Principal findings of a mail survey undertaken in 1977 to collect data on the socioeconomic characteristics of veterans, their usage of various veteran benefits in the past--including education benefits--and their plans for usage of other benefits in the future are summarized. Among the data reported are the following: percent of veterans receiving Veterans Administration (VA) benefits during 1977 and since leaving the military; percent of veterans hospitalized in 1977 or ever hospitalized; reasons for not using a VA medical center for treatment; age distribution, income, and type of insurance of hospitalized veterans; percent of veterans receiving outpatient care in 1977 by source; age distribution, income, and medical conditions of outpatient veterans; percent of veterans having dental care, 1977; percent of veterans hospitalized by service-connected disability, 1977; disposition of compensation and pension claims; disabled veterans by race and degree of disability; veterans employment status by degree of disability; usage of GI life insurance; number of trainees for three GI Bills; reasons for not training after military service; GI Bill trained veterans' completion rates by race, type of training, and period of service; percent of veterans who used a VA home loan; and type of burial expected. The chapter on education and rehabilitation includes data on education at separation from active duty, education at separation compared with current education, counseling, employment status and training type, satisfaction with VA educational assistance, reasons for not entering training, and GI Bill education and training for disabled veterans. Sources of the survey data and reliability of the estimates are discussed. A sample questionnaire and additional statistical tables are included. (SW)