The VETeran Evaluation and Research Applications Network (VETERANetwork) acts as an applied research and evaluation unit for philanthropies​, foundations​, and other veteran-serving non-profit organizations. It addresses questions and issues related to veterans’ transitions to civilian lives using empirical data.

Click an option below to learn more about the VETERANetwork.

The VETERANetwork’s mission is to promote the use of empirical data to ensure public and private donations are invested in effective programs and services that support the well-being of veterans and their families.

The VETERANetwork seeks to apply data to solve problems facing today’s veterans. We use strong analytic techniques to help disentangle the complexity of a successful military-to-civilian transition.

The VETERANetwork grew out of The Veterans Metrics Initiative: Linking Program Components to Post-Military Well-Being Study (TVMI Study). This collaborative study launched with a pilot in April 2015. Then, a multi-year longitudinal study (2016 to 2019) collected data on veterans’ transition and reintegration experiences. In 2020, the Clearinghouse began independent data collection, and this research effort is known as the Veterans Engaging in Transition Studies (VETS Survey).

The VETERANetwork team is represented by an interdisciplinary team of research faculty and staff. We are located within the Social Science Research Institute (SSRI) at The Pennsylvania State University.

To learn more about our team, click here.

The network is hosted by the Clearinghouse for Military Family Readiness at Penn State. Various partners are engaged in our project work such as the Institute for Veterans and Military Families at Syracuse University and the Carnegie Mellon CREATE Lab. VETERANetwork deliverables and survey efforts have been supported by partners such as The Heinz Endowments and the Pew Charitable Trusts.

We are currently planning additional survey efforts and the development of a veteran screening tool. For information on these or our other initiatives, contact Dr. Daniel F. Perkins at dfp102@psu.edu.