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By Billal Rahman
Immigration Reporter
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The distribution of former members of the armed forces across the country shows that there are significant concentrations in certain states.
Newsweek has created a map to show which U.S. states have the highest number of ex-service members.
California has the most veterans living in the state, with 1.5 million. However, veterans are disproportionately represented among the state's homeless population. There are about 10,395 homeless veterans living there.
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Deborah Johnson, President and CEO of the California Veterans Assistance Foundation, told Newsweek that veterans are severely "impacted" by a lack of health services in parts of California.
"In rural areas, veterans are impacted by the lack of emergent medical and mental health services by providers that are culturally competent in veterans care," she said.
"In areas where veterans are served by community-based outpatient clinics, their operations are traditionally 8 a.m.–3:30 p.m., so they cannot accept veterans that are experiencing an emergency. The veteran must call a hotline to get a referral for community-based care from a provider that is unfamiliar to them. We need a way for community care providers to work directly with the VA to ensure that there is two-way communication and all treatment is entered into a veterans VA medical record.
"California is a state that recognizes and honors those veterans that have served, from motor vehicle registration fee waivers, veterans license plates, fishing and hunting licenses, state parks and recreation passes, business licenses, and property tax exemptions, but is also home to approximately 25% of the homeless veteran population.
"The VA and CalVet have created programs to address the housing issues, including Grant & Per Diem Transitional Housing, Supportive Services for Veterans Families and Veteran Homeless Housing Programs; however, more veterans are falling into homelessness than we can place and keep in permanent housing. At the end of the day, it doesn't matter how many programs there are if we do not have the right permanent housing solutions."
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Next in line are Texas and Florida, with 1.44 million and 1.42 million veterans, respectively. The top three states have large populations, but are also home to numerous military bases and veterans services. This makes those states more attractive for veterans to settle in after they have completed military service.
Pennsylvania and Ohio round out the top five, with veteran populations of 731,411 and 685,905, respectively. These states have longstanding military traditions.
Every year on November 10, the Marine Corps participates in the birthday ball. This celebration commemorates the establishment of the Corps in 1775 and pays homage to its heritage.
States with large military bases attract and retain more veterans. Additionally, states with stronger support systems are more likely to provide an attractive environment for ex-military personnel.
Washington has the lowest number of veterans living in the state, with only 25,514. This is followed by Vermont and Wyoming at 34,915 and 44,403.
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Rounding out the bottom five, there is North Dakota with 46,288 and Rhode Island with 52,128.
There were around 16.2 million veterans in the United States in 2022, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. A majority of those fought in the Vietnam War and are men over the age of 75.
Several factors contribute to the distribution of ex-army officials across the country.
The presence of veterans influences local economies in states with high populations through spending on housing, healthcare and other support services.
As the veteran population continues to evolve, states need to adapt their services to meet the changing needs of these individuals. Providing healthcare and employment opportunities to ensure veterans can smoothly transition to civilian life is important in their decision-making process.
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