According to the U.S. Census Bureau, there are roughly 18.5 million veterans in the country. Do you really know what a veteran is? The more we learn about this unique group, the more we become aware of the diversity that our nation’s veterans represent.

“Veterans have served our country proudly, and have ensured our freedom endures,” explains Nicole Motsek, executive director of the EOD Warrior Foundation, eodwarriorfoundation.org.

“Veterans are made up of a diverse group of servicemen and -women, representing every aspect of this country.”

The statistics show that 1.6 million of the veterans are women, almost 12% of them are African-American, and just more than 6% of them are Hispanic. When it comes to age, 9.2 million of our veterans are older than 65, while 1.6 million of them are younger than 35.

Additional interesting facts from the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) about what a veteran is, include:

• Careers: Female veterans are more likely to have completed some college compared to non-veteran females. They are also 7% more likely to be working in management and professional occupations, and twice as likely to be working for state, local or federal government.

• Wages: Compared to non-veterans of the same age, veterans who work full-time had higher earnings.

• Disabilities: A third of Vietnam veterans are more than 70% disabled, but their disability is not necessarily connected to their service, as many of the disabilities stem from other factors. American-Indian and Alaska-Native veterans are more likely to have a service-connected disability than veterans of other races. The Small Business Administration (SBA) indicates that just more than 7% of veteran entrepreneurs report having a service-connected disability.

• Entrepreneurs: According to the SBA, more than 2.5 million businesses are majority-owned by veterans, which is around 9% of all firms. Of that, more than 442,000 of them employ other people, employing more than 5 million people. Their businesses collectively earn around $1.14 trillion per year.

• Industries: The top industries where veteran entrepreneurs own businesses include professional, scientific and technical services, followed by construction. The top states with veteran-owned businesses include California, Texas, Florida, New York and Pennsylvania.

“One look at the statistics on veterans tells us there isn’t a ‘typical’ veteran,” adds Motsek. “Our veterans come from all backgrounds, religions and neighborhoods, and have a diverse background. We’re proud of all of our veterans and for all they have contributed to this country during times of war.”

The EOD Warrior Foundation is an organization that helps the families of the 7,000 people in our military who are Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) technicians, and perform bomb-disposal duties.

Engaging in the most dangerous job in the military, EOD technicians often sustain serious injuries, lose limbs or are killed in action. The EOD Warrior Foundation helps this elite group by providing financial relief, therapeutic healing retreats, a scholarship program, care of the EOD Memorial Wall located at Eglin AFB, FL and more.

The Foundation’s work is supported by private donations and the generosity of those who support the organization.