According to an Associated Press report, the cost for supporting America’s disabled veterans continues to go up even though the total number of veterans is declining.  The article by Jennifer C. Kerr points out that “Despite the decline in total vets – as soldiers from World War II and Korea die – the government expects to be spending $59 billion a year to compensate injured warriors in 25 years, up from today’s $29 billion.”  This is in direct conflict with the estimated declining population of veterans, primarily due to the aging population of WWII and Korea vets, from the 24 million today to an estimated population of less than 15 million veterans by 2033.

 

There are several reasons for the estimated increase in costs for disabled veterans.  With better medical care many of the wounded soldiers who may have died during World War II, Korea, or Vietnam now return home as survivors.  However, many of them suffer worse wounds and have greater disabilities than those vets returning from earlier wars.  And today’s disabled veterans are quicker to file for their benefits because they have a better awareness of the benefits available.  Additionally, as veterans age, their payments tend to grow larger because they cannot as easily deal with their disabilities.  These factors, in addition to inflation, account for the projected increase in cost.

 

After five years of War in Iraq and seven years in the war on terror the number of disabled American veterans has increased by 25 percent to 2.9 million.