Title: Combat to Community: A Guide Needs & Resources for Post-September 11th Veterans and their Families
Facts and Figures of Post-9/11 Veterans and their Families April 2010 1060 Howard Street ● San Francisco ● CA ● 94103 ● 415-252-4788
FOREWARD War causes wounds and suffering that last beyond the battlefield. Swords to Plowshares’ mission is to heal the wounds, to restore dignity, hope, and self-sufficiency to all veterans in need, and to significantly reduce homelessness and poverty among veterans. Over two million service members have deployed to fight the Global War on Terror, many for multiple tours of duty. These veterans return home not to the Department of Defense or the Department of Veterans Affairs, but to the communities in which they live and to the homes of their families. There are unique aspects to these wars which must be addressed in order to prevent or mitigate the hardships endured by previous generations of war veterans. We know that the cost of war goes well beyond bullets and boots. The transition from total immersion in military culture to the civilian world can prove difficult for many veterans. Even the most successful adjustment from duty overseas to civilian life at home will often present periods of irritability, depression, isolation and hyper-vigilance which compromise veterans’ abilities to rejoin family, secure and maintain employment and sustain healthy relationships. Rates of post traumatic stress, traumatic brain injury and suicide are unprecedented. Returning home to a tough economy makes it that much more difficult for new veterans to secure stable housing and employment. It is the responsibility of the community to recognize the sacrifice these men and women have made on our behalf and to help those veterans who are in need. The following information is meant to give you a brief snapshot of some of the challenges many veterans face and to inform readers about services and supports for veterans. Founded in 1974, Swords to Plowshares is a community-based, not-for-profit organization that provides counseling and case management, employment and training, housing, and legal assistance to more than 1,500 homeless and low-income veterans annually in the San Francisco Bay Area and beyond. We promote and protect the rights of veterans through advocacy, public education, and partnerships with local, state, and national entities.
Michael Blecker Executive Director
Swords to Plowshares: An Overview of Services Legal
Health and Social Services
Permanent Supportive Housing
Transitional Housing
Employment & Training
Iraq Veteran Project
A History of Service: Vets Serving Vets Since 1974
A Timeline of Service 1978
Swords to Plowshares is granted recognition by the VA and becomes the first new group in 32 years certified to represent veterans seeking benefits.
1979
Swords to Plowshares wins one of the first PTSD cases in the country and helps develop the Agent Orange Self-Help Guide.
1988
Swords to Plowshares’ model transitional housing program opens; relocates to Treasure Island in 2000.
1990
Swords to Plowshares co-founds the National Coalition for Homeless Veterans, a national network of community-based service providers advocating on behalf of homeless veterans.
2000
Swords to Plowshares’ Veterans Academy opens, a permanent supportive housing facility located in the Presidio of San Francisco for 102 formerly homeless veterans.
2005
Swords to Plowshares launches the Iraq Veteran Project, designed specifically to address the needs of OIF and OEF veterans.
2008
Swords to Plowshares opens the East Bay Employment and Training office in Oakland, California.
Overview of Information Contained Herein 1. The demographics and cultural characteristics of Post-9/11 service members, veterans and their families. 2. The scale and scope of problems this cohort of veterans encounter. 3. Availability and limitations of federal resources for veterans.
“The willingness with which our young people are likely to serve in any war, no matter how justified, shall be directly proportional to how they perceive the veterans of earlier wars were treated and appreciated by their nation."
- George Washington
Key Terms & Lingo Global War on Terror Operation Iraqi Freedom Operation Enduring Freedom (GWOT) (OIF) (OEF) • Also known as Overseas • Specific to the current war in • Afghanistan and many other Contingency Operations Iraq theaters of combat operations • Includes both OIF and OEF
Veterans: Myths & Stereotypes What are some stereotypes about the veteran population?
All veterans are in crisis All veterans can obtain VA services All veterans have served in combat All combat veterans have Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) You have to be in combat to “get” PTSD
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Most Common Types of Military Service Active Duty (AD): Full-time active service in the U.S. military (Army, Marine Corps, Navy, Air Force, Coast Guard). This includes members of the Reserve components serving on active duty but does not necessarily include all National Guardsmen serving full-time. Activated Guard and Reserve (AGR): National Guard and Reserve members who have been moved from their reserve status (mobilized) into active duty, usually for a set period of time (six months, one year, etc.). Drilling Reserve: Part-time military service usually consisting of one weekend a month plus two weeks a year. Includes the Army Reserve, Marine Corps Reserve, Navy Reserve, Air Force Reserve, Coast Guard Reserve, Army National Guard and Air National Guard. When Reserve forces are mobilized for full-time active duty service they serve on active duty until demobilized, at which point they revert back to drilling reserve status. National Guard: A Reserve component of the U.S. Armed Forces. The National Guard is a state militia that answers first to the governor but can be put into federal service by order of the president. When activated by the president for full-time federal service Guard members are considered to be serving on active duty but are not included in total strength numbers of the active duty Army/Air Force. If not on active duty status their service obligation is one weekend a month and two weeks a year and may be called-up for full time service by their governor, such as in the case of natural disaster relief efforts. However, the state call-up is not considered “active duty� service.
Who is a Veteran? Who does the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) consider a Veteran? ďƒ˜ For VA services, the VA generally requires active military service AND discharge under 2 conditions other than dishonorable. However, most VA benefits require at minimum a General Under Honorable Conditions discharge. Who is considered a Veteran in California? ďƒ˜ Anyone who served in the U.S. military AND was discharged under conditions other than dishonorable. However, most state benefits require an Honorable Discharge or release from 3 active service under honorable conditions. Who does Swords to Plowshares consider a Veteran? ďƒ˜ Anyone who has ever served in the U.S. military regardless of discharge.
Post-9/11 Military &Veterans: Who are they? Over two million men and women have been deployed to the Global War on Terror.4 810,000 service members have deployed more than once to OIF/OEF.5 Over one million GWOT veterans are currently separated from active duty AND are eligible for VA services.6
46% of eligible OEF/OIF veterans have obtained VA healthcare.7 One-third of the military self-identifies as a racial or ethnic minority.8 4.75 million living U.S. veterans of all eras identify as a racial or ethnic minority.9
Post-9/11 Military &Veterans: National Guard/Reserve More National Guard members have deployed to OIF/OEF than Drilling Reservist (332,000 10 Guardsmen compared to 254,000 Reservists). National Guard OIF/OEF veterans tend to be 11 older, with an average age of 37. 30% of Reserve and National Guard members identify themselves as a member of a racial or 12 ethnic minority. The National Guard is being transformed into an operational force to be frequently deployed; this represents a shift away from its traditional role as a force primarily designed for infrequent 13 federal use against a large nation-state.
Military &Veterans: Women Over 235,000 women have served in Operation Iraqi Freedom and/or Operation Enduring Freedom.14 Women comprise 15% of today’s military.15 Women often have difficulty gaining recognition for combat service. The risk of homelessness is two to four times greater for women veterans than for nonveterans.16 Approximately one out of every ten homeless veterans under the age of 45 is a woman.17 32% of the nearly 1.8 million living female veterans of all eras identify as a racial or ethnic minority.18
Post-9/11 Military Families Over half of the military is married and over 40% 19 of service members have children. In 2007, at least 700,000 children had at least one 20 parent deployed to a combat theater.
10% of married service members are in dual-military marriages whereby a Active Duty, Reserve or Guard 21 member is married to another service member. Nearly 50% of all married active duty females are in 22 dual military marriages. 16% of women in the Reserves or Guard are single parents and roughly 12% of female Active Duty 23 service members are single parents.
7% of men in the Reserves or Guard and roughly 24 4% of Active Duty men are single fathers.
The Combat Experience 25
What have veterans experienced while in combat? 58%
Received small arms fire
78%
Received incoming artillery, rocket or mortar fire
33%
Handled or uncovered human remains
49%
Saw dead or seriously injured Americans
72%
Knew someone seriously injured or killed
60%
Saw dead bodies or human remains
56%
Had a member of their unit become a casualty
Physical & Emotional Injury: Treatment & Diagnosis For every service member killed in action there are nine wounded in action. When including “non-combat” injuries, the ratio of killed to 26 injured jumps to sixteen to one. An estimated 300,000 Iraq and Afghanistan veterans are currently 27 suffering from Post Traumatic Stress Disorder or major depression. When factoring in delayed onset of PTSD the latest research suggests rates of PTSD as high as 35% (700,000 OIF/OEF 28 veterans). About half (53%) of GWOT veterans who need treatment for major depression or Post Traumatic Stress Disorder seek it; of those reporting a probable Traumatic Brain Injury, 57% had not been 29 evaluated by a physician for brain injury. Slightly more than one-half of veterans who seek treatment for 30 mental health conditions receive “minimally adequate care.” • Minimally adequate care is defined as “(1) taking a prescribed medication for as long as the doctor wanted and having at least four visits with a doctor or therapist in the past 12 months or (2) having had at least eight visits with a mental health professional in the past 12 months, with visits averaging 31 at least 30 minutes.”
Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) and Depression PTSD is generally defined as an anxiety condition that can develop after exposure to a traumatic event or ordeal in which grave physical harm occurred or was threatened. Roughly 130,000 OIF/OEF veterans have been diagnosed with PTSD and approximately 91,000 veterans have been diagnosed with Depressive 32 Disorders by the VA. Veterans with PTSD and/or depression face a broad range of physical, cognitive, behavioral, emotional and social challenges. Repeated deployments increase the likelihood of 33 developing PTSD. Veterans may not know they have PTSD and thus may not seek proper treatment. PTSD and depression are treatable conditions, especially when recognized early.
Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) is caused by blunt force injury to the head which disrupts the function of the brain. In combat TBI often results from the concussive force of explosives which causes the brain to slam against the skull, often the result of an Improvised Explosive Device (IED). An estimated 320,000 GWOT veterans may have 34 experienced a TBI ranging from mild to severe. Blasts and explosions have caused most of the more than 2,700 surviving casualties with moderate to 35 severe TBI thus far reported. Due to a lack of adequate screening many may not know they have Traumatic Brain Injury. A veteran may experience PTSD as well as TBI.
Suicide 36
VA has confirmed 18 suicides per day among the entire veteran population and 1,000 suicide attempts per month among all veterans seen at 37 VA medical facilities. Women veterans are two to three times more likely to commit suicide than nonveteran 38 women. The suicide rate among 18 to 29 year old men who've left the military rose 26% from 2005 to 39 2007. Incarcerated veterans have the highest risk of suicide, exceeding the risk attributable to either 40 veteran status or incarceration alone. In July 2007 the VA established the Veterans Suicide Hotline. This hotline currently receives 41 roughly 10,000 phone calls a month.
Military Sexual Trauma (MST) Number of Positive MST Screens in VA Military Sexual Trauma (MST) refers to 42 both sexual harassment and sexual assault (2002-2008) that occurs in military settings.
70,000
Service members often wait until they are out of the service to seek treatment for MST.
60,000 50,000
Since 2002 VA has been screening all veterans for Military Sexual Trauma.
40,000 30,000 20,000 10,000 0
Men
Women
61,126 (1.1%)
59,690 (19.9%)
Of the 5,777,169 veterans screened for MST between 2002 and 2008, 61,126 (1.1%) male veterans screened positive for MST and 59,690 (19.9%) female 43 veterans screened positive for MST.
60% of women with Military Sexual Trauma also suffered from Post Traumatic 44 Stress Disorder.
Housing Instability & Homelessness In general the term “homeless” includes an individual who lacks a fixed, regular, and adequate nighttime residence and an individual whose primary nighttime residence is a shelter designed to provide 45 temporary living accommodations. By 2009, 3,000 Iraq and Afghanistan veterans have sought assistance from VA homeless services. 1,200 of 46 these veterans sought these services in 2008 alone. The VA estimates that on any given night in 2008 47 approximately 131,000 veterans were homeless. An estimated twice as many (262,000) experience homelessness at some point during the course of a year. In 2008 the VA reported a 24% increase in the number 48 of homeless veterans with families. Not all homeless veterans use VA services and thus the real number of homeless veterans may be significantly higher.
Financial Instability & Unemployment A 2008 study for the VA found that 18% of veterans recently separated from service are unemployed, and of those employed, 25% earn less than $21,840 a year.49 The Bureau of Labor Statistics reported that in 2009 young male veterans aged 18-24 had an unemployment rate of 21.6%.50 One in four military households have sought loans from predatory lenders that can carry interest rates of 400% or higher.51 Fortunately, recent legislation has capped new loan interest rates to service members at 36%.52 Why do veterans have a difficult time finding work? Veterans regularly express difficulty transferring their military skills to the civilian workforce.
Guard and Reserve troops often find their jobs no longer exist, or their employers have folded, down-sized, merged or relocated.
Veterans Affairs: Overview of the Veterans System of Care
U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs Veterans Benefits Administration
Veterans Health Administration
National Cemetery Administration
Accessing VA Healthcare The following information presents the general rules applicable to veterans seeking VA benefits; there are often several exceptions to each of these rules. Veterans must first enroll in VA Healthcare. Generally, veterans must have:
An Honorable Discharge (includes “General Under Honorable Conditions” discharges); Served 24 continuous months on active duty; Demonstrate financial need; and/or A service-connected disability.
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OIF/OEF veterans are eligible for five years of free healthcare and may be eligible for 180 days of dental 54 care after separation. Because VA healthcare is rationed an enrolled veteran is assigned to one of eight “priority groups.” “Service-connected” veterans, those with a disability which VA has determined was incurred or aggravated during service, are given the highest priority.
U.S. Military Discharges
“Character of Service”
Honorable
General Under Honorable Conditions
Other than Honorable “OTH”
Bad Conduct Dishonorable “BCD” “DD”
VA Benefits: Eligibility Requirements, Restrictions, & Caveats Eligibility for Benefits Based on Discharge 55
Honorable General UHC
56
OTH
BCD
DD
VA Medical & Dental
TBD
TBD
NE
Hospitalization & Domiciliary Care
TBD
TBD
NE
NE
NE
NE
Home Loans
TBD
TBD
NE
Disability Compensation & Pension
TBD
TBD
NE
G.I. Bill
NE
= Eligible
TBD = To Be Determined
NE = Not Eligible
VA Benefits: How can veterans with “Other than Honorable” discharges access benefits?
Character of Service Determination
• A determination made by the VA to grant baseline eligibility for benefits to a veteran with a discharge that is “Other than Honorable.” • It does not change the type of discharge.
Discharge Upgrade
• A formal procedure before a military board that can change the reason for discharge, character of service or other aspects of military records. • This is outside the VA system and not part of this presentation.
Key Terms & Lingo
Service Connected Disability Compensation (SCDC or Comp) • Monthly payment for disability that was incurred or aggravated during military service or meets requirements for presumptive disability, or VA medical treatment negligence.
• Payment is calculated from 0 – 100%. • Percentage is the “disability rating.” • SCDC is a tax-free benefit and is not reduced by other income.
Key Terms & Lingo
Non-Service Connected Pension (NSCP, Pen, or Pension) • Monthly payments to impoverished veterans who are permanently and totally disabled by conditions not related to service.
• Payment is offset by most other income. • Requires active military service of at least 90 days, at least one day of which was served during “wartime.” 57
Key Terms & Lingo
Willful Misconduct • A disability that can include: drug or alcohol addiction, venereal disease and self-inflicted injuries. • Is not eligible for disability payments. • Does not bar eligibility for VA healthcare for veterans who otherwise qualify. 58
8 VA Priority Groups
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Priority 1
Veterans with VA-rated service-connected disabilities 50% or more disabling. Veterans determined by VA to be unemployable due to service-connected conditions.
Priority 2
Veterans with VA-rated service-connected disabilities 30% or 40% disabling. Note: Veterans with a disability rating of at least 30% are eligible for additional allowances for dependents.
Priority 3
Veterans with VA-rated service-connected disabilities 10% or 20% disabling. Former Prisoners of War (POWs) or Purple Heart Recipients. Veterans whose discharge was for a disability that was incurred or aggravated in the line of duty. Individuals disabled by treatment or vocational rehabilitation.
Priority 4
Veterans receiving aid and attendance or housebound benefits. Veterans who have been determined by VA to be catastrophically disabled.
Priority 5
Nonservice-connected veterans and noncompensable service-connected veterans rated 0% disabled by VA with annual income and/or net worth below the VA national income threshold and geographically-adjusted income threshold for their resident location. Veterans receiving VA pension benefits. Veterans eligible for Medicaid programs.
Priority 6
World War I veterans. Compensable 0% service-connected veterans. Veterans exposed to ionizing radiation during atmospheric testing or during the occupations of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. Project 112/SHAD participants. Most OIF/OEF veterans up to five years after discharge.
Priority 7
Veterans with gross household income below the geographically-adjusted income threshold (GMT) for their resident location and who agree to pay copays.
Priority 8 & Sub Priority 8 Groups New Regulation: Relaxing the income restrictions on Priority 8 Veterans
In January 2003 the VA stopped enrolling “higher income� new Priority Group 8 veterans whose income exceeded VA income thresholds (the 2003 National Means Test maximum income was $24,644 for a single veteran with no dependents). As of June 15, 2009 veterans with household income above the VA national threshold or the GMT income threshold for their resident location by 10% or less, who agree to pay copays, are eligible for enrollment in Priority Group 8.
Priority 8
Veterans with gross household income above the VA national income threshold and the geographically-adjusted income threshold for their resident location and who agrees to pay copays.
Sub-priority A
Noncompensable 0% service-connected and enrolled as of January 16, 2003, and who have remained enrolled since that date and/or placed in this subpriority due to changed eligibility status.
Sub-priority B
Noncompensable 0% service-connected and enrolled on or after June 15, 2009 whose income exceeds the current VA National Income Thresholds or VA National Geographic Income Thresholds by 10% or less.
Sub-priority C
Nonservice-connected and enrolled as of January 16, 2003, and who have remained enrolled since that date and/or placed in this subpriority due to changed eligibility status.
Sub-priority D
Nonservice-connected and enrolled on or after June 15, 2009 whose income exceeds the current VA National Income Thresholds or VA National Geographic Income Thresholds by 10% or less.
Sub-priority E
Noncompensable 0% service-connected and have not met the criteria above.
Sub-priority G
Nonservice-connected and have not met the criteria above.
Note:
Veterans in priority groups 8E and 8G are NOT currently eligible to enroll in VA healthcare.
Veterans Benefits Administration: The Backlog of VA Disability Claims The backlog of disability claims is now approaching 60 one million. The average wait time is over five months (161 days) for 61 an initial decision. 442,413 GWOT veterans have filed disability claims.
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As of September 30, 2009, of the nearly130,000 veterans diagnosed with PTSD by VA only 51% have been granted service-connected disability for 63 PTSD. Time frame for a final claim decision, when including appeals, can exceed ten years. National Guard and Reservists are half as likely to file a disability claim than active duty veterans and are 64 twice as likely to have their claim denied. Applying for VA disability & compensation can prove so difficult that many veterans simply abandon their disability claims.
Discrepancies Between Disability Claims by National Guard/Reserve and Active Duty
65
Documenting a VA Claim What documentation is required for a successful disability compensation claim? Current diagnosis by a qualified professional.
Proof of onset during military service. Typically done by using service medical records, however often is the case that the condition or incident causing the condition was never entered into the service members record and so other evidence must then be developed. Nexus evidence – opinion by a licensed professional linking the condition to military service. Presumption – exception to requirement of proof of onset; the condition is presumed by law or regulation to be service-connected. For example: chronic lymphocytic leukemia, respiratory cancers, and Hodgkin's disease are some of the many conditions presumed to be caused by Agent Orange use during the Vietnam War. Veterans need not prove the condition was caused by military service but must prove they served on the ground in Vietnam. Evidence of severity of disability – used to establish the disability percentage rating of 0 to 100% in increments of 10%.
VA Benefits Claims Process (A Simplified Version) Start: Filing a Claim
Development Letter
(Veteran)
(VA)
Notice of Disagreement
END? Rating Decision
(Veteran)
(VA)
Submit Documents/ Evidence (Veteran)
Compensation & Pension Examination (VA)
VA Benefits Claims Process: The Appeals Process ( Very Simplified)
Notice of Disagreement (Veteran)
Option B: “Traditional� Appeals
Statement of Case
Option A: Decision Review Officer
VA Form 9
*usually including new evidence (Veteran)
Supplemental Statement of the Case
Rating Assigned Claim Denied
Rating Assigned Appeal to Higher Decision making Body
Rating Assigned
VA Claims Decision-Making Bodies U.S. Supreme Court Federal
Federal Circuit Court of Appeals
Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims Board of Veterans Appeals VA System VA Adjudicator
Legislation We Support – Be Sure to Contact Your Elected Representatives H.R. 403 and S.1160 Homes for Heroes Act of 2009 Would establish a supportive housing program for very low-income veterans, with housing assistance financed by the Department of Housing and Urban Development and supportive services financed by the Department of Veterans Affairs. H.R. 147 and S. 1366 Amends the Internal Revenue Code to establish in the Treasury the Homeless Veterans Assistance Fund and to allow individual taxpayers to designate on their tax returns $3.00 of income taxes ($6.00 in the case of joint returns) to be paid over to the Fund to provide assistance to homeless veterans. H. R. 1171 Homeless Veterans Reintegration Program Reauthorization Act of 2009 Reauthorizes the Homeless Veterans Reintegration Program (HVRP) for fiscal years 2010 through 2014. The bill was amended to authorize an additional $10 million to provide dedicated services for homeless women veterans and homeless veterans with children. Grants would be made available to provide job training, counseling, placement services, and child care services to expedite the reintegration of veterans into the labor force. H.R. 295 More Training for Veterans Act of 2009 Amends the Workforce Investment Act of 1998 to authorize appropriations of $20 million for each fiscal year for veterans' workforce investment programs. S. 1547 Zero Tolerance for Veterans Homelessness Act of 2009 The act would provide $50 million annually to help low-income veterans remain in their housing and help homeless veterans obtain housing. Also calls for an annual increase of 10,000 HUD-VA Supportive Housing (HUD-VASH) vouchers until 2013. S. 1237 Homeless Women Veterans and Homeless Veterans with Children Act of 2009 Would expand the Grant and Per Diem program for homeless veterans with special needs by including male homeless veterans with minor dependents as a new category. Would also create a program to provide employment assistance to women veterans and women veterans with dependent children.
Sources & Notes 1. Department of Defense. “DoD Definition of Combat Operations for Title 10 Service Members.” September 30, 2008. http://www.va.gov/healtheligibility/Library/pubs/CombatOperations/Co mbatOperations.pdf. Note: only GWOT land areas of combat operations are highlighted; refer to the document for sea and airspace areas of combat operations. 2. U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. Federal Benefits for Veterans Dependents & Survivors. 2010 ed. Washington, DC: 2010.
3. California Government Code, Sec. 18540.4. Also see California Military and Veterans Code, Sec. 980-980.5 for limitations of benefits due to discharge status. 4. Department of Defense. “Legal Residence/ Home Address for Service Members Ever Deployed : As of January 31, 2010.” Defense Manpower Data Center, Contingency Tracking System Deployment File. March 1, 2010. Obtained by Veterans for Common Sense using the Freedom of Information Act. 5. Department of Defense. “Deployment File for OEF & OIF (as of December 31, 2009).” Defense Manpower Data Center, Contingency Tracking System Deployment File. Obtained by Veterans for Common Sense using the Freedom of Information Act. 6. U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Veterans Health Administration. “Analysis of VA Health Care Utilization among Operation Enduring Freedom (OEF) and Operation Iraqi Freedom (OIF) Veterans.” Office of Public Health and Environmental Hazards. Washington, DC: February 2010. Obtained by Veterans for Common Sense using the Freedom of Information Act. 7. Ibid. 8. Department of Defense. Demographics 2008: Profile of the Military Community. Office of the Deputy Under Secretary of Defense (Military Community and Family Policy). Washington, DC. http://cs.mhf.dod.mil/content/dav/mhf/QOLLibrary/Project%20Documents/MilitaryHOMEFRONT/Reports/2008%2 0Demographics.pdf. 9. U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. “VetPop 2007, Table 4L: Veterans by State, Race/Ethnicity, Age Group, Gender, 2000-2036.” Office of the Assistant Secretary for Policy and Planning, Office of Policy (008A2). Washington, DC: January 2008. http://www1.va.gov/vetdata/docs/4l.xls.
10. Department of Defense. “Legal Residence/ Home Address for Service Members Ever Deployed : As of January 31, 2010.” Defense Manpower Data Center, Contingency Tracking System Deployment File. March 1, 2010. Obtained by Veterans for Common Sense using the Freedom of Information Act. 11. Department of Veterans Affairs, Veterans Benefits Administration . “VA Benefits Activity: Veterans Deployed to the Global War on Terror, Through September 30, 2009.” VBA Office of Performance Analysis & Integrity. Washington, DC: November 18, 2009. Obtained by Veterans for Common Sense using the Freedom of Information Act. 12. Department of Defense. Demographics 2008: Profile of the Military Community. Office of the Deputy Under Secretary of Defense (Military Community and Family Policy). Washington, DC. http://cs.mhf.dod.mil/content/dav/mhf/QOLLibrary/Project%20Documents/MilitaryHOMEFRONT/Reports/2008% 20Demographics.pdf.
13. Commission on the National Guard and Reserves. Transforming the National Guard and Reserves into a 21st-Century Operational Force: Final Report to Congress and the Secretary of Defense. Washington, DC: January 31, 2008. http://www.loc.gov/rr/frd/pdf-files/CNGR_final-report.pdf. 14. Department of Defense. “Ever Deployed Personnel by Service and Gender: As of December 21, 2009.” Defense Manpower Data Center, Contingency Tracking System Deployment File. January 25, 2010. Obtained by Veterans for Common Sense using the Freedom of Information Act.
15. Department of Defense. Demographics 2008: Profile of the Military Community. Office of the Deputy Under Secretary of Defense (Military Community and Family Policy). Washington, DC. http://cs.mhf.dod.mil/content/dav/mhf/QOLLibrary/Project%20Documents/MilitaryHOMEFRONT/Reports/2008% 20Demographics.pdf. 16. Gamache, Gail, Robert Rosenheck, and Richard Tessler. “Overrepresentation of Women Veteran Among Homeless Women.” American Journal of Public Health 93, no. 7 (July 2003): 1132-1136. http://www.ajph.org/cgi/reprint/93/7/1132. 17. Eckholm, Erik. “For Veterans, a Weekend Pass From Homelessness.” New York Times, July 25, 2009. http://www.nytimes.com/2009/07/26/us/26homeless.html.
Sources & Notes (Cont.) 18. Department of Veterans Affairs. “VetPop 2007, Table 4L: Veterans by State, Race/Ethnicity, Age Group, Gender, 2000-2036.” Office of the Assistant Secretary for Policy and Planning, Office of Policy (008A2). Washington, DC: January 2008. http://www1.va.gov/vetdata/docs/4l.xls.
27. Tanielian, Terri, Lisa H. Jaycox, Terry L. Schell, et al. Invisible Wounds: Summary and Recommendations for Addressing Psychological and Cognitive Injuries. Santa Monica, CA: RAND Corporation, 2008. http://www.rand.org/pubs/monographs/2008/RAND_MG720.1.pdf.
19. Department of Defense. Demographics 2008: Profile of the Military Community. Office of the Deputy Under Secretary of Defense (Military Community and Family Policy). Washington, DC. http://cs.mhf.dod.mil/content/dav/mhf/QOLLibrary/Project%20Documents/MilitaryHOMEFRONT/Reports/2008% 20Demographics.pdf.
28. Institute for Operations Research and the Management Sciences. “Iraq Troops' PTSD Rate As High As 35 Percent, Analysis Finds.” ScienceDaily, September 15, 2009. http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/09/090914151629.htm. Note: a PTSD rate of 35 percent applied to a OIF/OEF deployment population of 2,000,000 creates an estimate of up to 700,000 lifetime PTSD cases.
20. American Psychological Association Presidential Task Force on Military Deployment Services for Youth, Families and Service Members. The Psychological Needs of U.S. Military Service Members and Their Families: A Preliminary Report. American Psychological Association, February 2007. http://www.apa.org/releases/MilitaryDeploymentTaskForceReport.pdf. 21. Department of Defense. Demographics 2008: Profile of the Military Community. Office of the Deputy Under Secretary of Defense (Military Community and Family Policy). Washington, DC. http://cs.mhf.dod.mil/content/dav/mhf/QOLLibrary/Project%20Documents/MilitaryHOMEFRONT/Reports/2008% 20Demographics.pdf. 22. Ibid. 23. Ibid. 24. Ibid. 25. Office of the Surgeon Multi-National Force-Iraq, Office of the Command Surgeon, and Office of the Surgeon General United States Army Medical Command. Mental Health Advisory Team (MHAT) V Operation Iraqi Freedom 06-08: Iraq; Operation Enduring Freedom 8: Afghanistan. February 14, 2008. http://www.armymedicine.army.mil/reports/mhat/mhat_v/MHAT_V_ OIFandOEF-Redacted.pdf. 26. Department of Defense, Statistical Information Analysis Division. “Global War on Terrorism - Operation Iraqi Freedom By Casualty Category Within Service: March 19, 2003 Through March 6, 2010” and “Global War on Terrorism - Operation Enduring Freedom By Casualty Category Within Service: October 7, 2001 Through March 6, 2010.” Military Casualty Information. http://siadapp.dmdc.osd.mil/personnel/CASUALTY/castop.htm.
29. Tanielian, Terri, Lisa H. Jaycox, Terry L. Schell, et al. Invisible Wounds: Summary and Recommendations for Addressing Psychological and Cognitive Injuries. Santa Monica, CA: RAND Corporation, 2008. http://www.rand.org/pubs/monographs/2008/RAND_MG720.1.pdf 30. Ibid. 31. Ibid. 32. U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Veterans Health Administration. “Analysis of VA Health Care Utilization among Operation Enduring Freedom (OEF) and Operation Iraqi Freedom (OIF) Veterans.” Office of Public Health and Environmental Hazards. Washington, DC: February 2010. Obtained by Veterans for Common Sense using the Freedom of Information Act. Note: this PTSD data does not include information on PTSD from VA’s Vet Centers or data from veterans not enrolled for VHA health care. Also, it does not include veterans who did not receive a diagnosis of PTSD but had a diagnosis of adjustment reaction. Veterans may have more than one mental disorder diagnosis and each diagnosis is counted separately. 33. Office of the Surgeon Multi-National Force-Iraq, Office of the Command Surgeon and Office of the Surgeon General United States Army Medical Command. Mental Health Advisory Team (MHAT) V Operation Iraqi Freedom 06-08: Iraq; Operation Enduring Freedom 8: Afghanistan. February 14, 2008. http://www.armymedicine.army.mil/reports/mhat/mhat_v/MHAT_V_ OIFandOEF-Redacted.pdf.
Sources & Notes (Cont.) 34. Tanielian, Terri, Lisa H. Jaycox, Terry L. Schell, et al. Invisible Wounds: Summary and Recommendations for Addressing Psychological and Cognitive Injuries. Santa Monica, CA: RAND Corporation, 2008. http://www.rand.org/pubs/monographs/2008/RAND_MG720.1.pdf.
43. Williamson, Randall B. VA Health Care: Preliminary Findings on VA’s Provision of Health Care Services to Women Veterans (GAO-09-899T). United States Government Accountability Office, Washington, DC: July 16, 2009. http://www.gao.gov/new.items/d09899t.pdf.
35. Nina A. Sayer, David X. Cifu, Shane McNamee, Christine E. Chiros, Barbara J. Sigford, Steve Scott, and Henry L. Lew. “Rehabilitation Needs of Combat-Injured Service Members Admitted to the VA Polytrauma Rehabilitation Centers: The Role of PM&R in the Care of Wounded Warriors.” PM&R 1, no. 1 (2009): 23-28. http://download.journals.elsevierhealth.com/pdfs/journals/19341482/PIIS1934148208000166.pdf.
44. Deborah Yaeger, Naomi Himmelfarb, Alison Cammack and Jim Mintz. “DSM-IV Diagnosed Posttraumatic Stress Disorder in Women Veterans With and Without Military Sexual Trauma.” Journal of General Internal Medicine 21, no. 3 (March 2006): S65-69. http://www.springerlink.com/content/031451136128x382/.
36. Katz, Ira R. Email to Kussman, Michael J. 15 Dec. 2007. http://www.cbsnews.com/htdocs/pdf/VA_email_121507.pdf. 37. Katz, Ira R. Email to Chasen, Ev. 13 Feb. 2008. http://www.cbsnews.com/htdocs/pdf/VA_email_021308.pdf. 38. Cassels, Caroline. “APA 2009: Young Women Veterans at High Risk for Suicide.” Medscape Medical News, May 27, 2009. http://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/703424. 39. CBS/AP. “Suicide Rate of Young Veterans Soars.” CBS News. January 11, 2010. http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2010/01/11/national/main6083072.sh tml 40. Wortzel, Hal S., Ingrid A. Binswanger, C. Alan Anderson and Lawrence E. Adler. “Suicide Among Incarcerated Veterans.” The Journal of the American Academy of Psychiatry and the Law 37, no. 1 (March 2009): 82-92. http://www.jaapl.org/cgi/reprint/37/1/82. 41. U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs Email to Veterans for Common Sense. 25 March 2010. 42. Zeiss, Antonette. “Veterans Health Administration Care for Mental Health Problems Related to Military Sexual Trauma.” PowerPoint presentation to the Defense Task Force on Sexual Assault in the Military Services open meeting, Alexandria, VA, Aug 11-15, 2008. http://www.dtic.mil/dtfsams/docs/10-08docs/Day3_9am10am_Zeiss.pdf.
45. General definition of homeless individual. Title 42 U.S. Code, Sec. 11302 (2008). 46. George Basher, Chair. 2009 Annual Report of the Advisory Committee on Homeless Veterans. U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Advisory Committee on Homeless Veterans. Washington, DC: 2009. http://www1.va.gov/advisory/docs/ReportHomeless2009.pdf. 47. John H. Kuhn and John Nakashima. Community Homeless Assessment, Local Education and Networking Group (CHALENG) for Veterans, The Fifteenth Annual Progress Report on Public Law 105-114, Services for Homeless Veterans Assessment and Coordination. U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Washington, DC: March 11, 2009. http://www1.va.gov/homeless/docs/CHALENG_15th_Annual_CHALE NG_Report_FY2008.pdf. 48. John H. Kuhn and John Nakashima. Community Homeless Assessment, Local Education and Networking Group (CHALENG) for Veterans, The Fifteenth Annual Progress Report on Public Law 105-114, Services for Homeless Veterans Assessment and Coordination. U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Washington, DC: March 11, 2009. http://www1.va.gov/homeless/docs/CHALENG_15th_Annual_CHALE NG_Report_FY2008.pdf. 49. Abt Associates Inc. (Prepared for U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs). Employment Histories Report Final Compilation Report. Bethesda, MD: March 28, 2008. http://www1.va.gov/vetdata/docs/Employment_History_080324.pdf. 50. U.S. Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics. “Employment Situation of Veterans – 2009.” Washington DC: March 12, 2010. http://www.bls.gov/news.release/pdf/vet.pdf.
Sources & Notes (Cont.) 51. Henriques, Diana B. “Lenders at the Gate: Debtors in the Barracks.” New York Times, December 7, 2004. http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9D06EFDB1531F934A3 5751C1A9629C8B63&sec=&spon=&partner=permalink&exprod=permali nk. 52. Terms of consumer credit extended to members and dependents: limitations. Title 10 U.S. Code, Sec. 987 (2008). 53. U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. Federal Benefits for Veterans Dependents & Survivors. 2010 ed. Washington, DC: 2010. 54. U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. “Combat Veteran Eligibility” Fact Sheet 16-4. June 2009. http://www4.va.gov/healtheligibility/Library/pubs/CombatVet/Combat Vet.pdf. 55. Barton F. Stichman and Ronald B. Abrams. Veterans Benefits Manual. 2008 ed. Charlottesville, VA: Matthew Bender & Company, Inc., 2008.
56. U.S. Department of Veterans. “Other Than Honorable Discharges: Impact on Eligibility for VA Health Care Benefits.” Fact Sheet 16-8. March 2010. http://www4.va.gov/healtheligibility/Library/pubs/OtherThanHonorable /OtherThanHonorable.pdf. Note: administrative “Other than Honorable” discharges, and punitive “Bad Conduct” discharges issued by special courts-martial, may or may not be disqualifying for purposes of general VA benefit eligibility or VA health benefits eligibility specifically. 57. Periods of war. Title 38 Code of Federal Regulations Pt. 3.2 (2008). Note: the “Persian Gulf War” era began August 2, 1990 and currently does not have an official end date. The end date will be prescribed by Presidential proclamation or law. 58. The military makes “line of duty determinations” regarding whether the injury was a result of willful misconduct or incurred in the line of duty. Such determinations are only binding on VA when the determinations are favorable to the veteran. Moreover, it is always advisable for any veteran, regardless of discharge, terms of discharge or terms of injury, to seek the assistance of a trained legal advocate when filing a claim with VA. 59. U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. “Enrollment Priority Groups.” Fact Sheet 164-2. January 2010. http://www4.va.gov/healtheligibility/Library/pubs/EPG/EnrollmentPri orityGroups.pdf.
60. Veterans Benefits Administration (U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs). “Monday Morning Workload Report, As of: August 22, 2009.” Washington, DC.: Office of Performance & Integrity. http://www.vba.va.gov/REPORTS/mmwr/2009/082409.xls. Note: Number derived by adding “Total C&P Work Items Pending” (749,834) and “VACOLS Appeals” (198,777). 61. U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Office of Management. FY 2009 Performance and Accountability Report. Washington DC: 2009. http://www.va.gov/budget/report/2008/2008FullWeb.pdf. 62. Veterans Benefits Administration (U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs). “VA Benefits Activity: Veterans Deployed to the Global War on Terror, Through May 31, 2009.” VBA Office of Performance Analysis & Integrity. Washington, DC: July 21, 2009. Obtained by Veterans for Common Sense using the Freedom of Information Act. 63. Department of Veterans Affairs, Veterans Benefits Administration . “VA Benefits Activity: Veterans Deployed to the Global War on Terror, Through September 30, 2009.” VBA Office of Performance Analysis & Integrity. Washington, DC: November 18, 2009. Obtained by Veterans for Common Sense using the Freedom of Information Act. And U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Veterans Health Administration. “Analysis of VA Health Care Utilization among Operation Enduring Freedom (OEF) and Operation Iraqi Freedom (OIF) Veterans.” Office of Public Health and Environmental Hazards. Washington, DC: February 2010. Obtained by Veterans for Common Sense using the Freedom of Information Act. 64. Maize, Rick. “Data: Reservist VA claims more often denied.” Military Times, December 24, 2009. http://www.militarytimes.com/news/2008/10/military_reservesva_1001 08/. 65. Ibid.
Special Thanks To: Veterans for Common Sense The California Endowment The Iraq and Afghanistan Deployment Impact Fund The Zellerbach Family Fund Pictures Courtesy of the Department of Defense
Contact Us: Swords to Plowshares, Iraq Veteran Project 1060 Howard Street San Francisco, CA 94103 Amy N. Fairweather, J.D. Teresa Panepinto, J.D. Director of Policy Legal Director 415-252-4787 Ext. 356 415-252-4788 Ext. 313