We pay our own way for our own benefits

As of late 2023–2024, there are approximately 15.8 million to 17.9 million military veterans in the United States, comprising about 6–7% of the adult population. This population is declining and aging, with roughly half over age 65, though the number of female veterans is growing.

Census.gov +4 Gender: About 1.7 million, or nearly 11%, of veterans are women.

Service Era: A significant portion served during the Vietnam War (33.6%), Gulf War (24.4%), or second Gulf War (26.3%) eras. State Distribution: Texas, Florida, and California have the highest overall veteran counts, while Alaska has the highest percentage of its adult population as veterans.

Health: Over 40% of veterans live with a disability.

Conclusion: We veterans are/have been paying into the same system that is then used to take care of us. We are taxpayers and therefore the "Straw-Man" argument that we are leeching off society detracting from others is a completely false narrative. It is our money that is partially subsidized from the same society we served. However, the vast majority of the money that is used to take care of is is likely barely net-negative when balanced against what Veterans produce. Get loud, stay informed, It is our money being used for us. End of story.