Veterans Health Care

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RAND Turns 75: A Look Through the Decades At World-Changing Research

From anticipating the Space Age in the 1940s to studying gun policy and COVID-19 responses in the 2020s, RAND is celebrating 75 years of research that has made a difference.

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The Ripples of War Are Only Beginning to Spread. Is America Ready?

There are now more than 1.9 million U.S. veterans of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. More than 50,000 were physically injured and around 15 percent have experienced PTSD. Perhaps all were exposed to burn pits and other toxins. What are the long-term impacts of the wars on those who fought them?

Kayla M. Williams @KWilliams101

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RAND Experts on Veteran Mental Health Respond to the White House Mental Health Research Priorities

The White House identified eight research priorities to better manage America's current mental health crisis. RAND researchers highlight why each area is critical for veteran mental health and how RAND is contributing to address them.

Rajeev Ramchand @RRamchand, Carrie M. Farmer @carriefarmer, et al.

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Earthquake in Turkey and Syria, Facial Recognition, Gun Violence: RAND Weekly Recap

This weekly recap focuses on the devastating earthquake that struck Turkey and Syria, regulating the use of facial recognition technology by law enforcement, improving data collection on gun violence, and more.

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Preventing Military Sexual Assault Is Important. So Is Getting Mental Health Care Afterward

Despite a decade of scrutiny on the issue, sexual assault and harassment in the military is still a pervasive problem. The effects of the trauma from these assaults can be lasting. So it's not just the military services, but also veterans' services, that need to connect these people to appropriate care for mental health.

Julia Rollison @Julia_Rollison

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Regulating Space, Threats to Critical Infrastructure, Psychedelics: RAND Weekly Recap

This weekly recap focuses on the need for governance in outer space, why the recent FAA system failure was a wake-up call, the changing policy landscape around psychedelic therapies, and more.

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The Precarious Transition of Unvaccinated Service Members

U.S. service members separated from the military for refusing the COVID-19 vaccine were largely separated with a general discharge under honorable conditions. While they may be eligible for health care and disability compensation from the VA, they are not eligible for G.I. Bill benefits. How have they fared as they entered civilian society unvaccinated and with limited benefits?

Rajeev Ramchand @RRamchand, Carrie M. Farmer @carriefarmer, et al.

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Supporting America's Veterans: RAND Weekly Recap

This weekly recap focuses on helping veterans succeed in civilian jobs, a bakery that doubles as a business school, Black Americans’ military service, and more.

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Dog Tag Bakery: A Fresh Start for Veterans

A bakery in Washington, D.C., brings together service-disabled post–9/11 veterans, military spouses, and caregivers. For five months, they are immersed in an intensive entrepreneurial-focused business program. It's become a model for helping veterans and others in the military community reestablish their lives.

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National Security After Roe, Women Veterans, COVID-19's Lasting Effects: RAND Weekly Recap

This weekly recap focuses on how overturning Roe could affect national security, supporting women veterans, responding to the next pandemic, and more.

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Setting Standards for Delivering High-Quality Care to Veterans with Invisible Wounds

Posttraumatic stress disorder, depression, traumatic brain injury, and substance use disorders are common among post-9/11 veterans and can interfere with their employment, family life, engagement with their communities, and overall well-being. A shared definition and standards for high-quality care can help organizations better support veterans.

Natalie Ernecoff, Carrie M. Farmer @carriefarmer, et al.

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Veterans Health Care, Media Literacy, Sleep Retreats: RAND Weekly Recap

This weekly recap focuses on the challenges of VA community care, the importance of improving middle schoolers' media literacy skills, tips to improve sleep, and more.

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Truth Decay, School Lunch Nutrition, Regulating Space: RAND Weekly Recap

This weekly recap focuses on tackling Truth Decay, how tech experts view the military's use of artificial intelligence, a new approach to regulating outer space, and more.

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Advances in Care for Veterans with Traumatic Brain Injuries or PTSD

A new standard of care proposed by RAND researchers aims to redefine high-quality care for veterans with a traumatic brain injury or posttraumatic stress disorder. But it also could serve as a template for making health care more effective, more consistent, and more responsive for more patients.

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Nuclear Deterrence, COVID-19 and Infant Deaths, Criminal Justice Reform: RAND Weekly Recap

This weekly recap focuses on why the United States doesn’t need more nuclear weapons, increased infant deaths during the pandemic, preventing veteran suicide, and more.