Full Citation
Title: From the Vietnam War to Retirement: Are Veterans Healthy Enough to Enjoy Their Golden Years?
Citation Type: Journal Article
Publication Year: 2013
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Abstract: Our aim in this paper is to demonstrate the impact of Vietnam era active duty service on the later-life health of American veterans. Using the statistical technique of instrumental variables, we show that estimates of this impact from a simple evaluation do not accurately capture the causal impact. Simple estimates are biased down by the selection effects of recruitment into military service; no veterans were disabled at the time of their induction or they would not have qualified for service. We show that accounting for selection by recruits (who volunteer) and by the military (who enforce standards for enlistment) substantially increases estimates of the negative health effects of military service. We also find that service has different effects for Caucasian-American and African-American veterans.This paper contributes to a debate among economists over changes in the U.S. veterans disability system1-3. Some have argued that an over-generous system may have led to spurious claims of service-related disability. Our findings, particularly the different impact on different racial groups, do not provide support for this view, but are consistent with the notion that the earlier disability system was undergenerous, and the changes may represent a move towards greater equity.
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Authors: Snyder, Stephen E.; Vander Goes, David N.
Periodical (Full): Journal of Military and Veteran's Health
Issue:
Volume: 20
Pages: 14-20
Data Collections: IPUMS USA
Topics: Aging and Retirement, Family and Marriage, Other
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