ABSTRACT
Since 2001 over two million U.S. military personnel have been deployed to the conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan. Of these individuals, over one million have separated from the military and are eligible for health care and other services through the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) system of care. Approximately 50 percent of these eligible Operation Enduring Freedom/Operation Iraqi Freedom/Operation New Dawn (OEF/OIF/OND/) combat Veterans have used VA services since 2001 based on Global War on Terrorism (GWOT) data. (NB: A Veteran is defined as a person who served in active military service and who was discharged or released under conditions other than dishonorable. A Service Member is defined as a member of the active duty military service or a member of the National Guard or Reserve Forces. A member of the National Guard and Reserve Forces could also be a Veteran.)
