11 November 2026
Canada
Veterans Affairs Canada provided estimated population figures for Canadian veterans who served in the Second World War and the Korean War. It is believed that there are 4,306, which is down from 5,649 last year. Veterans Affairs Canada did not provide a breakdown, but they did last year, saying they believed there were 3,691 surviving Second World War veterans and another 1,909 from the Korean War.
The Ombudsman’s Office for the Department of National Defence and the Canadian Armed Forces recently updated how the government is progressing on recommendations from a 2016 report – entitled Simplifying the Service Delivery Model for Medically Releasing Members of the Canadian Armed Forces. The Ombudsman’s Office found that the three recommendations were accepted, but only partially fulfilled. Some benefits can’t be confirmed until after release. Reserve units are still completing training. The online release system also doesn’t yet cover every member or every type of release.
A joint report from the Chronic Pain Centre of Excellence for Canadian Veterans and the Canadian Pain Society concluded that statistically, twice as many women veterans suffer from chronic pain. The joint report did not explain the causes, but ill-fitting equipment from combat boots, body armour, and rucksacks is likely a factor. Unfortunately, there is a lack of funding for health research specific to women in general, and research into women veterans is even more sparse. This is not just a Canadian issue.
Retired Brigadier General Alan Mulawsyshyn criticized the government for not supporting homeless veterans, saying that there is no Veterans Affairs funding for housing veterans. Mulawsyshyn is now the head of Veterans’ House Canada, a non-profit that supports homeless veterans.
It should definitely be noted that Canada’s indigenous population held National Indigenous Veterans Day on 8 November. This is because Winnipeg first proclaimed a day to recognize Aboriginal veterans in 1993, after they were left out of Remembrance Day ceremonies. Manitoba made it official in 1994, and it has since spread across Canada.
United States
There are more than 300,000 American service members who were deployed to wars in Central America between 1982 and 1992. The issue being is that those wars were not recognized by the US government and therefore cannot receive their full VA benefits for disability and health care for health issues associated with burn pits, contaminated drinking water, pesticide exposure and other harmful chemicals. Some states have passed resolutions urging Congress to act on the matter.
United Kingdom
British Prime Minister Andy Burnham said that no one who served in the armed forces should have to sleep on the streets this Christmas. Burnham is also asking local authorities to use a portion of the £874 million already announced to tackle homelessness specifically for housing veterans. British statistics are a bit behind, but the number of people estimated to be sleeping rough on a single night in autumn 2025 is 4,793.
Ukraine
A recent report from Chatham House finds that Ukraine now has over 2 million veterans, and up to 6 million people, including families, that may eventually need support. The Ukrainian government is shifting from Soviet-era lifelong privileges to a needs-based model focused on getting veterans back into the workforce, but it faces budget constraints. The think tank recommends a deputy prime minister-level veterans’ minister, corporate “chief veterans’ officers,” public awareness campaigns, and a stronger veteran voice in donor policy.
Russia
Nearly 140,000 Russian soldiers have returned from the Ukraine War and are in need of reintegration. Soldiers make 204,000 rubles ($2,600) per month while deployed in Ukraine, and the Kremlin said reintegrating into civilian life should not mean a decrease in household income. The Russian government estimates that just over half of demobilized war veterans have found employment and has introduced job support programs, vocational training and financial incentives for employers to hire veterans with disabilities. It should be noted that drug use on the frontline is still reported to be rampant, and that Russian lawmakers say Russia’s Defence Ministry estimates one in five war veterans has post-traumatic stress disorder. The country has fewer than one therapist per 7,000 adults, and far fewer with training in combat trauma.
Ethiopia
Representatives of the United Nations and ambassadors from various countries based in Ethiopia have visited a rehabilitation and reintegration center for former combatants in the Tigray region. 5,500 former TPLF combatants are at the center to facilitate their successful reintegration into society and transition to civilian life. The programme aims to provide skills and support to help them rebuild their lives and resume productive roles in their communities.
South Africa
South African military veterans can now access essential healthcare and other benefits without the previous requirement of registering on the Department of Military Veterans (DMV) database. This policy shift took place on 1 November. Previously, veterans had to successfully submit applications to the National Military Veterans Database (NMVD), which could take years to adjudicate. Now, all veterans who had submitted applications are included in the NMVD and are eligible for healthcare, pensions, and housing.
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Featured Photo: Global Remembrance, ChatGPT
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