Did You Know – January 2024
*In 2022, there were 11, 376 veterans living in Sandoval County. That is about 8% of the county population. (The state population of vets is also about 8%). The county ranks 14th in percentage of vets in its population. About 10% of the businesses in the county are veteran owned. In 2021, it is estimated that Sandoval County had about 8, 500 veterans from foreign wars including WWII (100), Korea (400), Vietnam (3,900), Gulf I and II (4,000).
In New Mexico the majority of vets are over the age of 65 and about 9 out of 10 are male. A rather large percentage (32%) has a disability, with 1 out of 4 reporting a service-related disability. Vets tend to be better educated than non-vets and have higher incomes. As with non-vets in New Mexico, the veterans labor force participation rates are below the national average.
Sandoval County has a number of initiatives that support its veterans. One such program is the Veterans Hiring Initiative which is to recognize the valuable contributions of veterans and their families, and assist them in transitioning to civilian life by increasing employment opportunities for veterans with Sandoval County. In 2015, the County Commission passed resolution #5-7-15.9B that led to the initiative. This initiative is a deserved form of affirmative-action for Sandoval County veterans. Additionally, there is a Veterans’ Administration Northwest Metro Community Based Outpatient Clinic in Rio Rancho that provides primary care for veterans.
In November of 2023, the County joined Operation Green Light, a program sponsored by the National Association of Counties and the National Association of County Veterans Service Officers. Operation Green Light, which in 2022 drew participation from more than 300 counties, is designed to raise awareness about the unique challenges veterans face and the resources available to assist them and their families at the county, state and federal levels.
*Note: The numbers used in this piece are all estimates since different sources use different numbers. They are all very close, however.