marching on Washington, D.C. to get a claimed bonus now that Congress had promised them decades in the future. Each state of the United States sets specific criteria for state-specific veterans' benefits. For federal medical benefits from the
Department of Veterans Affairs The United States Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) is a Cabinet-level executive branch department of the federal government charged with providing lifelong healthcare services to eligible military veterans at the 170 VA medical centers an ...
(VA) hospitals, prior to 7 September 1980 the veteran must have served at least 180 days of active duty, after the above-mentioned date the veteran must have served at least 24 months. However, if the veteran was medically discharged and receives a VA service-connected disability stipend, the time limits are not applicable.


American veteran experience after World War II

After the Second World War, in part due to the experience of the First World War, most of the participating states set up elaborate veterans' administrations. Within the United States, it was veterans groups, like the
American Legion The American Legion, commonly known as the Legion, is an Voluntary association, organization of United States, U.S. war veterans headquartered in Indianapolis, Indiana. It comprises U.S. state, state, Territories of the United States, U.S. terr ...
and
Veterans of Foreign Wars The Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW), formally the Veterans of Foreign Wars of the United States, is an Voluntary association, organization of United States Armed Forces, United States war veterans who fought in wars, Military campaign, campaig ...
organization, that pushed for and got the
G.I. Bill The G.I. Bill, formally the Servicemen's Readjustment Act of 1944, was a law that provided a range of benefits for some of the returning World War II veterans (commonly referred to as G.I. (military), G.I.s). The original G.I. Bill expired in ...
enacted. These gave veterans access to free or subsidized education and health care. The newly educated GIs created a significant economic impact, and with the aid of VA loans were able to buy housing and establish themselves as part of a growing American middle class. The explosion of the
suburbs A suburb (more broadly suburban area) is an area within a metropolitan area. They are oftentimes where most of a metropolitan areas jobs are located with some being predominantly residential. They can either be denser or less densely populated ...
created sufficient housing for veterans and their families.


American veteran experience after OEF and OIF

Many veterans of
Operation Enduring Freedom Operation Enduring Freedom (OEF) was the official name used by the U.S. government for both the first stage (2001–2014) of the War in Afghanistan (2001–2021) and the larger-scale Global War on Terrorism. On 7 October 2001, in response ...
and
Operation Iraqi Freedom The Iraq War (), also referred to as the Second Gulf War, was a prolonged conflict in Iraq lasting from 2003 to 2011. It began with the invasion by a United States-led coalition, which resulted in the overthrow of the Ba'athist governm ...
have had to face challenges unique to warfare in the 21st century. One significant difference between OEF and OIF and previous wars is a greater dependence on reservists and repeat deployments. Up to 80% of troops deployed at the beginning of OEF were part of the
National Guard National guard is the name used by a wide variety of current and historical uniformed organizations in different countries. The original National Guard was formed during the French Revolution around a cadre of defectors from the French Guards. ...
and
Reserve Reserve or reserves may refer to: Places * Reserve, Kansas, a US city * Reserve, Louisiana, a census-designated place in St. John the Baptist Parish * Reserve, Montana, a census-designated place in Sheridan County * Reserve, New Mexico, a US v ...
and about 40% of currently serving military members have been deployed more than once."Returning Home from Iraq and Afghanistan: Preliminary Assessment of Readjustment Needs of Veterans, Service Members, and Their Families" Washington, D.C.: National Academies Press, 2010 This has meant that many deployed troops, not being as "steeped in military culture" have had more difficult transitions into military life, and for many the increased redeployment rate has meant more transitions, more uncertainty, longer terms, and shorter dwell times, all of which contribute to greater stress. Due to medical advances, warfare in the 21st century tends to yield more survivors with severe injuries which soldiers in previous wars would have died from. This means that, though fewer service members die, more return from war with injuries more serious, and in turn more emotionally devastating, than ever before. Among these injuries is the increasingly common
traumatic brain injury A traumatic brain injury (TBI), also known as an intracranial injury, is an injury to the brain caused by an external force. TBI can be classified based on severity ranging from mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI/concussion) to severe traumati ...
, or TBI, the effects of which can range from a mild concussion to amnesia and serious neurological damage.


Female veterans in the U.S.

Women have served in the United States military for over two hundred years. Some female veterans perceive themselves as discriminated against by their male counterparts and, as such, women who have served in the armed forces have sometimes been known as "the invisible veterans". Women were not fully recognized as veterans until after WWII, and prior to this they were not eligible for VA benefits. The current percentage of U.S. Veterans who are women is more than 8 percent. Women make up nearly 11.6 percent of OEF/OIF/OND Veterans. A tri-state (Washington, Idaho, Oregon) women veterans conference in
Pendleton, Oregon Pendleton is a city in and the county seat of Umatilla County, Oregon, Umatilla County, Oregon, United States. The population was 17,107 at the time of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, which includes approximately 1,600 people who are ...
, in April 2008, attracted 362 women veterans, according to the ''
East Oregonian The ''East Oregonian'' is a weekly newspaper published in Pendleton, Oregon, United States and covering Umatilla and Morrow counties. ''EO'' is owned by EO Media Group and is the newspaper of record for Umatilla County. History M.P. Bull f ...
'' newspaper. A growing number of states are recognizing June 12 as Women Veterans Day, either through proclamation or legislative action. On August 5, 2011, Erica Borggren was appointed Director of the Illinois Department of Veterans Affairs and has been "creating a new Women Veterans Program to help address the issue that women veterans often do not self-identify as veterans and do not take advantage of veterans’ benefits to the same extent as their male peers.""Citizen Soldier: Change and Challenges--Women in Today's Military"
Pritzker Military Library Webcast January 24, 2013 Chicago, IL
She gathered in a webcast panel moderated by Stacey Baca with Dr. Rebecca J. Hannagan and Kimberly Mitchell at the
Pritzker Military Library The Pritzker Military Museum & Library (formerly Pritzker Military Library) is a non-profit museum and research library for the study of military history located in a state-of-the art facility in Kenosha, WI. The institution was founded in 2003, ...
on January 24, 2013, to discuss important issues facing female veterans in today's military.


African American veterans in the U.S.

African Americans have participated in every war fought by or within the United States. Black veterans from
World War I World War I or the First World War (28 July 1914 – 11 November 1918), also known as the Great War, was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War I, Allies (or Entente) and the Central Powers. Fighting to ...
experienced racial persecution on returning to the U.S. from overseas, particularly in Southern cities. Black veterans from
World War II World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...
continued to be denied equality at home despite President
Harry S. Truman Harry S. Truman (May 8, 1884December 26, 1972) was the 33rd president of the United States, serving from 1945 to 1953. As the 34th vice president in 1945, he assumed the presidency upon the death of Franklin D. Roosevelt that year. Subsequen ...
's desegregation of the military after World War II. Black veterans went on to play a central role in the civil rights movement of the 1950s and 1960s. The
National Association for Black Veterans The National Association for Black Veterans (NABVETS) is a nationally certified Veterans Service Organization and a United States Department of Veterans Affairs claims representative. NABVETS has membership and chapters throughout the United State ...
is an organization that provides advocacy and support for African American and other minority veterans.


Health effects of military service and treatment for veterans

The effect of active military service can be profound and lasting, and some veterans have found it difficult to adjust to normal life again. Figures from 2009 showed that twice as many veterans were in prison than there were British troops currently in Afghanistan. Homelessness, street-sleeping and relationship breakdown are also commonly reported. Research done by the UK homelessness charity CRISIS (1994) and the Ex-Services Action Group (1997) both found that a quarter of homeless people had previously served in the armed forces. The ''Times'' newspaper reported on 25 September 2009 that in England and Wales the number of "military veterans in jail has more than doubled in six years". Another ''Times'' article of the same date quoted the veterans mental health charity Combat Stress as reporting a 53% increase in referrals from doctors.


Suicide


Risks

In Australia, Canada, the U.K., and the U.S., military veterans of all ages carry a substantially elevated suicide risk relative to the general population, particularly younger veterans. In Canada, Denmark, the U.K., and the U.S., deployment to a war zone (unless in a combat role) has not been associated with an increased risk of suicide. A study of the U.S. army found that the career stage carrying the greatest risk was initial military training. Research in several countries has found that the personnel most at risk include those who: had a troubled childhood; are of low rank; have close-combat roles in war; and/or leave service soon after joining. Other risk factors common to military life include depression,
posttraumatic stress disorder Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a mental disorder that develops from experiencing a Psychological trauma, traumatic event, such as sexual assault, domestic violence, child abuse, warfare and its associated traumas, natural disaster ...
,
alcohol misuse Alcohol abuse encompasses a spectrum of alcohol-related substance abuse. This spectrum can range from being mild, moderate, or severe. This can look like consumption of more than 2 drinks per day on average for men, or more than 1 drink per ...
,
bullying Bullying is the use of force, coercion, Suffering, hurtful teasing, comments, or threats, in order to abuse, aggression, aggressively wikt:domination, dominate, or intimidate one or more others. The behavior is often repeated and habitual. On ...
and
sexual harassment Sexual harassment is a type of harassment based on the sex or gender of a victim. It can involve offensive sexist or sexual behavior, verbal or physical actions, up to bribery, coercion, and assault. Harassment may be explicit or implicit, wit ...
.


Examples

An article in the London ''
Metro Metro may refer to: Geography * Metro City (Indonesia), a city in Indonesia * A metropolitan area, the populated region including and surrounding an urban center Public transport * Rapid transit, a passenger railway in an urban area with high ...
'' on 28 January 2010, 'Veterans prone to suicide,'' cited a report by the
Mental Health Foundation The Mental Health Foundation is a UK-based charity dedicated to promoting good mental health and addressing mental health issues. Founded in 1949, the foundation aims to help people understand, protect, and sustain their mental health through ...
saying that more needed to be done to care for UK veterans of the
Afghanistan War War in Afghanistan, Afghan war, or Afghan civil war may refer to: *Conquest of Afghanistan by Alexander the Great (330 BC – 327 BC), the conquest of Afghanistan by the Macedonian Empire * Muslim conquests of Afghanistan, a series of campaigns in ...
. Many had "plunged into alcohol problems, crime and suicide" upon their return. In the U.S., the suicide rate among veterans is 300% the national average. They account for 30% of the suicides in the US annually. According to a 2015 report by the Japanese
Ministry of Defense A ministry of defence or defense (see spelling differences), also known as a department of defence or defense, is the part of a government responsible for matters of defence and military forces, found in states where the government is divided ...
, 56 Japan Self Defense Force members had committed suicide after serving in overseas missions to
Iraq Iraq, officially the Republic of Iraq, is a country in West Asia. It is bordered by Saudi Arabia to Iraq–Saudi Arabia border, the south, Turkey to Iraq–Turkey border, the north, Iran to Iran–Iraq border, the east, the Persian Gulf and ...
and the
Indian Ocean The Indian Ocean is the third-largest of the world's five oceanic divisions, covering or approximately 20% of the water area of Earth#Surface, Earth's surface. It is bounded by Asia to the north, Africa to the west and Australia (continent), ...
. Defense officials stated that 14 deaths were due to mental illness, 13 to family or financial problems and three to official duties.


Posttraumatic stress disorder

Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) is a condition that affects a significant number of veterans. Studies involving veterans with combat-related PTSD indicate that between 4-17% of United States veterans have been diagnosed with PTSD. Their United Kingdom counterparts, however, have significantly lower numbers of just 3-6%. New treatment programs are emerging to assist veterans suffering from post-combat mental health problems such as depression and PTSD.
Cognitive behavioral therapy Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) is a form of psychotherapy that aims to reduce symptoms of various mental health conditions, primarily depression, PTSD, and anxiety disorders. Cognitive behavioral therapy focuses on challenging and chang ...
(CBT), is becoming an important method for the treatment of mental health issues among veterans, and is currently considered the standard of care for depression and PTSD by the
United States Department of Defense The United States Department of Defense (DoD, USDOD, or DOD) is an United States federal executive departments, executive department of the federal government of the United States, U.S. federal government charged with coordinating and superv ...
. CBT is a psychotherapeutic approach that aims to change the patterns of thinking or behavior that responsible for patient's negative emotions and in doing so change the way they feel. It has been proven to be an effective treatment for PTSD among war veterans. Recently, online programs that pair CBT with therapist interaction have also proven effective in treating mental health problems among veterans.
Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing Eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR) is a form of psychotherapy designed to treat post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). It was devised by Francine Shapiro in 1987. EMDR involves talking about traumatic memories while engagin ...
(EMDR) is also an effective and noninvasive, drug-free treatment for PTSD, although it has not been tested against specific military traumatic exposure for efficacy. Veterans under the age of 25 are at higher risk for PTSD than veterans older than 25. Younger veterans with severe PTSD are at higher risk for
metabolic syndrome Metabolic syndrome is a clustering of at least three of the following five medical conditions: abdominal obesity, high blood pressure, high blood sugar, high serum triglycerides, and low serum high-density lipoprotein (HDL). Metabolic syndro ...
and
suicide Suicide is the act of intentionally causing one's own death. Risk factors for suicide include mental disorders, physical disorders, and substance abuse. Some suicides are impulsive acts driven by stress (such as from financial or ac ...
. Music therapy provides veterans with a way to express themselves, escape from anxiety, and helps them cope with their PTSD. In Mike Lawson “Music and Science Meet…Music Therapy”, Lawson explains “Modern music therapy became a norm in the Veteran's Administration hospitals during and after both World Wars. In its most basic form the playing of recordings on the
Victrola The Victor Talking Machine Company was an American recording company and phonograph manufacturer, incorporated in 1901. Victor was an independent enterprise until 1929 when it was purchased by the Radio Corporation of America (RCA) and became ...
in WW I, hospitals had measurable positive effects on the wounded and shell-shocked patients. This began the use of a somewhat primitive music therapy in all American military hospitals.”


Other disorders

Veterans are at higher risk than the general population for several disorders, especially younger veterans (those younger than 25). Younger veterans are at increased risk for substance use disorders, including
alcohol use disorder Alcoholism is the continued drinking of alcohol despite it causing problems. Some definitions require evidence of dependence and withdrawal. Problematic use of alcohol has been mentioned in the earliest historical records. The World Hea ...
, and mental illnesses in general.


Help for veterans

Necessity has resulted in a number of sources of help being made available for veterans. Many of these are independent, charitable organisations, and in some countries the aftercare and rehabilitation services provided by Governments have been inadequate. This may be because they do not wish to give attention to the negative effects of military service and the difficulties of readjustment to civilian life for it may have an adverse impact upon recruitment for their armed forces. Nevertheless, help is available and veterans should feel able to make contact and ask for assistance or advice to the broad network of
organizations An organization or organisation ( Commonwealth English; see spelling differences) is an entity—such as a company, or corporation or an institution (formal organization), or an association—comprising one or more people and having a par ...
, and to appropriate
legislators A legislator, or lawmaker, is a person who writes and passes laws, especially someone who is a member of a legislature. Legislators are often elected by the people, but they can be appointed, or hereditary. Legislatures may be supra-natio ...
, without feeling that this is a weakness. Military service can be a profoundly unnatural experience and it is likely that some help may be needed in debriefing and rehabilitation into the community, whether it be medical, psychological, practical or financial. There were an estimated 57,849 homeless veterans in the United States during January 2013, accounting for 12 percent of all homeless adults. Just under 8 percent of homeless U.S. veterans are female.


See also

*
Demobilization Demobilization or demobilisation (see American and British English spelling differences, spelling differences) is the process of standing down a nation's armed forces from combat-ready status. This may be as a result of victory in war, or becaus ...
*
List of veterans' organizations This is a list of veterans' organizations by country. List of veterans' organizations International veterans' organizations * Royal Commonwealth Ex-Services League * War Veterans Committee The Greatest Generations Federation* World Associati ...
*
Social history of soldiers and veterans in the United States The social history of soldiers and veterans in United States history covers the role of Army soldiers and veterans in the United States from colonial foundations to the present, with emphasis on the social, cultural, economic and political roles ap ...
* Veterans studies


References


Further reading

* Alcalde, Ángel. "War Veterans and Fascism during the Franco Dictatorship in Spain (1936–1959)." ''European history quarterly'' 47.1 (2017): 78-98. * Alcalde, Ángel. '' War Veterans and Fascism in Interwar Europe'' (Cambridge University Press, 2017) * Alcalde, Ángel, and Xosé M. Núñez Seixas, eds. ''War Veterans and the World after 1945: Cold War Politics, Decolonization, Memory'' (Routledge, 2018) 15 studies by experts, worldwide coverage. * Carr, Richard. "Veterans of the First World War and Conservative Anti-appeasement." ''Twentieth Century British History'' 22.1 (2011): 28-51. * Cohen, Deborah. ''War Come Home: Disabled Veterans in Britain & Germany, 1919-1939'' (2001) * Crotty, Martin, Neil J. Diamant, and Mark Edele. ''The Politics of Veteran Benefits in the Twentieth Century: A Comparative History'' (Cornell UP, 2020). * Diamant, Neil J. ''Embattled glory: Veterans, military families, and the politics of patriotism in China, 1949–2007'' (Rowman & Littlefield, 2010). * Diehl, James M. ''The thanks of the fatherland: German veterans after the Second World War'' (U of North Carolina Press, 2000
online
* Dixon, John. "The Welfare of People's Liberation Army Veterans and Dependants in China, 1949-1979." ''Armed Forces & Society'' 9.3 (1983): 483-494. * * Dwyer, Philip. "War Stories: French Veteran Narratives and the ‘Experience of War’ in the Nineteenth Century." ''European History Quarterly'' 41.4 (2011): 561-585
online
* * Greig, Matilda. ''Dead Men Telling Tales: Napoleonic War Veterans and the Military Memoir Industry, 1808–1914'' (Oxford UP, 2021) , *Hartley, Janet. "Veterans and empire: a comparison of British and Russian treatment of veterans in the later eighteenth and early nineteenth centuries." ''Journal of the Society for Army Historical Research'' 100.400 (2022): 14-31
online
* Hobe, Alexander. "The Europeanization of Honour: Wehrmacht Veterans and European Integration in the 1950s." ''Journal of Modern European History'' 22.3 (2024): 318-334. in West German
online
* Hurcombe, Martin. "The War Generation and Generation Wars: French Veterans and the Association des Écrivains Combattants, 1919–1945." ''Journal of War & Culture Studies'' 12.2 (2019): 121-138
online
* Islam, Azharul, et al. "Autobiographical memory of war veterans: A mixed-studies systematic review." ''Memory Studies'' 14.2 (2021): 214-239. * Koenig, Christoph. "Loose cannons: war veterans and the erosion of democracy in Weimar Germany." ''Journal of Economic History'' 83.1 (2023): 167-202
online
* * * Moore, Aaron William. "The problem of changing language communities: veterans and memory writing in China, Taiwan, and Japan." ''Modern Asian Studies'' 45.2 (2011): 399-429. How their memories get misunderstood by postwar audiences * Muir, Kristy. "Public Peace, Private Wars: the psychological effects of war on Australian veterans." ''War & Society'' 26.1 (2007): 61-78. * Petiteau, Natalie. "Survivors of war: French soldiers and veterans of the Napoleonic armies." in ''Soldiers, Citizens and Civilians: Experiences and Perceptions of the Revolutionary and Napoleonic Wars, 1790–1820'' (Palgrave Macmillan UK, 2009) pp. 43–58. * Phillips, Rita, Vince Connelly, and Mark Burgess. "Representations of British Armed Forces Veterans in the Press." ''Journal of Political & Military Sociology'' 47.1 (2020): 77-98
online
* Pratt, Rod, and Jeff Hopkins-Weise. "Queensland's 'Sons of Empire'--Veterans of forgotten wars." ''Queensland History Journal'' 24.7 (2020): 642-654; in Australi
online
*Starke, Peter. "The Impact of War on Welfare State Development in Germany." in ''Warfare and Welfare: Military Conflict and Welfare State Development in Western Countries,'' edited by Herbert Obinger et al. (Oxford University Press, 2018) pp. 36–66. * Swift, David, and Oliver Wilkinson, eds. ''Veterans of the First World War: Ex-Servicemen and Ex-Servicewomen in Post-War Britain and Ireland'' (Routledge, 2019) https://doi.org/10.4324/9780429056949 * Wilson, Evan. ''The Horrible Peace: British Veteran and the End of the Napoleonic Wars'' (U of Massachusetts Press, 2023) . * Winegard, Timothy C. " 'Now it is all over... I am practically No-Body': Indigenous Veterans of Canada and Australia and the Great War for Civilization." ''First World War Studies'' 10.1 (2019): 12-30. * Wirtschafter, Elise Kimerling. "Social misfits: veterans and soldiers’ families in servile Russia." ''Journal of Military History'' 59.2 (1995): 215-235
online
* Woloch, Isser. ''The French Veteran from the Revolution to the Restoration'' (U of North Carolina Press, 1979).


Veterans in the United States

* Altschuler, Glenn, and Stuart Blumin. ''The GI Bill: The new deal for veterans'' (Oxford University Press, 2009) after 1945 * Burtin, Olivier. "The History of veterans’ policy in the United States." ''Historical Social Research/Historische Sozialforschung'' 45.2 (172 (2020): 239-260
online
* Logue, Larry M., and Michael Barton, eds. ''The Civil War Veteran: A Historical Reader'' (NYU Press, 2007) 31 essays by experts
online
* McConnell, Stuart Charles. ''Glorious Contentment: The Grand Army of the Republic, 1865-1900'' (U North Carolina Press, 1992
online
* Marten, James. ''Sing Not War: The Lives of Union and Confederate Veterans in Gilded Age America'' (U of North Carolina Press, 2011) * Ortiz, Stephen R., ed. ''Veterans' policies, veterans' politics: new perspectives on veterans in the modern United States'' (UP of Florida, 2012
online
* Pencak, William A., ed. ''Encyclopedia of the Veteran in America'' (2 vol. ABC-CLIO, 2009
online
a major scholarly resource * * Resch, John P. ''Suffering Soldiers: Revolutionary War Veterans, Moral Sentiment, and Political Culture in the Early Republic'' (U of Massachusetts Press, 1999) * Resch, John P., et al. eds. ''Americans at War: Society, Culture, and the Homefront'' (4 vol. (Macmillan, 2005), 400 encyclopedic articles, with coverage of veterans from colonial era to 2005.


External links

* {{Authority control