Fighting a war created at home: How stereotypes and stigma hinder America's veterans

Abstract: Every day, we talk about the stigma and stereotypes attached to veterans. The problem is, we stop with the words stereotype or stigma and do not go so far as to break down the various perceptions associated with them. We do not try to search out where these stereotypes come from or how the stigma associated with veterans was created. As a result, we cannot effectively address the problem of veteran stigma because we do not understand it. This policy brief outlines the central issues surrounding these stereotypes and the stigma associated with them.