Veteran Issue Resources for Congressional Policymakers

Research

Apr 28, 2025

Demystifying the Department of Veterans Affairs Budget Process: An Explainer

This report presents an overview of the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs’ (VA’s) budget, its funding sources, and its flexible authorities. The authors describe VA’s budget process and some of the pressing VA-related issues that policymakers face.

Ryan Consaul, Reika Sophia Herman, Heather M. Salazar
Research

Apr 16, 2025

Preventing Veteran Suicide: A Landscape Analysis of Existing Programs, Their Evidence, and What the Next Generation of Programs May Look Like

In this report, the authors analyze current and emerging activities to prevent veteran suicide, introducing the RAND Suicide Prevention Activity Matrix, a framework that organizes current approaches and their evidence.

Rajeev Ramchand, Ben Senator, Jordan P. Davis, Wendy Hawkins, Lisa H. Jaycox, Julia Lejeune, Whitney S. Livingston, Alicia Revitsky Locker, Benjamin Trachik, Alison Athey
Research

Jan 28, 2025

The Local Geography of Housing Cost Burden: Advantages and Disadvantages Among Veterans

Prior research shows that U.S. veteran households tend to spend a smaller share of their income on housing. In this report, the authors reveal exceptions to this national veteran advantage at the local level in many cities and less populated areas.

Megan Andrew, Daniel Schwam, Vanessa Parks
Research

Jan 14, 2025

Finding and Using Policy-Relevant Data About Veterans: Availability, Accessibility, and Avenues for Improvement

The authors examine the availability and accessibility of policy-relevant data about U.S. veterans and highlight important gaps in data access, availability, and interpretability.

Claire E. O'Hanlon, Kayla M. Williams, Michael Lotspeich-Yadao, Mariah Brennan, Heather M. Salazar, Rosalinda V. Maury
Research

Jan 8, 2025

Navigating the external environment for military-to-civilian transition: Findings from the Transition Mapping Study 3

This report examines the external environment into which Service leavers and their families transition when they leave military service. It is part of a wider study on the contemporary process and experiences of military-to-civilian transition.

Linda Slapakova, Kiran Suman-Chauhan
Research

Dec 9, 2024

Riding a Fine Line: Devising Sustainable and Healthy Operations for the Army Caisson Horses of Arlington National Cemetery

The U.S. Army revised operations within its Caisson Detachment following two horse deaths in 2022. In this report, the authors evaluate these changes and offer guidance for improving caisson operations.

Caitlin McCulloch, Molly Dunigan, Nora Cyra, Irina A. Chindea, Bruce Held, Kiki Hunegs, Derek Eaton, Matthew Fay
Research

Nov 11, 2024

Veteran Families in America

The authors of this report analyze data from the American Community Survey, providing valuable context for understanding the social and economic resource environment of veterans and their families and identifying potential gaps and needs.

Daniel Schwam, Meredith Kleykamp, Kayla M. Williams
Research

Oct 24, 2024

The Role, Effectiveness, and Sustainability of Nonprofit Organizations That Provide Employment Support for Veterans

The authors describe the landscape for nonprofits that provide employment support to veterans, propose a framework for measuring the nonprofits' effectiveness, and consider how public-private partnerships might support the veteran employment mission.

Carrie M. Farmer, Kayla M. Williams, Meredith Kleykamp, Brandon F. De Bruhl, R. Gordon Rinderknecht, Shaddy K. Saba, Julia Vidal Verástegui, Jennie W. Wenger
Research Summary

Oct 24, 2024

Federal and Nonprofit Support for Veterans Transitioning to the Civilian Workforce

This brief summarizes the findings of two studies on federal and nonprofit programs that support military-to-civilian transitions. The brief also provides recommendations on how to improve efforts independently and collaboratively.

Meredith Kleykamp, Jeffrey B. Wenger, Elizabeth Hastings Roer, Matthew Kubasak, Travis Hubble, Lauren Skrabala, R. Gordon Rinderknecht, Shaddy K. Saba, Julia Vidal Verástegui, Kayla M. Williams
Research Summary

Oct 7, 2024

Understanding the Health and Well-Being Needs of New York's Newest Veterans

To better understand the challenges that veterans in New York face, the authors conducted a survey with recently separated veterans to ask about their mental and physical health needs, access to care, and other factors that can affect well-being.

Jeanne S. Ringel, Julia Lejeune, Jessica Phillips, Michael W. Robbins, Melissa A. Bradley, Joshua Wolf, Martha J. Timmer
Research

Oct 7, 2024

Understanding Veterans in New York: A Needs Assessment of Veterans Recently Separated from the Military

In this report, the authors present findings of a survey of recently discharged or separated veterans residing in New York state and recommend policy and practice changes to improve veterans' health and awareness of, access to, and use of services.

Jeanne S. Ringel, Julia Lejeune, Jessica Phillips, Michael W. Robbins, Melissa A. Bradley, Joshua Wolf, Martha J. Timmer
Expert Insights

Sep 25, 2024

Supporting Military and Veteran Caregivers

Testimony presented before the U.S. House of Representatives Committee on Veterans' Affairs on September 25, 2024.

Rajeev Ramchand

Veterans Issues

Contact Information

Recent Findings

How Effective Are Military-to-Civilian Employment Transition Programs?

Supporting Veterans Exposed to Military Environmental Hazards

Why Are U.S. Military Families Experiencing Food Insecurity?

Veterans Issues Briefs, Reports, and Testimonies

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Demystifying the Department of Veterans Affairs Budget Process: An Explainer

Preventing Veteran Suicide: A Landscape Analysis of Existing Programs, Their Evidence, and What the Next Generation of Programs May Look Like

The Local Geography of Housing Cost Burden: Advantages and Disadvantages Among Veterans

Finding and Using Policy-Relevant Data About Veterans: Availability, Accessibility, and Avenues for Improvement

Navigating the external environment for military-to-civilian transition: Findings from the Transition Mapping Study 3

Riding a Fine Line: Devising Sustainable and Healthy Operations for the Army Caisson Horses of Arlington National Cemetery

Veteran Families in America

The Role, Effectiveness, and Sustainability of Nonprofit Organizations That Provide Employment Support for Veterans

Federal and Nonprofit Support for Veterans Transitioning to the Civilian Workforce

Understanding the Health and Well-Being Needs of New York's Newest Veterans

Understanding Veterans in New York: A Needs Assessment of Veterans Recently Separated from the Military

Supporting Military and Veteran Caregivers

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Veterans Issues

Contact Information

Recent Findings

How Effective Are Military-to-Civilian Employment Transition Programs?

Supporting Veterans Exposed to Military Environmental Hazards

Why Are U.S. Military Families Experiencing Food Insecurity?

Veterans Issues Briefs, Reports, and Testimonies

Error

Demystifying the Department of Veterans Affairs Budget Process: An Explainer

Preventing Veteran Suicide: A Landscape Analysis of Existing Programs, Their Evidence, and What the Next Generation of Programs May Look Like

The Local Geography of Housing Cost Burden: Advantages and Disadvantages Among Veterans

Finding and Using Policy-Relevant Data About Veterans: Availability, Accessibility, and Avenues for Improvement

Navigating the external environment for military-to-civilian transition: Findings from the Transition Mapping Study 3

Riding a Fine Line: Devising Sustainable and Healthy Operations for the Army Caisson Horses of Arlington National Cemetery

Veteran Families in America

The Role, Effectiveness, and Sustainability of Nonprofit Organizations That Provide Employment Support for Veterans

Federal and Nonprofit Support for Veterans Transitioning to the Civilian Workforce

Understanding the Health and Well-Being Needs of New York's Newest Veterans

Understanding Veterans in New York: A Needs Assessment of Veterans Recently Separated from the Military

Supporting Military and Veteran Caregivers

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