stormy
05-28-2003, 01:36 PM
Vets Less Likely To Be In Poverty
Associated Press
May 24, 2003
WASHINGTON - The poverty rate for U.S. veterans is about half that of all Americans, the Census Bureau says in a Memorial Day report detailing the status of the nation's former military personnel. *
Almost 6 percent of the country's 26 million veterans lived in poverty in 2000, compared with 11 percent of all adults, according to the bureau.
Veterans groups say service members leave the military with federal benefits, such as education and job training, paid for through the G.I. Bill. That tends to give them a boost in the private sector.
"This is a group of people who have experience working as part of a team, who have demonstrated that they value loyalty and dedication, attributes that are attractive to employers," Terry Jemison, spokesman for the Department of Veterans Affairs, said Friday.
Veterans also receive other cost-saving benefits, such as free health care for wartime injuries and access to special home loan guarantees from the government.
The data came from a bureau report released this week, which summarized results from the 2000 census. *What do you think? (http://www.military.com/NewsContent?file=FL_ vets_052403&ESRC=dod.nl)
Associated Press
May 24, 2003
WASHINGTON - The poverty rate for U.S. veterans is about half that of all Americans, the Census Bureau says in a Memorial Day report detailing the status of the nation's former military personnel. *
Almost 6 percent of the country's 26 million veterans lived in poverty in 2000, compared with 11 percent of all adults, according to the bureau.
Veterans groups say service members leave the military with federal benefits, such as education and job training, paid for through the G.I. Bill. That tends to give them a boost in the private sector.
"This is a group of people who have experience working as part of a team, who have demonstrated that they value loyalty and dedication, attributes that are attractive to employers," Terry Jemison, spokesman for the Department of Veterans Affairs, said Friday.
Veterans also receive other cost-saving benefits, such as free health care for wartime injuries and access to special home loan guarantees from the government.
The data came from a bureau report released this week, which summarized results from the 2000 census. *What do you think? (http://www.military.com/NewsContent?file=FL_ vets_052403&ESRC=dod.nl)