U.S. veterans face elevated limb-loss risk due to high rates of diabetes and peripheral arterial disease (PAD), and a minor amputation is often not the end of the story. The big picture In a March 2026 study , researchers followed 62,295 veterans with both diabetes and PAD. Among those who had a minor amputation (toe or forefoot), 20.4% required a major amputation (below- or above-knee) within five years. Key details Black and male veterans experienced disproportiona