About Us

The RAND Military and Veteran Caregivers Study is a body of work that focuses on the caregivers of wounded, ill, and injured military service members and veterans.

RAND is a nonprofit institution that helps improve policy and decisionmaking through research and analysis.

This work was funded by the Elizabeth Dole Foundation.

America’s Military and Veteran Caregivers: Hidden Heroes Emerging from the Shadows is a new, contemporary examination of those caring for wounded, ill, and injured service members and veterans. Specifically, the authors provide contemporary insights into three broad research questions: (1) how many individuals are serving in caregiving roles and how many are providing this care to a service member or veteran; (2) what caregiving duties look like for military/veteran caregivers; and (3) how military/veteran caregivers fare relative to each other and to non-caregivers with respect to their health and well-being, their economic security, and their families’ well-being.

Emerging from the Shadows draws upon research RAND conducted in 2014 with its publication of Hidden Heroes: America’s Military Caregivers, the first national portrait of American people who provided care for wounded, ill, and injured service members and veterans. Using data from the first national survey of military and veteran caregivers, RAND researchers estimated the size of the population, described their experiences providing care, and highlighted the ways in which caregivers’ health and well-being were compromised relative to other caregivers and non-caregivers. Emerging from the Shadows expands upon the 2014 study in recognition of the political, programmatic, and social changes that have occurred since then, in addition to research conducted on caregiving and military and veteran caregivers since 2014.

For more information on this topic, please see this project's research and commentary page.

To learn more about the Elizabeth Dole Foundation campaign, visit Standing With Our Hidden Heroes.