While predictions are usually not 100% accurate, it’s important to note that the veteran population is declining, and it is predicted to keep doing so through at least 2037.
That prediction comes from the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, which looked at the numbers for 2017 and made a prediction running 20 years into the future. In 2017, they put the total veteran population at 20 million. By 2037, they think it will be just 13.6 million.
One thing that is very interesting is that the number of female veterans is actually supposed to go up. It should rise by .7% annually. That may seem like a small change, but it is a yearly figure, and it flies in the face of the overall trends, which will see a 1.9% decrease for the total population and a 2.3% decrease for the male population.
They also predicted that veterans who are part of an ethnic minority will also go up by a surprising 23.2% of the overall veteran population in that time. By 2037, they should make up about 32.8% of the total. For instance, those with a Hispanic ancestry will rise from 2017’s 7.4% all the way to 11.2%.
As the population changes over time, it is critical to think of the different issues that these individuals may face. What does it mean for their future? What types of war-related injuries may they deal with? Of course, depending on the state of on-going conflicts, these numbers could shift dramatically by 2037, but these are still important questions to ask. Veterans need to know their rights.
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