Military veterans—individuals who complete military service whether at home or deployed overseas, in peacetime or in combat—are entitled to and in some cases require various government services. RAND research has examined the physical and mental health, interpersonal relationships, and employment problems that U.S. military veterans and their families face, and has recommended policies to support veterans' reintegration into civilian life.
Announcement
To celebrate our first 60 years, we created 60 Ways RAND Has Made a Difference, an online book to illustrate our most notable contributions. On our 65th birthday, we provide five of the most recent ways in which we at RAND are proud to have made a difference.
Report
This history looks at how humanity has cared for its war casualties and veterans, from ancient times through the aftermath of World War II.
Commentary
The act of caring for a veteran takes a physical, mental, and economic toll on caregivers and their families. Giving caregivers the skills and resources they need to cope and thrive should be as much a priority as giving veterans medical care.
News Release
Spouses, family members, and others who provide informal care to U.S. military members after they return home from conflict often toil long hours with little support, putting them at risk for physical, emotional, and financial harm.
Report
Spouses, family members, and others who provide informal care to U.S. military members after they return home from conflict often toil long hours with little support, putting them at risk for physical, emotional, and financial harm.
Journal Article
The authors redesigned an electronic clinical reminder to improve identification and management of Veterans at high risk for falls, and piloted the reminder in 3 Veterans Health Administration community-based outpatient clinics.
Blog
Former Treasury Secretary Paul H. O'Neill, a RAND Trustee and Health Advisory Board member, published an open letter to President Obama in the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette this week in which he asks the president to use his executive power to address the problem of medical errors.
Report
Examines features of the U.S. Army Reserve and Army National Guard's Employer Partnership Program, which seeks to strengthen relationships with reservists and their civilian employers.
Journal Article
This study explored challenges, facilitators, and progress of Peer Specialist implementation from a stakeholder group involved in their management.
Commentary
Honoring the sacrifices of veterans should be front and center on our policy agenda and not limited to one day a year, says Terri Tanielian.
Report
Policymakers need to understand whether military spouses succeed at finding jobs and how veterans fare economically after they leave the military. But these groups differ from the civilian population in important ways, making comparisons difficult.
Report
As large numbers of service members and veterans, many with serious injuries, return from Iraq and Afghanistan, an examination of existing return-to-work policies and programs for military men and women with service-related health problems finds that what programs do exist are poorly coordinated, and can be difficult to navigate.
Journal Article
Fee-for-service vs limited-budget worlds. Efficient care isn't necessarily less expensive care.
Report
The not-for-profit Wounded Warrior Project gives injured veterans access to programs to improve their health and economic outcomes. Participants are achieving the goal of not missing work due to physical health problems and have obesity rates proportionate to that of the U.S. population.
Commentary
As the nation struggles to confront the twin challenges of rising healthcare costs and uncertain quality, we should be willing to embrace innovative practices wherever they exist, whether they are developed in private, for-profit health care systems or so-called "socialized" ones, like Britain's NHS or America's VA, writes Art Kellermann.
Report
Examines the adequacy of disability compensation to offset the reduction in civilian earnings opportunities that are associated with veterans' service-connected disabilities.
Journal Article
Homeless veterans are a vulnerable population, with high mortality and morbidity rates. Evidence-based practices for homelessness have been challenging to implement.
Blog
Adequate compensation is critical to recruiting and retaining an all-volunteer force—in peacetime and wartime alike. To assess the effectiveness of U.S. military pay and benefits, the president directs a review of military compensation every four years. Four RAND studies contributed to this review.
Report
Over the first four years following the death of a service member, recurring benefits offset more than two-thirds of the losses in estimated household earnings, on average. When combined with the lump-sum benefits the family receives, the benefits are likely sufficient to fully replace the lost earnings for several decades.
Report
Because of disability compensation, the income of military service members who suffer serious or very serious injuries is on average about 36 percent higher four years following deployment than what would have been expected had they not been injured.
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