Veterans in the record
Cases stating military service
at least 7,251
of 26,522 decided cases; service is not always mentioned
Granted, stated service
33.6%
2,437 granted of 7,251 decided
Granted, no stated service
34.5%
6,651 granted of 19,271 decided
By branch, as stated
| Branch | Cases | Granted | Denied | Grant rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Army | 2,227 | 726 | 1,501 | |
| Navy | 1,737 | 573 | 1,164 | |
| Air Force | 1,254 | 448 | 806 | |
| Marine Corps | 764 | 279 | 485 | |
| Service stated, branch unspecified | 744 | 234 | 510 | |
| National Guard | 339 | 114 | 225 | |
| Reserves | 150 | 45 | 105 | |
| Coast Guard | 36 | 18 | 18 | 18 granted of 36 |
Army
- Cases
- 2,227
- Granted
- 726
- Denied
- 1,501
- Grant rate
Navy
- Cases
- 1,737
- Granted
- 573
- Denied
- 1,164
- Grant rate
Air Force
- Cases
- 1,254
- Granted
- 448
- Denied
- 806
- Grant rate
Marine Corps
- Cases
- 764
- Granted
- 279
- Denied
- 485
- Grant rate
Service stated, branch unspecified
- Cases
- 744
- Granted
- 234
- Denied
- 510
- Grant rate
National Guard
- Cases
- 339
- Granted
- 114
- Denied
- 225
- Grant rate
Reserves
- Cases
- 150
- Granted
- 45
- Denied
- 105
- Grant rate
Coast Guard
- Cases
- 36
- Granted
- 18
- Denied
- 18
- Grant rate
- 18 granted of 36
The financial pattern
Financial concerns appear in 71% of cases stating service, against 53% of the rest of the record. A 2018 Carnegie Mellon review of a small sample of these cases reported the same pattern and its recurring circumstances: finances mismanaged at home during a deployment, difficult transitions to civilian life, and identity theft while overseas. In the current record, 873 of the stated-service financial cases mention a deployment. The financial concern itself is covered under Guideline F, Financial Considerations.
Foreign military service, counted separately
In 414 decided cases the only military service the decision attributes to the applicant is in another country’s forces, often mandatory conscription. Those cases are not counted above, because that raises a distinct concern, covered under Guideline C, Foreign Preference.
How these numbers are measured
Scope: decided hearing-level industrial cases in the public DOHA record. A case counts as stated service only when the decision itself says the applicant served in the United States armed forces, on active duty, in the reserves, or in the National Guard, and the extraction verified an exact quote from the decision saying so. A relative’s service, civilian work on a base, and service in another country’s forces never count. Percentages are printed only where a group holds 50 or more cases; smaller groups print the raw counts, and † marks groups under 20.
An association, not proof of cause: the groups being compared differ in many ways. The record shows which concerns appear alongside a service background, not why.
Reading the statistics
- Granted = access granted or continued; Denied = denied or revoked.
- Grant rate = granted ÷ (granted + denied).
- † marks figures based on fewer than 20 cases, too few to be reliable.
- Hovering any rate shows its statistical range (a 95% confidence interval).
- Figures are descriptive counts over decided, public DOHA ISCR decisions, never predictions or assessments of any pending case.
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