VA BENEFITS ACTIVITY VETERANS DEPLOYED TO THE GLOBAL WAR ON TERROR

VA BENEFITS ACTIVITY VETERANS DEPLOYED TO THE GLOBAL WAR ON TERROR This report summarizes participation in VA benefits programs by veterans identified by the Department of Defense as having been deployed overseas in support of the Global War on Terror (GWOT). Information is included for the following VA programs: Compensation, Insurance, Home Loan Guaranty, Education, and Vocational Rehabilitation and Employment. This update provides data on VA program participation for 892,848 GWOT veterans separated from military service through December 31, 2007. It is important to understand that because many GWOT veterans had earlier periods of service, the benefits activity identified in this report could have occurred either prior to or subsequent to their GWOT deployment (or both). Chart #1 GWOT Veterans by Branch of Service Branch of Service Air Force 85,760 80,311 166,071 Army 283,884 183,225 467,109 Coast Guard 367 1,362 1,729 Marine Corps 29,274 83,235 112,509 Navy 25,657 113,075 138,732 Other 4 30 34 Unknown 2,270 2,568 4,838 Total matched to VA systems 427,216 463,806 891,022 Unable to match to VA systems 886 940 1,826 Total 428,102 464,746 892,848 Note: The veteran s branch of service was obtained from VA s BIRLS system, which stores information for up to three periods of service. The branch of service associated with the most recent service date was used for the chart above. 1

Chart #2 Gender of GWOT Veterans Gender Female 45,404 56,173 101,577 Male 378,593 403,805 782,398 Unknown 3,219 3,828 7,047 Total matched to VA systems 427,216 463,806 891,022 Unable to match to VA systems 886 940 1,826 Total 428,102 464,746 892,848 Chart #3 Age of GWOT Veterans Age Group Under 20 147 382 529 20-29 141,089 278,871 419,960 30-39 126,808 95,393 222,201 40-49 113,491 74,561 188,052 50-59 39,043 12,178 51,221 60-69 5,766 691 6,457 Unknown 872 1,730 2,602 Total matched to VA systems 427,216 463,806 891,022 Unable to match to VA systems 886 940 1,826 Total 428,102 464,746 892,848 Note: Veterans ages are calculated in whole years based on the date of birth in the BIRLS system. Any veteran with a missing or invalid date of birth, or where the calculated age was under 17 years or over 69 years, was placed in the Unknown age group. Chart #4 Average Age of GWOT Veterans Guard Active Duty Average Age 36.2 years 30.9 years Chart #5 Average Length of Service for GWOT Veterans Guard Active Duty Average Length of Service 3.7 years 8.3 years 2

Service-Connected Disability Compensation Program VBA s computer systems do not contain any data that would allow us to attribute veterans disabilities to a specific period of service or deployment. We are therefore only able to identify GWOT veterans who filed a disability compensation claim at some point either prior to or following their GWOT deployment. We are not able to identify which of these veterans filed a claim for disabilities incurred during their actual overseas GWOT deployment. Many veterans file disability compensation claims for more than one condition. The table below provides information on individual GWOT veterans, not specific claimed disabilities. Individuals included in the category Veterans Awarded Service-Connection are those veterans who have at least one condition that meets eligibility requirements for service connection under VA statutes and regulations. For veterans who filed a claim for more than one condition, this category contains veterans with a full grant of all conditions as well as veterans with a combination of disabilities granted and denied. If none of a GWOT veteran s claimed conditions meet eligibility requirements under VA statutes and regulations, these individuals are included in the category Veterans Denied Service-Connection. Chart #6 C&P Activity Among GWOT Veterans (Includes claims filed both prior to and following GWOT deployment) Category s Active Guard Duty Total Deployed Service members 459,513 1,208,608 1,668,121 Total GWOT Veterans 428,102 464,746 892,848 Living GWOT Veterans 424,959 423,088 848,047 GWOT In-Service Deaths 810 3,373 4,183 Total GWOT Veterans with Claims Decisions 82,685 171,430 254,115 Veterans Awarded Service-Connection 72,345 163,375 235,720 Veterans Receiving Compensation 58,067 140,182 198,249 Veterans Denied Service-Connection 10,340 8,055 18,395 Veterans with Pending Claims (as of 3-31-08) 18,448 23,044 41,492 Veterans with Pending Reopened Claims 3,696 4,121 7,817 Pending from First-Time Claimants 14,752 18,923 33,675 Total GWOT Veterans Filing Disability Claims* 97,437 190,353 287,790 * Includes Total GWOT Veterans with Claims Decisions and Pending from First-Time Claimants. 3

Disabilities are evaluated according to VA regulations, and the extent of the disability is expressed as a percentage from zero percent to 100 percent disabling, in increments of 10 percent. Veterans with more than one service-connected disability receive a combined disability rating. The chart below includes GWOT veterans awarded combined service-connected disability ratings from zero percent to 100 percent, regardless of whether the veteran receives monetary compensation. Chart #7 GWOT Veterans Awarded Service-Connection (by Combined Degree of Disability) Combined Degree s 0% 12,978 18,667 31,645 10% 17,679 29,241 46,920 20% 9,919 22,355 32,274 30% 8,037 22,657 30,694 40% 6,946 20,663 27,609 50% 3,862 12,655 16,517 60% 4,439 14,265 18,704 70% 2,847 9,114 11,961 80% 2,094 6,478 8,572 90% 931 2,845 3,776 100% 2,613 4,435 7,048 Total 72,345 163,375 235,720 Chart #8 Ten Most Frequent Service-Connected Disabilities for GWOT Veterans (Both Active Duty and /Guard) Diagnostic Code Diagnosis Description Count 6260 Tinnitus 68,728 5237 Lumbosacral Or Cervical Strain 48,886 9411 Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder 33,427 5242 Degenerative Arthritis Of The Spine 29,581 6100 Defective Hearing 28,127 5260 Limitation Of Flexion Of Leg 27,825 5271 Limited Motion Of The Ankle 24,134 5024 Tenosynovitis 23,745 7101 Hypertensive Vascular Disease (Essential Arterial Hypertension) 23,613 7805 Scars, Other 21,597 NOTE: Previous versions of this chart contained an error, which resulted in erroneously including some denied conditions rather than only those disabilities granted. 4

Insurance Program Traumatic Injury Benefit Servicemembers Group Life Insurance Traumatic Injury Protection (TSGLI) is a rider under Servicemembers Group Life Insurance (SGLI) that provides for payment to any member of the uniformed services covered by SGLI who sustains a traumatic injury that results in certain severe losses. Through March 31, 2008, 7,675 active duty servicemembers and veterans have applied for TSGLI. Of those, 5,220 were filed by GWOT veterans, and 2,977 of those received benefits. Chart #9a GWOT Veterans Who Applied for TSGLI Benefits (by Age) Age Group Under 20-7 7 20-29 672 2,247 2,919 30-39 643 670 1,313 40-49 573 162 735 50-59 205 10 215 60-69 23-23 Unknown - 8 8 Total 2,116 3,104 5,220 Note: The totals above reflect veterans whose claims have been approved, denied or are currently pending. Chart #9b GWOT Veterans Who Received TSGLI Benefits (by Age) Age Group Under 20-6 6 20 29 384 1,558 1,942 30-39 278 442 720 40-49 165 86 251 50-59 49 1 50 60-69 1-1 Unknown - 7 7 Total 877 2,100 2,977 5

Chart #10a GWOT Veterans Who Applied for TSGLI Benefits (by Gender) Gender Female 113 79 192 Male 1,995 3,012 5,007 Unknown 8 13 21 Total 2,116 3,104 5,220 Note: The totals above reflect veterans whose claims have been approved, denied, or are currently pending. Chart #10b GWOT Veterans Who Received TSGLI Benefits (by Gender) Gender Female 33 47 80 Male 842 2,043 2,885 Unknown 2 10 12 Total 877 2,100 2,977 6

Home Loan Guaranty Program VA s home loan guaranty program has been helping veterans purchase homes for more than 60 years. VA guaranteed home loans are made by banks and mortgage companies to veterans, servicemembers and eligible reservists. With VA backing a portion of the loan, veterans can receive a competitive interest rate without a downpayment, making it easier to buy a home. This benefit can be used more than once if needed to 1) refinance an existing VA guaranteed loan at a lower interest rate or 2) to purchase a home that will again be used as the person's primary residence (eligible to do this normally after paying off any previous loans.) Chart #11 Home Loan Guaranty Program Participation by GWOT Veterans GWOT Veterans with VA Loans 110,880 106,909 217,789 Total Loans Made to GWOT Veterans 170,947 160,556 331,503 Dollar Amount of All Loans to GWOT Veterans $19.7b $20.5b $40.2b 7

Education Programs The chart below reflects participation by GWOT veterans in VA education benefit programs since September 11, 2001. Participants may have been entitled to more than one benefit. For example, a reservist may have received Chapter 1606 benefits until he or she became eligible to receive Chapter 1607 benefits. This participant would be reported in both columns in the chart below. Chart #12 Education Program Participation Among GWOT Veterans Since September 11, 2001 Type of Training Chapter 30 Chapter 1606 Chapter 1607 Total Graduate 9,632 6,509 4,296 20,437 Under Graduate 76,502 78,520 26,697 181,719 Junior College 84,030 50,960 14,488 149,478 NCD 21,325 7,580 3,142 32,047 Total 191,489 143,569 48,623 383,681 Note: This data is based on DMDC separations thru December 31, 2007, compared to VA records as of March 31, 2008. Montgomery GI Bill Active-Duty (Chapter 30) provides up to 36 months of education benefits for degree and certificate programs, flight training, apprenticeship/on-the-job training, and correspondence courses. Generally, benefits are payable for 10 years following release from active duty. Montgomery GI Bill Selected (Chapter 1606) provides up to 36 months of education benefits to members of the reserve elements of the Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps, and Coast Guard, and members of the Army National Guard, and the Air National Guard. This benefit may be used for degree and certificate programs, flight training, apprenticeship/on-the-job training, and correspondence courses. Benefits generally end the day a member separates from the Selected or National Guard. For those who are activated, eligibility is extended beyond separation for a period of time equal to time served on active duty plus four months. Educational Assistance Program (REAP) (Chapter 1607) provides educational assistance to members of the components called or ordered to active duty in response to a war or national emergency as declared by the President or Congress. This new program makes certain reservists who were activated for at least 90 days after September 11, 2001, eligible for education benefits or eligible for increased benefits. 8

Vocational Rehabilitation and Employment (VR&E) Program - Chapter 31 Chart #13 VR&E Activity Among GWOT Veterans (Includes participation either prior to and following GWOT deployment) Current Case Status Guard Active Duty Total Applicant 393 1,510 1,903 Employment Services 173 559 732 Evaluation and Planning 1,077 3,233 4,310 Extended Evaluation 202 479 681 Independent Living 56 90 146 Interrupted 375 943 1,318 Rehabilitation to Employability 2,423 8,108 10,531 Unknown 51 23 74 Current Participants 4,750 14,945 19,695 Rehabilitated 858 1,132 1,990 Discontinued 282 395 677 Total VR&E Participants 5,890 16,472 22,362 Chart #13a VR&E Status By Disability Rating Among Service-Connected GWOT Veterans (Includes participation either prior to and/or following GWOT deployment) Case Status 0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80% 90% 100% Totals Applicant 4 133 190 325 286 230 264 219 126 63 63 1,903 Employment Services 1 15 91 115 145 96 101 76 51 19 22 732 Evaluation and Planning 6 178 418 652 701 520 657 448 324 161 245 4,310 Extended Evaluation - 23 43 69 70 77 108 96 64 37 94 681 Independent Living - - 1 4 2 4 9 14 22 22 68 146 Interrupted 3 36 130 198 209 152 168 145 115 48 114 1,318 Rehabilitation to Employability 15 285 1,217 1,819 1,845 1,310 1,533 987 779 343 398 10,531 Unknown 23 23 3 8 2 3 6 2-2 2 74 Current Participants 52 693 2,093 3,190 3,260 2,392 2,846 1,987 1,481 695 1,006 19,695 Rehabilitated 4 113 442 369 309 184 206 134 100 61 68 1,990 Discontinued 1 29 168 136 104 56 61 41 36 17 28 677 Total VR&E Participants 57 835 2,703 3,695 3,673 2,632 3,113 2,162 1,617 773 1,102 22,362 9

Chart #13b VR&E Activity Among Service-Connected GWOT Veterans (Enrolled in Chapter 31) Combined Degree Total VR&E Participants % eligible who enrolled in VR&E 0% 31,645 57 0.2% 10% 46,920 835 1.8% 20% 32,274 2,703 8.4% 30% 30,694 3,695 12.0% 40% 27,609 3,673 13.3% 50% 16,517 2,632 15.9% 60% 18,704 3,113 16.6% 70% 11,961 2,162 18.1% 80% 8,572 1,617 18.9% 90% 3,776 773 20.5% 100% 7,048 1,102 15.6% Total 235,720 22,362 9.5% Note: Veterans rated 0% are not typically eligible but may receive services if they are enrolled at 10% or higher and rating is subsequently reduced. Applicant: A veteran s case is assigned to applicant status when the VA receives an application (VAF-1900) for services under Chapter 31. Evaluation and Planning: Determination of feasibility of a vocational goal and/or evaluation the veteran s ability to function independently within the veteran s family and community. Extended Evaluation: Determine the current feasibility of the veteran with a serious employment handicap to achieve a vocational goal. Rehabilitation to Employability: Services and training necessary for entry into employment in an identified suitable occupational objective. Independent Living Program: Services that are needed to enable a veteran to achieve maximum independence in daily living, including home accommodations, counseling, and educational services, as determined necessary. Employment Services: Services to assist in obtaining and/or maintaining suitable employment. Rehabilitated: The goals of a rehabilitation/employment/independent living program have been substantially achieved. Interrupted: Temporary suspension of the program warranted due to a veteran s individual circumstances. Discontinued: All services and benefits are terminated. Serious Employment Handicap: A significant impairment of a veteran s ability to prepare for, obtain, or maintain employment, as determined by a VA counselor. 10

Sources DoD: Defense Manpower Data Center (DMDC) East, cumulative count of service members deployed to OEF/OIF, from September 11, 2001 through December 31, 2007. DMDC West, extract of OEF/OIF service members discharged to civilian status from September 2001 through December 31, 2007. VBA: Beneficiary Identification and Records Locator Subsystem (BIRLS), as of March 31, 2008 Compensation and Pension Master Record (CPMR), active records ( A type) as of March 31, 2008 CPMR, terminated records ( E type) as of March 31, 2008 Corporate records as of April 03, 2008 Pending Issue File (PIF), as of the close of business on March 31, 2008 Vocational Rehabilitation and Employment Service Chapter 31 file, as of March 31, 2008 Loan Guaranty data, as of April 08, 2008 TSGLI file, as of March 31, 2008 Education Service data, as of March 31, 2008 Questions Questions may be referred to the Office of Performance Analysis and Integrity at (202) 461-9040. 11