When the general public thinks about veterans, a variety of characteristics may come to mind—both positive and negative. How Americans perceive veterans could have implications not only for their support for policies that benefit veterans but also for their views on military service and the U.S. military as an institution.

Results from a nationally representative RAND survey shed light on why policymakers, veteran-serving organizations, and the research community should care about how Americans view veterans and what that could mean for military recruitment and spending decisions.

In this video, RAND Epstein Family Veterans Policy Research Institute experts discuss the role of public perceptions in policies to support veterans and promote national security.