US veteran population to decrease, report finds

Number of Mass. veterans to drop 60 percent by 2043

With parades, memorial services, and honorary events, Americans pay tribute to their veterans today. But the number of veterans — both nationwide and in Massachusetts — is shrinking.

A report by the National Center for Veterans Analysis and Statistics found that the number of veterans will steadily decrease over the next 30 years.

In Massachusetts, there were 392,079 veterans in 2013, according to the US Department of Veteran Affairs. Their service spans peacetime and wartime, from before World War II to the present day.

But by 2043, the report predicts Massachusetts will have just 157,491 veterans, a drop of about 60 percent.

This decrease can be attributed, in part, to the large numbers of aging veterans who served in mid-2oth century wars and conflicts, the report found.

When did Massachusetts veterans serve?

Time of service	All	Men	Women
All veterans	392,079	365,708	26,371
Wartime	283,174	264,386	18,787
Peacetime	108,906	101,322	7,584
WWII	31,017	28,994	2,023
Korean Conflict	46,499	44,927	1,572
Vietnam Era	129,074	125,435	3,639
Gulf War Era (Pre-9/11)	36,411	31,212	5,198
Gulf War Era (Post-9/11)	34,475	30,035	4,440

DATA: US Department of Veteran Affairs

Globe Staff

Vietnam-era veterans made up about a third of all Massachusetts veterans in 2013. By 2043, they will make up less than 10 percent of the veteran population.

In 2013, the majority of Massachusetts veterans were over the age of 50, with nearly 59,000 veterans falling between the ages of 65 and 69.

The female veteran population, however, was more evenly distributed across ages. The report predicted that while the total population will decrease, the proportion of female veterans nationwide will grow from 9 percent in 2013 to 16.5 percent in 2043.

The report found that the proportion of veterans of color will also increase. In 2013, black and Hispanic veterans made up about 11.5 and 6 percent, respectively, of the veteran population. In 2043, the percentage of black veterans will grow to about 16.5 percent and Hispanic veterans will make up 11.5 percent of the total population.

Racial breakdown of Massachusetts veterans

Race	All	Men	Women
White	349,950	327,352	22,598
Black or African American	16,607	14,325	2,282
American Indian of Alaska Native	701	698	4
Asian	2,769	2,566	203
Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander	314	314	0
Some other race	3,803	3,100	703
Two or more races	5,627	5,266	361
Hispanic	11,350	10,219	1,131

DATA: US Department of Veteran Affairs

Globe Staff

The largest cohort of veterans is white men who served during the Vietnam era, the report found. As they age, America’s veteran population — albeit a smaller one — will become more diverse.