Today, we’ll honor the men and women who have dedicated their lives to protecting our freedom. This Veterans Day, we encourage all you data pros to check out the US Department of Veterans Affairs National Center for Veterans Analysis & Statistics.
The site is a treasure trove of data insights dating all the way back to the American Revolution. The VA does a nice job organizing the data and gives you lots to ponder from surveys, to population maps like the one below, and the amount of services/benefits veterans use.
One of the newest analysis pieces is a comprehensive report titled The National Survey of Veterans, Active Duty Service Members, Activated National Guard and Reserve Members, Family Members and Survivors. The report takes a while to read at 350 pages, but there are some valuable insights into our military men and women and their families and how the VA helps them.
Another interesting stop on the site is the Profile on Veterans. This report gives some interesting factoids and a nice slice of how veterans compare with the rest of the population. Here are a few interesting nuggets from the profile:
- The average age of all veterans is 49 years.
- Male veterans live longer than non-veteran males. The profile shows that the male vet population over 75 is 23.1% and just 2.6% for non-veteran males.
- Women veterans and non-veteran women live about the same amount of time. There is no real statistical difference between women (vets and non-vets) over 75.
- Male veterans appear in management and professional roles more often than non-veteran men. The same holds true for women vets. Additionally, male and female veterans are more often found in government jobs.
- Veterans tend to make more money than their civilian counterparts.
Here are a few other resources for learning about the men and women who protect us:
- Relive history by browsing old World War II photos at the National Archives website
- Listen to first-hand veteran accounts with the Library of Congress Veterans History Project
- Read up on the history of Veterans Day and find a regional celebration to attend
