Wednesday, February 23, 2011

Where the Veterans Are:

County Supervisor Bill Horn declared this month that San Diego is home to more Iraq and Afghanistan veterans than any other place in the country. San Diego Fact Check wondered if that could be true. It is.

We've got more veterans of those two wars in our county - at least about 29,000 - than any other in the United States.

Why does it matter? For one thing, high numbers can mean that veteran's hospitals need to serve more people. And, as data reporter Keegan Kyle explains, "A growing population with wartime injuries and mental health problems can place greater pressure on county social services and law enforcement, who ultimately serve as the last line of support."

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