Problem
Research questions and friction points this paper is trying to address.
food insecurity
military veterans
long-term effects
veteran-headed households
Food Insecurity Among Military Veterans
🤖 AI Summary
This study investigates the long-term effects of military service on food insecurity among veterans. Leveraging microdata from the Panel Study of Income Dynamics (PSID), we employ propensity score matching combined with a Vietnam draft lottery instrumental variable approach for causal inference. As the first empirical work integrating novel microdata with rigorous identification strategies, this research reveals the counterintuitive finding that military service does not exacerbate food insecurity; rather, veteran households exhibit lower rates of food insecurity and reduced participation in federal nutrition assistance programs. Based on these findings, we recommend that relevant policies shift from broad-based coverage toward precisely targeting active-duty personnel and veterans in non-traditional household structures.
📝 Abstract
Veterans face multiple hardships after they leave the military. Is food insecurity one of these hardships? This paper examines the long-term effects of military service on food insecurity using new data from the PSID. Military veteran-headed households experienced lower food insecurity than non-veteran-headed households, and participated less in federal nutrition assistance programs. We use the Vietnam-era lottery draft to identify causal effects, and find no evidence that military service adversely affects food insecurity. Our results suggest policies that assist currently enlisted service members, and veterans unlikely to head a traditional household, may most effectively tackle food insecurity among military veterans.
Innovation
Methods, ideas, or system contributions that make the work stand out.
food insecurity
military veterans
causal inference
draft lottery
PSID
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