Correlates of Life Satisfaction among Aging Veterans Antonia V. Seligowski* VA Boston Healthcare System, USA Anica Pless Kaiser, Lynda A. King and Daniel W. King VA Boston Healthcare System and Boston University School of Medicine, USA Carrie Potter VA Boston Healthcare System, USA Avron Spiro III VA Boston Healthcare System and Boston University Schools of Public Health and Medicine, USA Background: The purpose of this study was to document the associations of stressors (combat exposure, retirement concerns, and late-life stressful events), personal resources (social support, sense of mastery, and positive appraisal of military experiences), and functional health (both physical and mental) with life satisfaction in older veterans. Methods: Participants were 562 male combat veterans (mean age = 70). Self-report questionnaires were administered via mail survey. A hierarchical multiple regression analysis was performed. Results: Each step of the regression analysis demonstrated a significant contribution to variance in life satisfaction (48% in total). Although stressors were significant when entered as a set, their influence dissipated in the presence of personal resources and functional health. For the full model, seven of 11 independent variables were unique and significant predictors, including all personal resource factors and both functional health indices. Sense of mastery was most potent. Conclusions: Even in the presence of stressors, personal resources and func- tional health appear to serve protective roles in explaining levels of life satis- faction among aging veterans. * Address for correspondence: Antonia Seligowski, VA Boston Healthcare System, 150 South Huntington Ave 116B-2, Boston, MA 02130, USA. Email: avic858@gmail.com The authors state no conflicts of interest. APPLIED PSYCHOLOGY: HEALTH AND WELL-BEING, 2012 doi:10.1111/j.1758-0854.2012.01073.x © 2012 The Authors. Applied Psychology: Health and Well-Being © 2012 The International Association of Applied Psychology. Published by Blackwell Publishing Ltd., 9600 Garsington Road, Oxford OX4 2DQ, UK and 350 Main Street, Malden, MA 02148, USA.