Health Topic

Veterans and Military Health

Military service members and veterans face life-threatening injuries, mental health problems and problems from exposure to environmental hazards.

Reviewed Reviewed by a registered pharmacistGeneral information

Important: This page is general information, not medical advice. It does not recommend or prescribe any treatment. Always consult your doctor or pharmacist before starting, stopping or changing any medicine.

About Veterans and Military Health

Military service members and veterans have made sacrifices to our country, and they may face lots of different health issues. Some of the most common health problems they may have include chronic pain, sleep disorders, and mental health disorders.

But they may also face some different health risks than civilians. Serving to protect our country is a special job, and along with it comes some special risks and job hazards. These include different types of injuries and health problems from exposures.

During their service, members are at risk for various injuries. These injuries can happen during training or while in combat. Sometimes the injuries are life-threatening or serious enough to cause disability. Others may not be as serious, but they may be painful and can affect daily life.

Some of the specific types of injuries that service members may face include:

  • Sprains and strains, especially in the ankles and knees. These injuries are often caused by exercise and running.
  • Back and shoulder injuries, often from lifting and carrying.
  • Tinnitus and hearing loss, typically from exposure to noise.
  • Head injuries and traumatic brain injuries (TBIs).
  • Shrapnel and gunshot wounds.
  • Lost limbs.

There may also be a risk of health problems from exposure to environmental hazards, such as contaminated water, chemicals, infections, and burn pits. Sometimes the health problems caused by exposures don't develop until years later.

Some service members experience military sexual trauma (MST). This includes sexual assault and sexual harassment.

Being in combat and being separated from your family can be stressful. So can readjusting to civilian life after the military. All of this stress can put service members and veterans at risk for mental health problems, including:

  • Depression
  • Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
  • Anxiety
  • Alcohol and drug use disorders

There is also a risk of suicide. Veterans who are in crisis can get help from the Veteran's Crisis line by:

  • Calling 988 and then pressing 1
  • Texting to 838255
  • Chatting with them online

There are health care services especially for service members and veterans through:

  • TRICARE, which is the Department of Defense's health care program. It has insurance plans and other services for uniformed service members, retirees, and their families around the world.
  • The Veterans Health Administration, which is part of the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). It provides medical and social support services to eligible veterans.
  • The VA 's expanded health care and benefits for veterans exposed to burn pits, Agent Orange, and other toxic substances.

To better understand and treat the health needs of veterans in the future, the VA created the Million Veteran Program (MVP). This research program is looking at how genes, lifestyle, military experiences, and exposures affect health and wellness in veterans.

It sits within Health System and Population Groups.

When to speak to someone. Reading about a topic cannot tell you whether it applies to you. Speak to a doctor or pharmacist if symptoms are severe, sudden, getting worse, or simply not going away — and seek emergency care immediately for chest pain, breathing difficulty, sudden weakness or confusion, or a serious allergic reaction.

Research on Veterans and Military Health

68 studies areregistered for this condition on ClinicalTrials.gov, the U.S. National Library of Medicine's public registry. A selection is below — the links go straight to the registry entry, not to a summary of ours.

What a registered study does and does not mean. Registration means a study exists and has been declared publicly. It says nothing about whether the treatment being tested works, is safe, or is available to you. Many studies find no benefit — that is what research is for. Never seek out an experimental treatment on the strength of a registry entry alone.

Research currently under way

Research already completed

Study data from ClinicalTrials.gov, a service of the U.S. National Library of Medicine. Retrieved 2026-07-30. Registry entries are supplied by study sponsors and investigators; ClinicalTrials.gov does not verify their scientific validity. PocketsInfo is not affiliated with, and not endorsed by, the NLM or the NIH.

Where to read more

Rather than paraphrase, we point you to the primary sources. Every link below is to a government health agency, a national institute or a recognised medical body — grouped by what you are trying to find out.

Start Here

Prevention and Risk Factors

Related Issues

Statistics and Research

Clinical Trials

Medical subject headings

Clinicians and researchers index this subject under Prisoners of War, War Exposure, Veterans Health, War-Related Injuries, Military Personnel. These are the terms to use when searching medical literature.

This page is built from the MedlinePlus health topic record for Veterans and Military Health, a service of the U.S. National Library of Medicine (NLM), National Institutes of Health. Information is from MedlinePlus.gov. PocketsInfo is not affiliated with, and is not endorsed by, the NLM or the NIH. Retrieved 30 July 2026.