Posted by: John S Kiernan

Retirement is typically viewed as the end of the line — a time for rest, relaxation and the pursuit of interests long ago put on the back burner. But the narrative is far different for military retirees who must deal with the trials of reassimilation to civilian life. For starters, the average officer is only 45 years old — 42 for nondisability enlisted personnel — upon retirement from service. Many of those who reenter the job market face tough challenges during the transition while others struggle with more difficult problems, such as Posttraumatic Stress Disorder, disability and homelessness.

As such, military retirement can be a far more complicated issue than one might assume, given the extent to which state tax policies on military benefits vary, the relative friendliness of different job markets toward veterans, and a variety of other socioeconomic factors. This year especially is one of significant change for our troops, as the military pension system undergoes a major overhaul to include a “blended” benefits package that combines a smaller pension check with an IRA contribution.

With that in mind, WalletHub’s analysts sought to help ease the burden on our nation’s military community by comparing the 50 states and the District of Columbia based on their conduciveness to a comfortable military retirement. Our analysis uses a data set of 22 key metrics, ranging from veterans per capita to number of VA health facilities to job opportunities for veterans. Read on for our findings, commentary from a panel of researchers and a full description of our methodology.

1. Main Findings
2. Red States vs. Blue States
3. Ask the Experts
4. Methodology

Main Findings

  Embed on your website<iframe src="//d2e70e9yced57e.cloudfront.net/wallethub/embed/3915/geochart-military.html" width="556" height="347" frameBorder="0" scrolling="no"></iframe> <div style="width:556px;font-size:12px;color:#888;">Source: <a href="http://ift.tt/2q8TybG;  

Best States for Military Retirees

Overall Rank	State	Total Score	‘Economic Environment’ Rank	‘Quality of Life’ Rank	‘Health Care’ Rank
1	Florida	63.74	8	2	4
2	Montana	62.12	24	7	1
3	New Hampshire	59.83	2	3	29
4	Wyoming	59.40	27	5	3
5	South Carolina	57.93	10	1	27
6	Alaska	57.18	3	12	32
7	Maine	57.06	5	6	33
8	Texas	55.76	7	43	8
9	Arizona	55.20	12	18	17
10	Virginia	55.12	6	8	43
11	Idaho	54.95	21	28	9
12	Georgia	54.93	11	15	25
13	Alabama	54.79	1	25	38
14	Oklahoma	54.77	19	11	23
15	Washington	53.72	9	13	37
16	Pennsylvania	52.97	39	17	10
17	Minnesota	52.51	20	24	21
18	South Dakota	51.90	22	20	28
19	Massachusetts	51.69	14	49	6
20	Kentucky	51.04	16	39	20
21	Arkansas	50.80	26	31	19
22	Hawaii	50.74	18	30	30
23	Michigan	50.65	17	42	14
24	New Mexico	50.11	40	33	11
25	Missouri	49.89	30	32	13
26	Tennessee	49.72	13	46	26
27	Nevada	49.62	4	37	45
28	Wisconsin	49.52	44	21	18
29	Colorado	49.45	31	14	31
30	Vermont	49.09	50	10	7
31	Delaware	48.53	42	9	40
32	Louisiana	48.21	33	36	22
33	California	48.03	51	16	5
34	New York	47.87	49	41	2
35	Ohio	47.56	38	38	16
36	Oregon	47.52	32	44	15
37	Indiana	46.60	23	45	35
38	Maryland	46.54	28	4	49
39	North Dakota	46.48	37	40	24
40	Illinois	46.24	34	48	12
41	Mississippi	46.20	15	47	39
42	Iowa	46.06	35	23	42
43	Nebraska	45.51	36	22	44
44	Kansas	43.84	41	26	47
45	West Virginia	43.36	47	29	34
46	Connecticut	42.97	29	19	50
47	Utah	42.58	25	50	36
48	North Carolina	42.47	43	27	48
49	Rhode Island	41.31	48	35	41
50	New Jersey	37.17	46	34	51
51	District of Columbia	36.45	45	51	46

Red States vs. Blue States

Ask the Experts

Members of the armed forces deserve a comfortable retirement in exchange for their brave sacrifices. But it’s not easy to readjust to civilian life. For insight and advice on overcoming challenges faced by veteran retirees, we asked a panel of experts to share their thoughts on the following key questions:

1. Should veterans have to pay taxes on retirement pay?
2. What are the most underutilized military retirement benefits?
3. What should veterans consider in choosing where to retire?
4. What are the best economic opportunities for retired military personnel looking for a new career?
5. How can the VA health-care system be improved to better serve veterans and their families?
6. How should the government help the military community?

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• Craig R. Smith Director of Veteran Affairs at Thomas Edison State University
• Juergen Kneifel Senior Associate Professor of Business at Everett Community College
• Ted Digges Executive Director of the Penn Mutual Center for Veterans Affairs at The American College of Financial Services
• Michael W. Howland Coordinator of Veteran and Military Services in the Center for Student Success & First-Year Experience at The University of Mississippi
• Jeffrey S. Smith Associate Professor of Economics and Finance at Virginia Military Institute
• Jeff Herndon US Army, 1984 to 2006, Former USO Center Director, San Francisco Bay Area, and Full-time student at College of San Mateo
• Mike Connolly Director of Military and Veteran Affairs at University of Maryland, Robert H. Smith School of Business

Craig R. Smith Director of Veteran Affairs at Thomas Edison State University What are the most underutilized military retirement benefits? Unfortunately, nearly 50% of veterans eligible for VA educational benefits following retirement do not end up using them. Depending on the benefits they qualify for, veterans have 10 to 15 years following separation to cash in on these benefits. The good news is those who qualify for chapter 33 (Post-9/11) benefits can elect to transfer some or all of this benefit to their dependents, but they must elect to do so before they retire or separate from active duty. Veterans can really maximize their benefits especially if they use them to help offset the expense for a graduate degree. Since every situation is unique, I would encourage veterans to plan how to best maximize their hard-earned benefits, not only for themselves, but for their families as well. What should veterans consider in choosing where to retire? This is a very personal decision. I believe veterans should prioritize and determine what factors are most important to them and their families. For me, it was important to be close to family members so that my kids could grow up with their cousins and we would also be able to benefit from having the family support during our transition. It’s also important to look at the potential job market to determine whether or not you and your spouse can find meaningful employment in the area. What are the best economic opportunities for retired military personnel looking for a new career? There is a lot of demand for careers within the medical, cybersecurity, pharmaceutical, accounting, and aviation fields, just to name a few. I would encourage retired military personnel to follow their passion and determine what career aspirations provide them with the most satisfaction, even if it’s not one of the most “in-demand” career opportunities. Once they know this, they can determine what credentials are required to find work and advance within that field. Often times veteran students bring a wealth of military training that can be translated into credits toward a college degree. Their expertise aligned with military values such as integrity, leadership, and teamwork make veterans very marketable, especially when they are able to effectively brand themselves for a successful civilian career. Juergen Kneifel Senior Associate Professor of Business at Everett Community College Should veterans have to pay taxes on retirement pay? I believe that the U.S. tax code is in need of serious overhaul. I also believe that with the current state of the U.S. economy -- and being over $19 trillion in debt -- we are all going to be burdened with paying taxes on any revenues that are generated, including retirement pay. Many retirees are paying income taxes on their Social Security, too, as they have perhaps established investment portfolios that generate income beyond their Social Security benefits. And for those without alternate income streams, their Social Security income often keeps them below the minimum tax threshold. In short, while I do not support the government’s ongoing spending escalation and subsequent income tax escalation, we are all going to be burdened by maintaining our nation's debt and the chronic deficits year over year. What are the most underutilized military retirement benefits? As an educator, I am most surprised by how few veterans take advantage of their education benefits. And from what I understand, these benefits also extend to military spouses. This is such a significant opportunity for veterans to explore a new career or create new opportunity personally by starting up a small business. Another benefit that I believe is underutilized is the VA home loan available for vets. My brother had a vague knowledge that he was entitled to a VA home loan, but it wasn't until later in life -- and after owning several homes along the way -- did he pursue a VA loan for his new home in Arizona. What should veterans consider in choosing where to retire? The notion of retirement can be very intimidating to some. Before choosing where to retire, my thought would be to identify the likely services one would require and also consideration for proximity to family and friends. There are many expats in economic zones where the U.S. dollar remains strong, but that temptation should be weighed against the cost of global commuting and political instability associated with some of these countries. What are the best economic opportunities for retired military personnel looking for a new career? Economic opportunities abound for those who choose to pursue their passion and educate themselves on how to transition hobbies into a business. For some, retirement is really all about keeping busy more than it is for turning a huge profit. I've encountered a few vets in college who've written their business plan and evaluated their key indicator ratios off of their pro forma. And they launched a small enterprise simply because they loved the work that they would engage with. The Veteran's Administration also partners with the Small Business Administration to coach and mentor vets who want to start something new. It is always wise to start with the idea... then make a plan and surround yourself with smart and seasoned business mentors to help guide some of the critical business decisions. How can the VA health care system be improved to better serve veterans and their families? I believe the VA health care system has problems with timely, quality service due to under-staffing and low morale. Given the continuing crisis with VA care facilities, an immediate improvement would be to offer vouchers to vets so they could select a local care facility in tandem with the facilities honoring Medicare patients. This could bring relief to the massive back-log of vets seeking care. The most troubling issue in my view is that vets who need urgent PTSD care are in personal crisis -- and the delays to helping these vets has contributed to the high suicide rates among combat-fatigued veterans. This is nothing short of shameful. How should the government help the military community? This is a difficult question to consider since government has failed on so many fronts. My philosophy is that we invest in people over programs. In other words, if there are so many programs available and vets are not taking advantage of them, then maybe we need to educate vets on those opportunities. I am a strong advocate of Mentoring (Big Brothers, Big Sisters, etc.) and this type of relational strategy within the military ranks would be a great thing to consider (...my brother's keeper). Ted Digges Executive Director of the Penn Mutual Center for Veterans Affairs at The American College of Financial Services Should veterans have to pay taxes on retirement pay? Transitioning active duty members looking for a second career typically need to consider: location, salary, and type of job. Each member needs to consider their own situation and prioritize each of these three factors. If they can maximize two, great; if they accomplish all three, they have hit a home run. What are the best economic opportunities for retired military personnel looking for a new career? Transitioning from the military, especially for those with a full pension, provides an excellent opportunity to open a new, exciting chapter in their lives in a field sometimes radically different. Perhaps not at first, but economic opportunities will often follow eventually for someone working in a field where their passion lies. Think long term. The financial services profession has sent a huge demand signal to hire veterans because of a combination of the aging demographics of existing financial professionals and the soft skills with broad perspective which veterans often bring to a second career. As a result, The American College of Financial Services is now offering full scholarships to educate active duty, veterans and spouses who want to get credentialed and the funding for this program is coming from financial services organizations interested in not only supporting veterans, but also hiring them. Michael W. Howland Coordinator of Veteran and Military Services in the Center for Student Success & First-Year Experience at The University of Mississippi Should veterans have to pay taxes on retirement pay? No. It seems questionable that retired military persons could be doubly hurt with military retirement pay. Unless you live in a state that does not tax military retirement, you are paying state and federal tax on your “earned income", but being hurt again because it is added to your second job’s income (possibly pushing you into higher tax brackets). It would seem that if my military disability pay isn't taxed, why couldn’t my military retirement also? I earned this too. What are the most underutilized military retirement benefits? The most underutilized benefits are VA Home Loans and the GI Bill Educational benefits. First, the idea that more retirees/veterans do not use the VA Home Loan program is troubling. This is a benefit that could allow a veteran to become a homeowner with no money down. Even though closing costs are not covered, the banks often allow you to roll them into the total amount financed (because it’s being underwritten by the VA). Second, the fact that many retirees are not using their GI Bill to advance their education after retirement, or not transferring it to their dependents to use, is amazing. Sadly, many veterans/retirees do not know that you must transfer the GI Bill to dependents while you are still on active duty. The VA should work to allow military retirees to transfer the GI Bill to dependents for one-year after retirement. As of today, unless they are on active-duty and incur an additional duty service obligation (ADSO), they cannot. What should veterans consider in choosing where to retire? I feel you should look for a state that is more “military-friendly” with regard to taxation, cost of living and educational opportunities. I chose Mississippi because they do not tax my military retirement and the cost of living is very low. How can the VA health care system be improved to better serve veterans and their families? Sadly, this is a question that could never be totally answered, but the VA is working hard to improve its services away from the over-burdened VA Hospitals. In Mississippi (and across the US), the VA is employing regional locations that will serve the veterans in their community. This contracted, local approach is a wonderful thing and allows these locations to serve the “everyday” ailments of veterans and thus free the main VA hospitals to address more severe/urgent care. How should the government help the military community? The Government should enact policies that recognize the sacrifice of our military and veterans, and they should never be compared to the “average” citizen. When politicians make comments that infer that we have the “best" retirement system (20 years for 50%), they do not understand or appreciate the long hours, time away and simple sacrifice that it takes to complete a minimum 20 years of military duty (especially since 9-11). Addressing the taxation of military/veterans at the federal level and putting the power of health care back into the veteran’s hands, would be a good first step. Doing this would show all citizens that we respect and honor service and would also ensure that the best and brightest continue to volunteer to defend our way of life. Jeffrey S. Smith Associate Professor of Economics and Finance at Virginia Military Institute Should veterans have to pay taxes on retirement pay? The question to me is, should anyone pay taxes on retirement benefits, specifically pension income. To the extent that ordinary pensions are taxed, either government or private, then I think it is equitable that veterans also pay taxes. What are the most underutilized military retirement benefits? I would expect that retired members do not utilize the Commissary and Base Exchange most, with health care coming in a close second. This may come as a surprise, but on a percentage basis, more officers retire than enlisted members. Officers are more likely to start a second career in a white-collar industry that comes with health care as part of their benefit package. As such, I would assume they use Tricare in a secondary payer role, more so than as primary insurance. What should veterans consider in choosing where to retire? It depends on their post-active duty plans. If a retired member has flexibility, there are inherent benefits associated with living near a military installation. First and foremost, though, veterans will choose to live where they work. If this area overlaps with a military installation, then this is a bonus. I would advise members not to confine their search only to military communities, though. I retired in 2011 and I have not lived within 100 miles of a military installation; while I am giving up some benefits, on balance the choice has been positive for my family. What are the best economic opportunities for retired military personnel looking for a new career? Military members should begin to plan their post-retirement opportunities two to three years prior to their planned retirement. The military has invested heavily to increase their human capital, either to develop their leadership abilities or to increase their job-specific human skills. However, it is worthwhile for military members to take some time to decide what it is they actually want to do. Many personnel will be unfamiliar with the possibility of options, and it can be overwhelming if you do not have a plan going into the process. How can the VA health care system be improved to better serve veterans and their families? I have had very limited interaction with the VA health care system, but my experiences have been generally positive. I have much more experience using Tricare as a secondary payer, and this, too, has been positive. How should the government help the military community? I think there is a lot of attention on veterans’ issues, in general. In my opinion, much of the focus should be to help those who have been injured, either physically or psychologically. Another area that does not get enough attention is the deleterious effect of constant deployments on military families. It is hard on spouses and children, and we oftentimes take for granted the strain that occurs with frequent, or extended, separations. More assistance in this area would also be helpful. The views are mine and they do not represent the Department of Defense or the United States Air Force. Jeff Herndon US Army, 1984 to 2006, Former USO Center Director, San Francisco Bay Area, and Full-time student at College of San Mateo Should veterans have to pay taxes on retirement pay? I put retirement in quotes because it isn’t really retirement at all – it’s a check to keep you on the hook for possible service in the future, should it be needed. I don’t know exactly how many, but there were a considerable number of “retirees” called up for service at the onset of the Global War on Terrorism. That said, pensions in what we call the civilian world are taxed, and if you have other sources of income your social security can be taxed, too, so I don’t see where veterans should be any different. Perhaps the solution is to quit taxing everybody who is on a pension of some sort. You’d think the government could find other sources of income to replace the minuscule revenue they are generating by taxing pensions. What are the most underutilized military retirement benefits? I suspect the majority of veterans are leaving service and never using their GI Bill benefits. This is probably because the vast majority of those who get out are already married and have children and feel they don’t have the time and other resources available to them to successfully attend school and provide for the family at the same time. I suspect a large majority of veterans never use their VA benefits. After serving for 2, 10, or even 20 years, a lot of people just want to get away from the military and government-controlled systems. This could be for a number of reasons – they may find them inadequate when compared to civilian healthcare systems, they may despise all the red tape and fighting for what is rightfully theirs, or they may not be aware of exactly what they are eligible for. What should veterans consider in choosing where to retire? Obviously, they need to consider the cost of living and the availability of jobs. If they have children, they need to be concerned with quality of schools. Believe it or not, they also need to be concerned with their social life. My wife and I have now been in the Bay Area for over 4 years and our social lives are pretty much dead. We have not caught on with any group/organization or set of commonly-focused individuals. Believe me, it is not for lack of effort on our part. Much of the issue stems from demographics. If you join a veterans group like VFW or American Legion you’re going to find 75% or more of attendees are well outside your age category. If you join a civic organization like Lions or Rotary you’re going to find most of the people do not have the same interests and goals as you. Here in the Bay Area, the problem is further complicated by cultural differences because of a very heavy Asian population. So… I always told my father that when I left the service I would go wherever the job market took me. I did, and it sucks. I and my family are moving this summer to a place where we know people and have family. It matters, big time! What are the best economic opportunities for retired military personnel looking for a new career? I think military people overlook the possibility of starting their own business. We’re motivated, disciplined, and have a wide range of talents. There needs to be more focus put on transitioning separating service members into small business owners. Outside of that, separating service members (or those already separated and looking for something new) need to be focused on the tech industry since it is the way of the future. Anything STEM-related is going to set a person up for a bright future, especially the green energy industry. Getting into jobs focused around solar and wind energy production will guarantee the ability to support a family not only for a lengthy time but pretty much anywhere across the nation. I do not mean to advocate for a specific company, but getting on with Tesla obviously provides long-term security with good wages and benefits. How can the VA health care system be improved to better serve veterans and their families? So, let’s go back to the previous question regarding underutilized benefits – I am one of those veterans that are not utilizing this benefit because the military healthcare system, quite frankly, scares the hell out of me. I dealt with it and its inadequacy for 22 years, and I’m happy to be away from it. My wife is also a retiree and has recently been enrolled into the VA healthcare system. To date, though her experiences are few, she is satisfied with response times for appointments and the quality of care. To clarify for you – the VA healthcare system does not provide healthcare services for family members. As a retiree, if you want to continue to use the resources of the federal government for your family members you have to purchase insurance through the current provider, TriCare. How should the government help the military community? I think the best thing the government can do for the military community is to provide stable, reliable services. With the DoD budget low right now, there are not as many employees (though the slots are there, they’re just not filled) to provide services routinely offered on military installations. And from post to post, from service to service, there is little consistency in what is offered and how it is offered. For example, my former installation in Korea was offering Zumba classes free of charge. When a service member would transfer to other bases, they’d be paying anywhere from $10 to $20 per session. This is a simplistic example, but realize that things like this cause disruption in family budgets, family activities, and therefore create stress. A person might be assigned to a post with a great commissary and then move to a post that has a very small one or no commissary at all. The extra distance that has to be traveled to get groceries and the inherent risks with driving further distances cause stress. For transitioning service members/veterans, the government has to do a better job of making sure the civilian world is aware of the skills service members have that make them employable. For instance, I know a guy that was a firefighter in the Navy for 5 years, but when he transitioned out he applied to multiple local departments that found his skills lacking and did not offer him a position. A possible remedy to this would be the government providing training that aligns with certifications used in local agencies/departments/civilian companies. This is true for military medics and IT personnel, as well. They’ve got the skills, they’re just not documented or not perfectly aligned with what is wanted “on the outside” of the military world. Mike Connolly Director of Military and Veteran Affairs at University of Maryland, Robert H. Smith School of Business Should veterans have to pay taxes on retirement pay? I think that is an issue for governments to decide. Some states see that as a lever they can pull to help attract and retain military retirees to their communities, and in those cases it's a policy decision that may make sense. But I steer away from the line of thinking that says military retirees have earned their retirement more than a worker from another sector. What are the most underutilized military retirement benefits? This website provides a good overview of the full picture: Probably some of the most underutilized benefits have to be the Survivor Benefit Plan and VA education benefits. While many people utilize Tricare and similar programs in their retirement, many don't realize they could still be eligible for VA education benefits or a benefit plan that can provide financial security for their survivors. What should veterans consider in choosing where to retire? Veterans should look at the full picture of their lives in considering a place to retire. While the general thinking would be to find a low-tax, low-cost state or location to retire in, a veteran may be planning on pursuing a second career or education. Rather than solely focusing on cost-of-living, a veteran would do well to look at the totality of opportunities that exist, which may outweigh a slightly higher cost for basic goods. What are the best economic opportunities for retired military personnel looking for a new career? The best opportunities for veterans looking to start a career are generally found in states like Maryland, with high median incomes and dynamic economies. Provided a veteran has the right education to out-compete with their civilian peers, Maryland has an abundance of opportunities for experienced leaders to serve in the public and private sectors in positions that match their qualifications. How can the VA health care system be improved to better serve veterans and their families? I think the VA healthcare system is absolutely on the right track to become a better service platform for veterans and their families. VA healthcare was in need of a major efficiency overhaul, but they have already made enormous strides in moving toward greater efficiency. Provided Congress adequately funds the department to meet the level of service most believe veterans deserve, I think VA healthcare is on the right track. How should the government help the military community? The government can continue to help the military community by ensuring VA is fully funded, and providing support for other, more indirect things that impact military communities. Anyone who has been on the ground in Iraq or Afghanistan understands the importance and benefits of international development, so ensuring that funding for development is robust is an often overlooked way of supporting the military community here at home, by helping us avoid wars in the future.

Methodology

In order to determine the best and worst states for military retirement, WalletHub’s analysts compared the 50 states and the District of Columbia across three key dimensions: 1) Economic Environment, 2) Quality of Life and 3) Health Care.

We evaluated those dimensions using 22 relevant metrics, which are listed below with their corresponding weights. Each metric was graded on a 100-point scale, with a score of 100 representing the most favorable conditions for military retirees. For metrics marked with an asterisk (*), we measured the “number of veterans” by the square root of the veteran population in order to avoid overcompensating for small differences among states, considering Veterans Administration (VA) facilities have not increased proportionally with the number of veterans.

We then calculated the total score for each state and the District based on its weighted average across all metrics and used the resulting scores to construct our final ranking.

Economic Environment – Total Points: 33.33

• State Tax on Military Pension: Double Weight (~6.06 Points)
• Tax-Friendliness: Full Weight (~3.03 Points)Note: This metric is based on WalletHub’s Tax Rates by State report.
• Share of Veteran-Owned Businesses: Full Weight (~3.03 Points)
• Dollars in Defense Department Contracts per Capita: Full Weight (~3.03 Points)
• Job Opportunities for Veterans: Full Weight (~3.03 Points)
• State Authorization for Veterans’ Preference in Private Hiring: Full Weight (~3.03 Points)Note: This binary metric considers the presence or absence of a state statute authorizing private employers to implement a veteran-employment preference without vulnerability to claims of discrimination.
• Job Growth (2016 vs. 2015): Full Weight (~3.03 Points)
• Number of Military Bases & Installations per 100,000 Veterans: Full Weight (~3.03 Points)
• Housing Affordability: Full Weight (~3.03 Points)
• Cost-of-Living Index: Full Weight (~3.03 Points)

Quality of Life – Total Points: 33.33

• Share of Veterans: Full Weight (~4.76 Points)
• Share of VA Benefits-Administration Facilities per Number of Veterans*: Full Weight (~4.76 Points)
• Quality of University System: Full Weight (~4.76 Points)Note: This metric is based on U.S. News & World Report’s Best Colleges Rankings.
• Arts, Leisure & Recreation Establishments per Capita: Full Weight (~4.76 Points)
• Share of Population Aged 40 & Older: Full Weight (~4.76 Points)
• Share of Homeless Veterans: Full Weight (~4.76 Points)
• Idealness of Weather: Full Weight (~4.76 Points)Note: This metric is based on WalletHub’s Cities with the Best & Worst Weather ranking.

Health Care – Total Points: 33.33

• Number of VA Health Facilities per Number of Veterans*: Double Weight (~11.11 Points)
• Federal, State, Local & Private Hospitals per Capita: Full Weight (~5.56 Points)
• Physicians per Capita: Full Weight (~5.56 Points)
• Quality of VA Hospitals: Full Weight (~5.56 Points)Note: This metric is based on the Veterans Health Administration’s Hospital Report Card and measures patients’ willingness to recommend the state’s VA hospitals.
• Presence of Veteran-Treatment Courts: Full Weight (~5.56 Points)Note: This metric considers the presence or absence of veteran-treatment courts, programs that provide treatment and mentoring services to veterans with mental-health and substance-abuse problems in order to keep them out of the criminal justice system and help stabilize their lives.

 Sources: Data used to create this ranking were collected from the U.S. Census Bureau, Bureau of Labor Statistics, Military Officers Association of America, USAspending.gov, U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, MilitaryINSTALLATIONS – U.S. Department of Defense, U.S. News & World Report, Gallup Healthways, Council for Community and Economic Research, U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, Indeed and WalletHub research.

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