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ODVA: Nearly 260,000 Oregon veterans; federal VA spent about $4.2 billion in FY24
Summary
Dr. Nikkia Daniels told the Senate interim committee that nearly 260,000 veterans live in Oregon (Sept. 2024 data), older veterans are the largest cohort and FY24 federal VA expenditures in Oregon were nearly $4.2 billion, with roughly $2.0 billion paid directly to veterans and families.
Dr. Nikkia Council Daniels, director of the Oregon Department of Veterans Affairs, told the Senate Interim Committee on Veterans and World Affairs on Nov. 18 that nearly 260,000 veterans called Oregon home as of September 2024 and that the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs’ FY24 demographic release gives new detail for the short session.
The most immediate numbers, Daniels said, show that Vietnam‑era veterans remain the largest era cohort at about 35%, followed by post‑Sept. 11 veterans at 25% and peacetime veterans at 23%. “As of September 2024, nearly 260,000 veterans call Oregon home,” Daniels said. She added that more than 51% of Oregon veterans are aged 65 or older, and that veterans of color make up about 15.4% of the population.
Why it matters: Daniels told the committee these demographics shape demand for health care, housing and outreach and inform legislative planning for the short session. She noted women veterans are one of the fastest‑growing subgroups (about 10% now, projected to more than 13% by 2034) and that ODVA is expanding outreach into racially and ethnically diverse communities.
On federal dollars, Daniels said the federal VA invested almost $4.2 billion in Oregon in FY24, a roughly 5% increase over FY23, and that about $2.0 billion of that was awarded directly to veterans and families through disability compensation and pension programs. She said approximately $165 million per month was distributed in disability compensation and pension payments, benefiting roughly one‑third of Oregon veterans.
Daniels also reviewed VA health care enrollment and education benefits: roughly 97,000 Oregon veterans are enrolled in VA health care, and more than $125 million in federal veteran education benefits supported about 7,340 veterans in FY24, she said.
Committee members asked about service‑connected disabilities and veteran homelessness. Daniels said the PACT Act and related federal research have changed how veterans qualify for benefits tied to service exposures such as Agent Orange, and that VSOs (veterans service officers) are certified and trained to help veterans access benefits. On homelessness, she said multiple data sources (federal point‑in‑time counts, prior OHCS counts and county data) can be incongruent; ODVA is seeking a dedicated data position (expected to be hired in 2026) to gather more up‑to‑date state data.
What’s next: Daniels pledged to provide additional detailed materials to the committee and to continue coordination with VSOs, the federal VA and local partners. The committee closed the ODVA informational hearing after members thanked the director and asked for follow‑up on data and outreach work.
