Description

VETWWI indicates whether persons were engaged in active-duty military service in the armed forces of the United States during the World War I era (between April 1917 and November 1918). It does not include persons currently in the armed forces or those who performed military service in the National Guard, the Reserves (Army, Navy, or Marine), Reserve Officers' Training Corps, Citizens Military Training Camp, Merchant Marine, or other branch not a part of the regular military establishment, unless the individual was called up for active duty. See VETSTAT, the screening variable for veterans variables, for more information on the types of service included in or excluded from the veterans variables.

Comparability

Although the questions that generated the responses to VETWW1 were asked only of those who indicated they had seen active duty, the universe for VETWWI in 1980 is, in effect, all persons, since "N/A" and "No" are combined. In other years, "N/A" (code 0) was distinct from "No" (code 1).

The 1940 veteran response originally included spouses and children of veterans, but the IPUMS recodes such persons to "N/A" for VETWW1. The information on the spouses and children of veterans is retained in VET1940 and VETCHILD.

The enumerator instructions for 1940 distinguished "World War" from other periods of service but did not designate "April 1917 to November 1918" as the appropriate dates, as was done for 1960 on. Prior to 1980, military service data was collected only for males. The 1950 instructions to enumerators included service "to April 1, 1920 (in Russia)" as service in World War I.

In the 1990-2000 censuses, the ACS, and the PRCS service during World War I was included in "other" service in VETOTHER. The 1990 census form included World War I as a choice, but the 1990 PUMS did not distinguish persons serving during that period.

Universe

Availability

• 2023: --
• 2022: --
• 2021: --
• 2020: --
• 2019: --
• 2018: --
• 2017: --
• 2016: --
• 2015: --
• 2014: --
• 2013: --
• 2012: --
• 2011: --
• 2010: --
• 2009: --
• 2008: --
• 2007: --
• 2006: --
• 2005: --
• 2004: --
• 2003: --
• 2002: --
• 2001: --
• 2000: --
• 1990: --
• 1980: All samples
• 1970: 1% state fm2; 1% metro fm2; 1% neigh fm2
• 1960: All samples
• 1950: All samples
• 1940: All samples
• 1930: --
• 1920: --
• 1910: --
• 1900: --
• 1880: --
• 1870: --
• 1860: --
• 1850: --

• 2023: --
• 2022: --
• 2021: --
• 2020: --
• 2019: --
• 2018: --
• 2017: --
• 2016: --
• 2015: --
• 2014: --
• 2013: --
• 2012: --
• 2011: --
• 2010: --
• 2009: --
• 2008: --
• 2007: --
• 2006: --
• 2005: --
• 2000: --
• 1990: --
• 1980: All samples
• 1970: All samples
• 1930: --
• 1920: --
• 1910: --

Flags

Editing Procedure

There is no editing procedure available for this variable.