Remembering America's Heroes on Veteran's Day

On Veteran's Day, America remembers it's heroes — the military personnel who have served on behalf of their country since World War I, and in many wars since.

There were 3,585 veterans living in Berkeley in 2010, according to the 2010 American Community Survey.

Do you have family members or friends who have served in the military, or are currently serving? How will you honor them today?

Are you a veteran? How has it affected your life? Share your experiences in the comments. 

Facts about Veteran's Day

From the U.S. Census Bureau: Veterans Day originated as “Armistice Day” on Nov. 11, 1919 — the first anniversary of the end of World War I. Congress passed a resolution in 1926 for an annual observance, and Nov. 11 became a national holiday beginning in 1938. President Dwight D. Eisenhower signed legislation in 1954 to change the name to Veterans Day as a way to honor those who served in all American wars. The day honors military veteranswith parades and speeches across the nation. A national ceremony takes place at the Tomb of the Unknowns at Arlington National Cemetery in Virginia.

Based on data from the 2010 Community Survey:

There are 21.8 million military veterans in the United States.

1.6 million veterans are women.

2.4 million are black.

1.2 million veterans are Hispanic.

265,000 are Asian.

156,000 are American Indian or Alaska Native.

28,000 are Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander.

17.5 million were non-Hispanic white. 

There are 9 million veterans 65 and older. At the other end of the age spectrum, 1.7 million are younger than 35.

When They Served

There were 7.6 million Vietnam-era veterans in 2010. Thirty-five percent of all living veterans served during this time (1964-1975). In addition, 4.8 million served during the Gulf War (representing service from Aug. 2, 1990, to present); 2.1 million in World War II (1941-1945); 2.6 million in the Korean War (1950-1953); and 5.5 million in peacetime only.

There were 49,500 living veterans in 2010 who served during the Vietnam era and both Gulf War eras and no other period. 54,000 served during World War II, the Korean War and the Vietnam era.

837,000 served during both Gulf War eras.

211,000 served during both the Korean War and the Vietnam era.

147,000 served during both World War II and the Korean War.

Where They Live

3 states had 1 million or more veterans in 2010. These states were California (2 million), Florida (1.6 million) and Texas (1.6 million).

Education

26% of veterans 25 and older had at least a bachelor’s degree in 2010. In comparison, 28 percent of the total population had a bachelor’s degree or higher. 

92% of veterans 25 and older had a high school diploma or higher in 2010, compared with 86 percent of the population as a whole. 

Income

$35,367 was the annual median income of veterans, in 2010 inflation-adjusted dollars, compared with $25,605 for the population as a whole. Source: 2010 American Community Survey

On the Job

9.6 million veterans ages 18 to 64 were in the labor force in 2010. Source: 2010 American Community Survey

Disabilities

3.4 million veterans have a service-connected disability rating. Of this number, 698,000 have a rating of 70 percent or higher. Severity of one’s disability is scaled from 0 to 100 percent and eligibility for compensation depends on one’s rating. Source: 2010 American Community Survey

Voting

15.8 million veterans voted in the 2008 presidential election. Seventy-one percent of veterans cast a ballot in the presidential election. Source: Voting and Registration in the Election of November 2008

Business Owners

9% of all U.S. nonfarm firms are majority owned by veterans. Veteran-owned firms comprised an estimated 2.4 million of the 27.1 million nonfarm businesses nationwide in 2007. Source: Survey of Business Owners: 2007

75% of veteran owners of respondent firms were 55 or older in 2007. This compares with 37 percent of all owners of respondent firms. Similarly, in 2007, 56 percent of veteran-owned respondent firms with employees reported that their businesses were originally established before 1990. This compares with 39 percent of all employer respondent firms.
Source: Survey of Business Owners: 2007 <http://www.census.gov/econ/sbo>

8% of veteran owners of respondent firms were disabled as the result of injury incurred or aggravated during active military service. Source: Survey of Business Owners: 2007 <http://www.census.gov/econ/sbo>