According to EndHomelessness.org's update on April 2015, communities across America identified 49,933 homeless veterans during point-in-time counts, which represents 8.6 percent of the total homeless population. IPlus.org, working to end homelessness, stated nearly 50% of the homeless people living in the areas they serve are veterans of the armed forces despite receiving money from the government monthly. This is due to many factors, including mental illness, being taken advantage of by drug dealers, family and others.

According to a survey reported on Whitehouse.gov, the percentage of men and women reporting prescription drug misuse in all military services combined (11.5 percent) was more than twice that of the civilian population in the age group 18-64 (4.4 percent).Important new data show active-duty military personnel are struggling with substance abuse at alarming rates, as well. In 2008, about one in eight reported past-month illicit drug use, largely driven by prescription drug abuse. Misuse of prescription drugs among active duty military almost tripled from 2005 to 2008 and is more than double that of the civilian population. The problem is particularly acute for women who serve. Prescription drug abuse among active duty women is more than four times higher than among civilian women.

Soldiers who have seen combat face particular risk. According to the National Institute of Drug Abuse, substance abuse rates appear to be strongly related to combat exposure. One study found that one in four veterans of Iraq and Afghanistan reported symptoms of a mental health disorder, and one in six reported symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). These disorders are strongly associated with substance abuse and dependence among returning military personnel, as are others, including sleep disturbances, traumatic brain injury, and violence in relationships. Mental health disorders and even suicide can also result when the strains of military service are compounded by substance abuse. As of March 2016, 22 Veterans were committing suicide every day.