From The Ripon Forum

Veterans Day Special Edition 2025

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** The State of America’s Veterans
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** by Jim Whaley
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Veterans Day is a time to honor those who served. But the truest measure of how a nation honors its veterans is not in ceremonies or speeches — it’s in whether we listen to them, not only on November 11, but every day of the year. Veteran voices have shaped some of the most consequential policies of the past decade, from expanding toxic exposure care to transforming how we approach suicide prevention.

The veteran community itself is changing. It is smaller now than at any point in modern history, yet more diverse, more complex, and facing new challenges that demand urgent attention. As their numbers continue to decline, their voices must not fade from our national priorities. The strength of our nation depends, in no small part, on how well we support those who have given so much defending it.

A Changing Community
Today, there are about 17.5 million veterans in the United States, representing roughly 6–7 percent of the adult population. That’s a dramatic shift from the decades following World War II, when veterans made up 10–15 percent of U.S. adults. By 2040, that share is projected to drop below 5 percent, and the total veteran population is expected to fall to around 13 million.

As the community shrinks, it is also becoming more diverse. Roughly 19 percent of veterans are now people of color, compared to less than 10 percent in 2000, and the number of women veterans is steadily rising, expected to make up nearly 18 percent of the total by 2040. Veterans are also geographically dispersed: about 4.7 million, more than one quarter of all veterans, live in rural communities, where access to healthcare, transportation, and employment can be especially challenging. Ensuring that these veterans are not left behind requires sustained attention to the unique barriers created by distance, limited infrastructure, and fewer providers.

…about 4.7 million, more than one quarter of all veterans, live in rural communities, where access to healthcare, transportation, and employment can be especially challenging.

The population is also aging. Nearly half of all veterans are over the age of 65, and more than 40 percent live with a service-connected disability. Many are managing the long-term physical and mental health consequences of service, from chronic pain and toxic exposure to post-traumatic stress and traumatic brain injury. These realities shape the kind of care, support, and policy solutions they need.

Health and Well-Being
Access to quality, timely healthcare remains a defining challenge. While the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) provides care to millions, about half of all veterans are not connected to the VA or a veteran service organization. That gap means many veterans are navigating the civilian healthcare system, where knowledge of military-related conditions can be limited and continuity of care can suffer.

Mission Roll Call’s polling reflects this concern. In our 2026 priorities survey, 65 percent of veterans identified access to quality healthcare as one of their top concerns. Rural veterans face particular challenges, often traveling long distances or waiting weeks for appointments.

Policymakers are beginning to respond. The PACT Act — the most significant expansion of VA healthcare in decades — extended care and benefits to millions of veterans exposed to burn pits and other toxins. The Commander John Scott Hannon Veterans Mental Health Care Improvement Act and the SSG Parker Gordon Fox Suicide Prevention Grant Program expanded community-based prevention efforts and emphasized a public health approach to suicide. And the proposed ACCESS Act seeks to expand veterans' timely access to care by strengthening eligibility standards for community care, improving oversight of mental health and residential treatment programs, and giving veterans greater choice and transparency in navigating VA and non-VA providers.

Still, gaps remain. More than 6,000 veterans die by suicide each year, a rate significantly higher than their civilian peers. Stigma, long wait times, and insufficient mental health services are common barriers. In our surveys, 57 percent of veterans ranked mental health care and suicide prevention as a top priority. Strengthening those community connections and ensuring veterans in every ZIP code can access timely, high-quality care will be essential in the years ahead.

Economic Security and Transition
Economic stability is another pillar of veteran well-being. As of 2025, the veteran unemployment rate officially hovers around 3.1 percent, slightly lower than the national average. Yet employment quality remains a concern.

More than 6,000 veterans die by suicide each year, a rate significantly higher than their civilian peers … In our surveys, 57 percent of veterans ranked mental health care and suicide prevention as a top priority.

Our data shows that 73 percent of veterans accepted the first job available after leaving the military rather than one aligned with their skills or passions. This mismatch often contributes to lower job satisfaction and higher turnover. Broader research underscores the same trend, with many veterans leaving their first civilian job within the first two years because it fails to match their skills or expectations. We are continuing to gather updated data on this complex issue, but the evidence shows that transition challenges remain a central barrier to long-term stability.

Employment is deeply tied to successful reintegration. When veterans find meaningful work that uses their skills, they are more likely to thrive in other areas of life, including mental health and personal relationships. That’s why programs focused on workforce development, credential transfer, and employer education are critical to long-term success.

Housing and Stability
Homelessness and housing insecurity remains an urgent issue. The most recent Point-in-Time (PIT) count found more than 33,000 veterans experiencing homelessness on a single night,a figure that has declined by about 55 percent since 2010 but remains far too high. And even that number is only a floor, not a ceiling. The PIT Count provides a snapshot, but it misses many veterans: those hidden in remote or rural areas; those temporarily staying with friends or in motels; those unwilling to disclose their status; or parents — often mothers — who avoid visibility to protect their children. The fact is that no veteran or their family should be without a home.

Community-based programs funded by the Supportive Services for Veteran Families (SSVF) program and collaborations between VA and local partners have been instrumental in reducing homelessness, but sustained investment and innovative approaches are needed to reach veterans who remain outside traditional systems of care.

The Road Ahead
The veteran population is changing and facing new challenges that cannot be addressed with outdated approaches. But one thing has not changed: veterans continue to serve as a source of strength, leadership, and resilience for this nation.

As we look to the future, the measure of how well we honor their service will not be in how loudly we speak about them, but in how closely we listen to them — and how boldly we act on what we hear. Their voices, combined with data and lived experience, must guide the next generation of policies that safeguard their health, well-being, and economic security.

At Mission Roll Call, we believe every veteran’s story, experience, and opinion matters. Veterans represent every walk of American life. What unites them is that each has done their duty to protect our nation and uphold the Constitution. When veterans speak, policies shift, systems improve, and lives are saved. We’re listening, and we’re making sure those voices are heard where it matters most.

Jim Whaley is the CEO of Mission Roll Call and is a 20-year veteran of the United States Army.

The Ripon Forum is published six times a year by The Ripon Society, a public policy organization that was founded in 1962 and takes its name from the town where the Republican Party was born in 1854 –Ripon, Wisconsin. One of the main goals of The Ripon Society is to promote the ideas and principles that have made America great and contributed to the GOP’s success. These ideas include keeping our nation secure, keeping taxes low and having a federal government that is smaller, smarter and more accountable to the people.

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