{"id":31442,"date":"2026-06-06T19:03:19","date_gmt":"2026-06-06T19:03:19","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/ldblifestylebenefits.com\/?p=31442"},"modified":"2026-06-06T19:03:19","modified_gmt":"2026-06-06T19:03:19","slug":"chronic-illness-and-health-issues-faced-by-u-s-veterans","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/ldblifestylebenefits.com\/index.php\/2026\/06\/06\/chronic-illness-and-health-issues-faced-by-u-s-veterans\/","title":{"rendered":"Chronic Illness and Health Issues Faced by U.S. Veterans"},"content":{"rendered":"<div class=\"wpb-content-wrapper\"><p>[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text css=&#8221;&#8221;]The battles that military personnel face do not stop once they return home from deployment. United States veterans experience <a href=\"https:\/\/pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/articles\/PMC10378995\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">significant long-term health issues and chronic diseases<\/a> in numbers much higher than in non-veterans. This includes physical injuries, mental health struggles, and conditions that develop after retirement. Some of the most common medical conditions found in the United States veteran population <a href=\"https:\/\/www.unitypoint.org\/news-and-articles\/10-common-medical-conditions-in-veterans-unitypoint\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">include<\/a>:<\/p>\n<p>[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row css=&#8221;.vc_custom_1780074158851{border-top-width: 5px !important;}&#8221;][vc_column width=&#8221;1\/2&#8243;][vc_single_image image=&#8221;31467&#8243; img_size=&#8221;full&#8221; css=&#8221;&#8221;][\/vc_column][vc_column width=&#8221;1\/2&#8243;][vc_column_text css=&#8221;&#8221;]<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/my.clevelandclinic.org\/health\/diseases\/15718-amyloidosis-al-amyloid-light-chain\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">AL Amyloidosis<\/a>: AL Amyloidosis occurs in veterans who were exposed to herbicides. The condition affects a variety of organs, including the heart and the kidneys, and can result in fatigue, tingling limbs, and swelling.<\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.mayoclinic.org\/diseases-conditions\/hodgkins-lymphoma\/symptoms-causes\/syc-20352646\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Hodgkin\u2019s Disease<\/a>: Hodgkin\u2019s Disease is a cancer that affects the lymphatic system. The common symptoms are swollen lymph nodes, fever, and fatigue.<\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.mayoclinic.org\/diseases-conditions\/parkinsons-disease\/symptoms-causes\/syc-20376055\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Parkinson\u2019s Disease<\/a>: Parkinson\u2019s disease is a degenerative nervous system disorder that affects movement. It causes tremors and stiffness.<\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.ninds.nih.gov\/health-information\/disorders\/traumatic-brain-injury-tbi\">Traumatic brain injury<\/a>: Being near explosions can cause traumatic brain injury. Symptoms include headaches, balance problems, slow thinking, speaking, and reading. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.ptsd.va.gov\/understand\/related\/tbi_ptsd.asp\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Traumatic brain injury increases the risk of developing PTSD or other mental health issues<\/a>.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row css=&#8221;.vc_custom_1780074155719{border-top-width: 5px !important;}&#8221;][vc_column width=&#8221;1\/2&#8243;][vc_column_text css=&#8221;&#8221;]<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.mayoclinic.org\/diseases-conditions\/amyotrophic-lateral-sclerosis\/symptoms-causes\/syc-20354022\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS)<\/a>: <a href=\"https:\/\/pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/articles\/PMC7756624\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Military service has been shown to increase the risk of developing ALS<\/a>. ALS results in trouble breathing, speaking, and eating, as well as dementia. There is currently no cure for this fatal disease.<\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.mayoclinic.org\/diseases-conditions\/prostate-cancer\/symptoms-causes\/syc-20353087\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Prostate cancer<\/a>: Prostate cancer is one of the most common cancers. There may be no symptoms at first, but early-state signs include blood in the urine or semen and frequent or painful urination.<\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/my.clevelandclinic.org\/health\/diseases\/4375-lung-cancer\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Respiratory cancer<\/a>: Lung or respiratory cancer is the third most common in the United States. Symptoms include chest pain, wheezing, fatigue, and swelling.<\/li>\n<li>Diabetes: Diabetes affects <a href=\"https:\/\/www.research.va.gov\/topics\/diabetes.cfm\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">nearly 25% of United States veterans<\/a>. It is the leading cause of blindness, end-stage renal disease, and amputation in the veteran population.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][vc_column width=&#8221;1\/2&#8243;][vc_single_image image=&#8221;31470&#8243; img_size=&#8221;full&#8221; css=&#8221;&#8221;][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row css=&#8221;.vc_custom_1780074545534{border-top-width: 5px !important;}&#8221;][vc_column][vc_column_text css=&#8221;&#8221;]AL Amyloidosis, Hodgkin\u2019s Disease, Parkinson\u2019s Disease, ALS, prostate cancer, and respiratory cancers can be <a href=\"https:\/\/www.unitypoint.org\/news-and-articles\/10-common-medical-conditions-in-veterans-unitypoint\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">caused by exposure to herbicides<\/a>, which includes Agent Orange.<\/p>\n<p>The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) offers healthcare to veterans. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.va.gov\/health-care\/eligibility\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Those who served in active military, naval, or air service and didn\u2019t receive a dishonorable discharge may be eligible to sign up for VA healthcare.<\/a> Some current or former Reserves or National Guards members may also be eligible if they have been called to active duty. VA healthcare covers the Affordable Care Act\u2019s <a href=\"https:\/\/www.healthcare.gov\/coverage\/what-marketplace-plans-cover\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">10 essential health benefits<\/a>, which include doctor\u2019s visits, preventative care, rehabilitation services, and mental health support.<\/p>\n<p>There are also many nonprofit organizations that support veterans and help connect them to benefits and social groups.[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row css=&#8221;.vc_custom_1780074620080{border-top-width: 5px !important;}&#8221;][vc_column width=&#8221;1\/2&#8243;][vc_column_text css=&#8221;&#8221;]<a href=\"https:\/\/www.americaswarriorpartnership.org\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">America\u2019s Warrior Partnership (AWP)<\/a> helps veterans and their families find organizations in their local area. By helping veterans connect with their communities, the AWP helps prevent veteran suicide. In <a href=\"https:\/\/www.mfan.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/MFAN-2023-MFSPS-Full-Report.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">2023<\/a>, the Military Family Advisory Network (MFAN) found that 59.1% of military and veteran families reported experiencing loneliness. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.sciencedirect.com\/science\/article\/pii\/S0165032725004999\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Research<\/a> shows that loneliness and feeling of suicidality are related, making the AWP\u2019s work an important part of veteran\u2019s health post-employment.[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][vc_column width=&#8221;1\/2&#8243;][vc_single_image image=&#8221;31468&#8243; img_size=&#8221;full&#8221; css=&#8221;&#8221;][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row css=&#8221;.vc_custom_1780074615477{border-top-width: 5px !important;}&#8221;][vc_column width=&#8221;1\/2&#8243;][vc_single_image image=&#8221;31471&#8243; img_size=&#8221;full&#8221; css=&#8221;&#8221;][\/vc_column][vc_column width=&#8221;1\/2&#8243;][vc_column_text css=&#8221;&#8221;]The <a href=\"https:\/\/www.woundedwarriorproject.org\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Wounded Warrior Project (WWP)<\/a> offers veterans and their families a variety of free programs, events, and assistance to help veterans return to civilian life. Their mental health program, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.woundedwarriorproject.org\/programs\/warrior-care-network\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Warrior Care Network<\/a>, offers treatment for PTSD and other mental health disorders. They also provide the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.woundedwarriorproject.org\/programs\/warriors-to-work\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Warriors to Work<\/a> program, which connects veterans to employers. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.woundedwarriorproject.org\/programs\/project-odyssey\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Project Odyssey<\/a> is a free 12-week mental health program for veterans and their families that teaches methods of dealing with mental health disorders. The <a href=\"https:\/\/www.woundedwarriorproject.org\/programs\/independence-program\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Independence Program<\/a> provides veterans with social workers and therapists to help overcome severe physical or neurological conditions that make day-to-day living difficult. The WWP helps veterans in every aspect of their lives, from mental health to peer support.[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row css=&#8221;.vc_custom_1780074629070{border-top-width: 5px !important;}&#8221;][vc_column width=&#8221;1\/2&#8243;][vc_column_text css=&#8221;&#8221;]<a href=\"https:\/\/www.hiringourheroes.org\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Hiring Our Heroes<\/a> is a not-for-profit organization focused on helping veterans transition into the civilian workforce. They also provide resources for military spouses and active service members. Through virtual and in-person hiring events, workshops, and seminars, HOH serves an important role for the military community.[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][vc_column width=&#8221;1\/2&#8243;][vc_single_image image=&#8221;31479&#8243; img_size=&#8221;full&#8221; css=&#8221;&#8221;][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_separator css=&#8221;&#8221;][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row css=&#8221;.vc_custom_1780074694001{border-top-width: 5px !important;}&#8221;][vc_column][vc_column_text css_animation=&#8221;fadeIn&#8221; css=&#8221;&#8221;]<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><strong>There are more than <a href=\"https:\/\/www.va.gov\/vetdata\/veteran_population.asp\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">18 million<\/a> veterans in the U.S., but only <a href=\"https:\/\/nonprofitquarterly.org\/overcoming-barriers-to-veterans-physical-and-mental-health\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">6 million<\/a> veterans utilize the VA\u2019s healthcare programs.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][\/vc_row]<\/p>\n<\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text css=&#8221;&#8221;]The battles that military personnel face do not stop once they return home from deployment. United States veterans experience significant long-term health issues and chronic diseases in numbers much higher than in non-veterans. This includes physical injuries, mental health struggles, and conditions that develop after retirement. Some of the most common medical conditions found [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":6,"featured_media":31469,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[627,20],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-31442","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-2026-july","category-lifestyle-and-wellness"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/ldblifestylebenefits.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/31442","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/ldblifestylebenefits.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/ldblifestylebenefits.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ldblifestylebenefits.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/6"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ldblifestylebenefits.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=31442"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/ldblifestylebenefits.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/31442\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":31480,"href":"https:\/\/ldblifestylebenefits.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/31442\/revisions\/31480"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ldblifestylebenefits.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/31469"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/ldblifestylebenefits.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=31442"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ldblifestylebenefits.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=31442"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ldblifestylebenefits.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=31442"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}