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MEET AMERICA'S UNSUNG HEROES
No
Children
Over
18
Under 12
12-18
THE UNSUNG HEROES INITIATIVE
Family caregivers are one of the most critical components of a severely disabled veteran’s recovery and rehabilitation, helping them live to their highest potential. Yet the American public is largely unaware of the sacrifices these men and women make on a daily basis.
The Unsung Heroes Initiative is DAV's national campaign to bring awareness to the selfless service of the nation's veteran caregivers, as well as the many unique challenges - and in some cases, inequities - they face.
Who cares for America's severely disabled veterans? According to DAV's 2017 Veteran Family Caregiver Survey, the following breakdown represents the makeup of today's veteran caregiver population.
4% have been a caregiver for 1 year or less
How long caregivers have served
84.3%
female
15.7%
male


91.2%
female
8.8%
male
Gender (Pre-9/11)
Gender (Post-9/11)

8.5%
child
78.8%
spouse
6.6%
friend
1.9%
parent
2.0%
sibling
2.5%
other
CAREGIVER STATISTICS
30% have been caregivers for 10 years or more
26% have been caregivers between 5 to 9 years
23% have been a caregiver between 3 to 4 years
18% have been a caregiver between 1 to 2 years
Relationship to veteran
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