Veterans

The first data on veterans to be published by the U.S. government were based on an inquiry in the 1840 census which asked the name, age, and place of residence of pensioners of the Revolutionary War. Prior to the Civil War, most interest in the number of veterans was for pension purposes. It was the expansion of veterans benefits in the early 1900s and the huge influx of veterans at the end of WWII that increased the importance of decennial census data on veterans. Veterans’ questions have appeared on every decennial census form since 1910, with the exception of 1920. The 1940 decennial census was the first year that included a statistical sample in which a percentage of the population received a longer, more detailed census form. From 1940 until the 2000 census, questions of veterans status and period of service were included on the long form. The 1980 decennial census marked the first time that information on women veterans had ever been gathered in a national survey. At the time of the 1980 census, women made up less than 3 percent of the total veteran population; today they make up about 8 percent.

Another change in 1980 was the modification of the veteran status question to indicate that its intended goal was to count only veterans who had served on “active duty.” It specifically excluded those who served only in the National Guard or Reserves. The periods of military service question was also expanded to include the Vietnam and post-Vietnam eras. The veteran status question was revised again in 1990 by expanding the question to separate current active duty, past active duty, service in the National Guard or Reserves only, and no military service. This change was meant to lessen confusion for the respondent.

Starting with Census 2010, veteran status was no longer collected on the decennial census questionnaire, except in the Island Areas. Instead, these data on veterans are available from the American Community Survey (ACS).

For more information, see Historical Veteran Questions and Instructions [PDF - 54k] and Historical Veteran Status Questions [XLS - 32k]

American Community Survey

The ACS is a continuous survey sent to three million household addresses and group quarters on a rotating basis. It is conducted in Puerto Rico as the Puerto Rico Community Survey.

In 1995, the U.S. Census Bureau began the process of changing the means of obtaining the demographic, housing, social, and economic information from the census long form to the ACS. Testing began in 1996, and the ACS program began producing test data in 2000, 2001, and 2002. The full implementation started in 2005, and the first 3-year estimates (from 2005-2008) were available at the end of the 2008. The first 5-year estimates, based on ACS data collected from 2005 through 2009, will be released in 2010.

The period of service categories have evolved since 2000. The most recent changes were made in 2003 when the “April 1995 or later” category was changed to “September 2001 or later” to reflect the era that began after the events of September 11, 2001. Additional changes were made to reflect the revised dates of war-time periods.

New content was added to the ACS questionnaire in 2008. The objective of including a question on service-connected disability ratings was to enable the VA to cross-classify information on this topic by other demographic characteristics—such as income—to guide them in estimating the demand for health care services.

The 2010 ACS has four main questions related to veterans: (1) if the person ever served in the Armed Forces and, if so, (2) in which periods they served, (3) if they have a VA service-connected disability rating and, if so, (4) the disability rating.

Current Population Survey (CPS)

The Current Population Survey (CPS) is a monthly survey of about 50,000 households that is sponsored jointly by the Census Bureau and the Bureau of Labor Statistics. The survey has been conducted since 1940.

The CPS is the primary source of information on the labor force characteristics of the United States, including the national unemployment rate. To be eligible for participation in the CPS, individuals must be 15 years and older, not currently in the Armed Forces, and not currently living in an institution such as a prison, long term care hospital, or nursing home.

Questions pertaining to veterans have been included in the CPS since the 1940s, however the CPS did not begin to collect data on the veteran status of women until 1984. The CPS asks respondents if they have ever served in the Armed Forces and, if so, in which periods they served.

The Census Bureau also conducts an annual CPS supplement on veterans (prior to 2009 it was a biannual supplement). All veterans 17 years and older are asked questions pertaining to topics such as specific types of service in Vietnam; service-connected disability status, ratings, and compensation; and use of workforce training and employment services. The most recent Veterans Supplement was administered in August 2009.

Survey of Income and Program Participation (SIPP)

The Survey of Income and Program Participation (SIPP) is designed as a continuous series of national panels with sample sizes ranging from 14,000 to 36,700 interviewed households. The first SIPP panel began in 1983. The purpose of the SIPP is to collect the source and amount of income, labor force information, program participation and eligibility data, and general demographic characteristics in order to: (1) measure the effectiveness of federal, state, and local programs and (2) provide statistics on the economic well-being of the country. Although the SIPP design allows for both longitudinal and cross-sectional data analysis, it is meant primarily to support longitudinal studies.

Veteran status questions have been asked of everyone 15 years and older since the 1983 panel of the SIPP. The SIPP asks respondents if they have ever served in the Armed Forces and, if so, in which periods they served.