July 23, 2014 at 2:10 p.m.
Facts about veterans (11/4/03)
Editor's Mailbag
By To the editor-
As we all know, or should, Nov. 11 is Veterans Day. I will share with you some interesting statistics (national, state and local) as we commemorate those who carried arms for this nation. (Note: All population figures include only those 18 and older. Contents of this presentation are in random order).
From a U.S. population of 209 million, we have 25.3 million military veterans (12 percent), including 1.66 million females. Nearly 75 percent served during a war or conflict. One male in four is a veteran, while one female in 63 can claim this status. Military retirees number 1.93 million, who draw $2.8 billion monthly. Of the states, California records the most military retirees at 189,000 and North Dakota the least at 3,846. Indiana is home to 21,500 retirees who draw $31.175 million per month in military retirement. In Indiana, these retirees not only pay federal taxes on this pay, but also state taxes (Military retirement pay does not come from the Veteran’s Administration).
In 2002, over 4.2 million veterans, many of them on several occasions, were treated in Veterans Administration medical facilities throughout the U.S. More than 3.3 million veterans and their survivors received VA compensations or pensions. Six children of Civil War veterans and 439 children and widows of the Spanish-American War draw benefits. Would you believe one widow of the Civil War is still enjoying a pension?
The Department of Veteran Affairs was established on March 15, 1989, bringing it to cabinet level in the federal government. Before this it was known as the Veterans Administration, established on July 21, 1930 by President Herbert Hoover, who took an interest in the nation’s 4.7 million veterans.
The present VA, along with other installations, maintains approximately 162 hospitals, 850 outpatient clinics, 206 vet centers and 132 nursing homes. The VA managements the largest medical education and health training program in the United States. They are affiliated with 107 medical and 55 dental schools and have ties with 1,200 other schools. Half of practicing U.S. physicians received some training in the VA health care system. In 2002 the VA spent over $740 in medical research with pharmaceutical companies contributing another $640 million. Currently the VA has 15,000 research projects in 115 medical centers.
In fiscal year 2003, the VA spent $59.6 billion: $25.9 billion for health care; $32.8 billion for benefits; $132 million for national cemetery operations; $455 million for construction; and $332 million for departmental administration.
Since 1944, when the G.I. Bill was created, more than 21 million veterans and dependents have received over $21 billion in education and training. Also since 1944, the VA has backed 17 million home loans worth $748 billion. In 2002, VA returned $625 million in dividents to $4.8 million veterans holding VA life insurance policies.
As of February 2003, VA had over 224,000 employees (only the Department of Defense has a larger work force). Over 202,000 were in health care and 13,000 in benefits. The cemetery system employees number 1,400, and the remaining hold various other positions. About 53 percent (118,700) of VA male employees are veterans. Seven percent are disabled and five hold the Medal of Honor. Approximately 8,500 are female veterans.
In 1973, most Army-controlled cemeteries were handed over to the VA, which currently maintains over 2.5 million grave sites in 120 national cemeteries and 33 soldiers’ lots in 39 states and Puerto Rico. Arlington National Cemetery, the second largest in the nation (the largest is located at Farmingdale, N.Y.) remains under army jurisdiction. Interments in these cemeteries were over 89,000 in 2002. Also in 2002, the VA provided 348,000 headstones or markers for veterans’ graves. Since 1973, VA has provided over 8 million stones and markers.
Of Indiana’s 4.5 million population (remember, we’re talking about those 18 and older), 590,500 are veterans, or 13 percent. Of these, 31,000 are women. Almost 116,000 vets received health care last year in the state’s 10 VA health care facilities. The Fort Wayne and Marion VA hospitals recorded over 200,000 combined outpatient visits. Some 52,000 vets and survivors collected disabiity compensation or pensions. Thousands of Hoosier veterans and families are actively using VA benefits to pay for their education. Several thousand more are purchasing homes through the VA home loan program.
In 2002, $755 million was spent in Indiana toward veterans’ causes. Of this amount $1.2 million went to Jay County veterans. Indiana had, according to 1999 figures, 990 living former prisoners of war. Marion County possessed the largest number with 132, while 12 counties had one or zero. In 1968 the North Koreans captured the USS Pueblo AGER-2 and held the crew for 11 months in brutal conditions. Of the 3,142 counties and parishes in the U.S., one of the 82 crew members of the Pueblo resides in our own county.
One soldier from Jay County was known to have served in the Mexican War. The brother of General J.P.C. Shanks rode a horse to Texas and joined the Texas Army. Over 210,000 Hoosiers served in the Civil War (1,131 from Jay County). Of the 24,416 who paid with their lives, 107 were Jay patriots. The last Union solider to die in the Civil War was Pvt. John J. Williams of Portland, who was killed in a skirmish in Palmetto, Texas on May 13, 1865. He is buried at the Jay County Retirement Center, and I understand an elaborate ceremony is planned for May 2004 to bring this to public attention. Twelve Jay citizens served in the Spanish-American War. More than 118,000 from our state carried arms in World War I. A total of 3,500 died, including 17 from this county.
Our state saw 362,000 in uniform in World War II. A total of 10,000 paid dearly, including 84 from the local area. Jay County lost 13 in the Korean War and 14 in Vietnam.
The location with the highest percentage of veterans at the present is Fort Walton Beach, Fla., at 27 percent. Lowest is McAllen and Bryant, Texas, with 7 percent. Statewise, Alaska has the greatest at 17 percent, while California, probably influenced by large foreign influx, maintains the lowest at 5 percent. Puerto Rico is on the bottom at 5 percent. (This personally disturbs me as Puerto Rico, with the lowest percentage of veterans, draws more financial benefits per veteran than any other state or territory).
Martin, Miami and Owen counties in Indiana share the highest percentage of veterans at 17 percent each. LaGrange County, possible due to its high Amish presence, has the least at 7 percent.
Jay County, with a population of 15,934, contains 2,200 veterans (14 percent). Of this number, 102 are female, with 14 being over the age of 65. Broken down: Portland — 4,946 population, 694 veterans (14 percent); Bryant — 204 population, 39 veterans (18 percent); Dunkirk — 2,040 population, 330 veterans (16 percent); Pennville — 508 population, 78 veterans (15 percent); Redkey — 1,085 population, 145 veterans (14 percent); Fort Recovery — 960 population, 117 veterans (12 percent). No figures are available for Salamonia.
The percentage of those from our county who’ve served, and the 235 known Jay patriots whose lives were taken in armed conflict, both exceed the national average. Part of this nation may look upon us as flat dirt farmers and hicks, buy we sure as the devil aren’t cowards.
Respectfully,
Roy L. Leverich,
Veterans Service Officer,
Jay County, Indiana[[In-content Ad]]
From a U.S. population of 209 million, we have 25.3 million military veterans (12 percent), including 1.66 million females. Nearly 75 percent served during a war or conflict. One male in four is a veteran, while one female in 63 can claim this status. Military retirees number 1.93 million, who draw $2.8 billion monthly. Of the states, California records the most military retirees at 189,000 and North Dakota the least at 3,846. Indiana is home to 21,500 retirees who draw $31.175 million per month in military retirement. In Indiana, these retirees not only pay federal taxes on this pay, but also state taxes (Military retirement pay does not come from the Veteran’s Administration).
In 2002, over 4.2 million veterans, many of them on several occasions, were treated in Veterans Administration medical facilities throughout the U.S. More than 3.3 million veterans and their survivors received VA compensations or pensions. Six children of Civil War veterans and 439 children and widows of the Spanish-American War draw benefits. Would you believe one widow of the Civil War is still enjoying a pension?
The Department of Veteran Affairs was established on March 15, 1989, bringing it to cabinet level in the federal government. Before this it was known as the Veterans Administration, established on July 21, 1930 by President Herbert Hoover, who took an interest in the nation’s 4.7 million veterans.
The present VA, along with other installations, maintains approximately 162 hospitals, 850 outpatient clinics, 206 vet centers and 132 nursing homes. The VA managements the largest medical education and health training program in the United States. They are affiliated with 107 medical and 55 dental schools and have ties with 1,200 other schools. Half of practicing U.S. physicians received some training in the VA health care system. In 2002 the VA spent over $740 in medical research with pharmaceutical companies contributing another $640 million. Currently the VA has 15,000 research projects in 115 medical centers.
In fiscal year 2003, the VA spent $59.6 billion: $25.9 billion for health care; $32.8 billion for benefits; $132 million for national cemetery operations; $455 million for construction; and $332 million for departmental administration.
Since 1944, when the G.I. Bill was created, more than 21 million veterans and dependents have received over $21 billion in education and training. Also since 1944, the VA has backed 17 million home loans worth $748 billion. In 2002, VA returned $625 million in dividents to $4.8 million veterans holding VA life insurance policies.
As of February 2003, VA had over 224,000 employees (only the Department of Defense has a larger work force). Over 202,000 were in health care and 13,000 in benefits. The cemetery system employees number 1,400, and the remaining hold various other positions. About 53 percent (118,700) of VA male employees are veterans. Seven percent are disabled and five hold the Medal of Honor. Approximately 8,500 are female veterans.
In 1973, most Army-controlled cemeteries were handed over to the VA, which currently maintains over 2.5 million grave sites in 120 national cemeteries and 33 soldiers’ lots in 39 states and Puerto Rico. Arlington National Cemetery, the second largest in the nation (the largest is located at Farmingdale, N.Y.) remains under army jurisdiction. Interments in these cemeteries were over 89,000 in 2002. Also in 2002, the VA provided 348,000 headstones or markers for veterans’ graves. Since 1973, VA has provided over 8 million stones and markers.
Of Indiana’s 4.5 million population (remember, we’re talking about those 18 and older), 590,500 are veterans, or 13 percent. Of these, 31,000 are women. Almost 116,000 vets received health care last year in the state’s 10 VA health care facilities. The Fort Wayne and Marion VA hospitals recorded over 200,000 combined outpatient visits. Some 52,000 vets and survivors collected disabiity compensation or pensions. Thousands of Hoosier veterans and families are actively using VA benefits to pay for their education. Several thousand more are purchasing homes through the VA home loan program.
In 2002, $755 million was spent in Indiana toward veterans’ causes. Of this amount $1.2 million went to Jay County veterans. Indiana had, according to 1999 figures, 990 living former prisoners of war. Marion County possessed the largest number with 132, while 12 counties had one or zero. In 1968 the North Koreans captured the USS Pueblo AGER-2 and held the crew for 11 months in brutal conditions. Of the 3,142 counties and parishes in the U.S., one of the 82 crew members of the Pueblo resides in our own county.
One soldier from Jay County was known to have served in the Mexican War. The brother of General J.P.C. Shanks rode a horse to Texas and joined the Texas Army. Over 210,000 Hoosiers served in the Civil War (1,131 from Jay County). Of the 24,416 who paid with their lives, 107 were Jay patriots. The last Union solider to die in the Civil War was Pvt. John J. Williams of Portland, who was killed in a skirmish in Palmetto, Texas on May 13, 1865. He is buried at the Jay County Retirement Center, and I understand an elaborate ceremony is planned for May 2004 to bring this to public attention. Twelve Jay citizens served in the Spanish-American War. More than 118,000 from our state carried arms in World War I. A total of 3,500 died, including 17 from this county.
Our state saw 362,000 in uniform in World War II. A total of 10,000 paid dearly, including 84 from the local area. Jay County lost 13 in the Korean War and 14 in Vietnam.
The location with the highest percentage of veterans at the present is Fort Walton Beach, Fla., at 27 percent. Lowest is McAllen and Bryant, Texas, with 7 percent. Statewise, Alaska has the greatest at 17 percent, while California, probably influenced by large foreign influx, maintains the lowest at 5 percent. Puerto Rico is on the bottom at 5 percent. (This personally disturbs me as Puerto Rico, with the lowest percentage of veterans, draws more financial benefits per veteran than any other state or territory).
Martin, Miami and Owen counties in Indiana share the highest percentage of veterans at 17 percent each. LaGrange County, possible due to its high Amish presence, has the least at 7 percent.
Jay County, with a population of 15,934, contains 2,200 veterans (14 percent). Of this number, 102 are female, with 14 being over the age of 65. Broken down: Portland — 4,946 population, 694 veterans (14 percent); Bryant — 204 population, 39 veterans (18 percent); Dunkirk — 2,040 population, 330 veterans (16 percent); Pennville — 508 population, 78 veterans (15 percent); Redkey — 1,085 population, 145 veterans (14 percent); Fort Recovery — 960 population, 117 veterans (12 percent). No figures are available for Salamonia.
The percentage of those from our county who’ve served, and the 235 known Jay patriots whose lives were taken in armed conflict, both exceed the national average. Part of this nation may look upon us as flat dirt farmers and hicks, buy we sure as the devil aren’t cowards.
Respectfully,
Roy L. Leverich,
Veterans Service Officer,
Jay County, Indiana[[In-content Ad]]
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