Description

For all persons MILRET reports if the person receives military retirement payments from any branch of the Armed Forces or a pension from the Veterans Administration, excluding VA disability compensation.

The 1982 Field Representative's Manual defined military retirement payments as "payments made by the Federal government to persons who retired from military service after 20 or more years... or their survivors." In contrast, military pensions were based on need, number of dependents, and non-service related disabilities or age.

The Manual defined service related disability as "a disability caused by injury or illness which was incurred while in or aggravated by active duty service in the Armed Forces of the United States." Veterans who qualify for disability compensation were entitled to receive monthly payments which vary in amount depending upon the degree of disability.

Please use the IPUMS NHIS drop down menu and search functions for related variables.

Comparability

Apart from changes in the universe, this variable is comparable over time. Changes in survey design (e.g., quarters in which the supplement was collected) may affect raw frequencies, but do not affect comparability of the variable. As always, data users should use the prescribed IHIS weights.

Universe

Availability

• 1982-1984, 1986, 1989

Weights

• 1982, 1984, 1986, 1989 : PERWEIGHT
• 1983 : SAMPWEIGHT