Nationwide, roughly 18.8 million Americans were veterans in 2019, accounting for 8% of the U.S. civilian population. And just as the coronavirus pandemic has disproportionately impacted certain segments of the population — particularly people who are Black, Hispanic, low-income and women — many veterans are being uniquely hard-hit by the virus's health and economic consequences.

For example, 15% of veterans work in industries hit hardest by the financial impact of the coronavirus, and more than 1 million vets filed for unemployment in April, sending the veteran jobless rate to 11.7%. The jobless rate for veterans has fallen back to 5.5% as of October 2020, though this share is still elevated from the 3% veteran unemployment rate one year ago. Veterans are more likely to have a disability they incurred during active duty, and they face more challenges transitioning their military skills into a civilian job. Furthermore, half of U.S. veterans are over age 65 and are nearing retirement.