One may be familiar with this well-known, oft-quoted idiom: There is strength in numbers. It was true for those in the military, and it is true for those leaving the service. Why is it important you are counted as a veteran when the Census is taken? Census data, from a constitutional standpoint, is gathered to ensure there are an accurate number of seats in the House of Representatives for each state; but were you aware that this annually collected data serves as a valuable tool for many others, outside of the federal government, and serves to benefit veterans?
Here’s a snapshot of how this data is utilized:
• VA uses its data to understand where the highest veteran populations are and who their veterans are (i.e., young, old, WWII or OEF/OIF) to determine their greatest needs
• Businesses use this to determine where to set up operations and market products
• Communities use this to understand and meet the needs of the local residents; they may build more playgrounds in areas that have young families or develop a senior center near an area with a high retirement population
What this means for veterans:
• VA uses the data to build clinics and provide outreach services in high-need, highly populated areas, as well as discover what the top needs are so these can be addressed
• Businesses seeking to hire veterans use the data to find pools of eligible candidates; they may also look to offer services catered to the veteran population and their families and/or offer more incentives for their veteran customer base (i.e., discounts, special offers).
• Communities with a large veteran and military-affiliated populace often work harder to gather resources and offer veteran-centric services, community centers, and organizations (One prominent example is the Montgomery County Veteran’s Coalition which was established to rally together community members who want to serve the area’s veterans and their family members)
• Non-profit groups such as the Disabled American Veterans (DAV), Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW), and others, use this data to start new club chapters in these areas
• Institutes of higher education use data from the community and their student populations to determine how to best serve their veterans – whether this be through military discounts on tuition to yellow ribbon programs or even military centers on campus
Now you may ask, what exactly is a veteran? Am I a veteran? Do I have veteran status?
According to Merriam-Webster dictionary, the first definition states “1 a : a former member of the armed force.” This is similar to Title 38 of the Code of Federal Regulations, which provides us a legal definition of a veteran: “a person who served in the active military, naval, or air service and who was discharged or released under conditions other than dishonorable.”
The difference is the fact that the person must have served in a capacity other than “dishonorable.” The branch and component you served in, whether or not you completed a combat tour, and the number of years you served will determine the type of benefits you may receive – but this alone does not define your status as a veteran.
So, the next time you receive a census survey – complete it! Have you ever signed a military contract? Do you have a DD214? Serve other veterans my claiming your status. Check the block. Raise your hand. YOU are an American Veteran.
If you are a veteran, we thank you for your service and encourage you to contact the Montgomery County Veteran’s Coalition to find out more about your veteran status and services available to you: (931) 553-5173. If you know a veteran, thank them for their sacrifice and share this article.
See references below for further reading:
https://clintonwhitehouse4.archives.gov/WH/EOP/CEA/html/censusreview.html
https://www.census.gov/dmd/www/dropin4.htm
https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/veteran
https://www.law.cornell.edu/cfr/text/38/3.1
Christina Hicks is a member of the Montgomery County Veterans Coalition.