The Recent Occupation and Industry Employment Patterns of American Veterans

• Published date: 01 October 2017
• Date: 01 October 2017
• Author: David Schulker
• DOI: 10.1177/0095327X16659875
• Subject Matter: Articles

Article

The Recent Occupation

and Industry Employment

Patterns of American

Veterans

David Schulker

1

Abstract

Programs aiming to ease the transition from military to civilian life have increasingly

focused on specific occupation areas where veteran skills might overlap with civilian

job requirements. This research uses the American Community Survey to examine

the occupations and industries that veterans tend to work in as well as how veteran

incomes compare to similar nonveterans in each area. Results show that veterans

tend to seek civilian occupations where military experience is likely to apply, as areas

of veteran overrepresentation echo technical military functions. Furthermore, vet-

erans generally tend to earn higher incomes than similar nonveterans in these areas

of potential military–civilian overlap, but most income differences are relatively

moderate. The results imply that programs encouraging transitioning military

members to find a civilian occupation that is similar to their military experience may

better assist those in military occupations with clear civilian applications.

Keywords

veterans, public policy, employment, occupation, doubly robust estimation

In the past several years in the United States, there has been a renewed societal focus

on programs that help veterans transition to civilian life. Because the challenge of

beginning a new career is among the most pressing obstacles facing new veterans,

1

RAND Corporation, Arlington, VA, USA

Corresponding Author:

David Schulker, 1200 S. Hayes Street, Arlington, VA 22202, USA.

Email: schulker@rand.org

Armed Forces & Society

2017, Vol. 43(4) 695-710

ªThe Author(s) 2016

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DOI: 10.1177/0095327X16659875

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many private entities have committed to helping veterans in this area (Hall, Harrell,

Bicksler, Stewart, & Fisher, 2014). Improving the existing body of veteran transition

programs has also been a public policy priority, as evidenced by the Veteran

Employment Initiative, established by executive order in 2009 (Executive Order

No. 13518, 2009), and the VOW (Veterans Opportunitiy to Work) to Hire Heroes

Act, signed into law in 2011 (U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, 2014).

Veterans in the United States have a volume of programs available to help them

succeed after they transition out of military service. The United States has a long

tradition of offering education benefits to veterans, and newer initiatives designed to

boost veteran labor market outcomes include tax incentives for employers to hire

veterans, individualized career counseling, and efforts to improve employer recog-

nition of military training and experience (Executive Office of the President, 2013;

U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, 2014). In pushing to reform these programs,

policy makers recognize several realities. First, veteran reintegration policies in the

United States are motivated by gratitude toward veterans for volunteering to serve

(The White House, 2011). Second, veterans with poor mental health are at a high risk

of social exclusion (Iversen et al., 2005) and successfully reintegrating them into

society could mitigate some of the negative consequences of combat stress

(MacLean & Elder, 2007). Third, the socioeconomic success of today’s veterans

could very well influence future enlistment decisions, so it is in the interest of the

military services to avoid a widespread perception that volunteering to serve in the

military has long-term negative consequences for health and wealth.

Despite the programs available to them, transitioning veterans report that a chief

concern is determining how to translate their military skills to civilian employment

(Prudential, 2012). Improving skills recognition in the civilian sector has also been

central to recent policy initiatives (Executive Office of the President, 2013). This

study will contribute to the body of knowledge about veteran socioeconomic out-

comes by examining veteran occupation and industry choices and veteran incomes

for indicators of military skills that translate to civilian employment.

Prior Research

Any study of the life course of U.S. veterans following their military service has an

extensive body of research upon which to draw. In fact, there has been significantly

more work on U.S. veterans than veterans of partner nations who have served along-

side their U.S. counterparts (Iversen et al., 2005). Much work to date, spanning

multiple eras, examine the impact of military service on socioeconomic outcomes,

health (both physical and psychological), marital outcomes, and subsequent crime

incidence in the veteran population (MacLean & Elder, 2007).

Even with the large body of information available, the impact of military service

on veterans’ lives is difficult to identify in the midst of the wide variation in veteran

experiences. In the United States, all former military members who honorably

complete a term of service are considered veterans, regardless of whether they

696 Armed Forces & Society 43(4)