Statistics

Many veterans came to Project SALUTE with similar frustrations during its first year.  It didn’t matter what part of the country, what branch of service, or even when the veteran served.  Some grievances were told over and over.  To analyze veterans’ needs, Project  SALUTE began building a database of information and stories about the veterans’ claims.  Project  SALUTE’s database holds information from more than 3,000 cases.

These cases show a definite need for legal assistance to veterans:

• 572,000 veterans eligible for disability benefits are not receiving them according to an independent media study conducted on VA claims data by Knight Ridder Newspapers (McClatchy Washington Bureau, Knight Ridder Newspapers 2004). 
• 1.8 million veterans are uninsured and not getting care from the VA (American Journal of Public Health, December 2007; Kansas City Star, November 12, 2007).
• The annual number of claims filed for compensation has increased 20 percent from 2001 to 2006 (VA Data provided to National Law Journal/law.com September 26, 2007).
• 200,000 veterans are homeless on any given night according to a U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs estimate (National Coalition for Homeless Veterans, Facts and Media, www.nchv.org/background.com).
• Advocacy on behalf of veterans leads to significant increases in awards as compared to veterans without representation (Department of Veterans Affairs, Office of Inspector General, May 19, 2005, p. iii).

While the data is stark, and many situations are similar, every veteran comes to Project  SALUTE with his or her own story to tell, most of them very compelling. Many of those stories are also told to the media reporting the Project  SALUTE story.  This coverage does more than publicize the services of Project  SALUTE.  It has brought substantial public attention to the plight of veterans throughout America.  This public attention recognizes the necessity of supporting all of our troops who have returned from military service.