Military Veterans are by far more likely to be homeless, don't they deserve better than this from our country?

Question

Really alot of times people who are homeless are not that way because they choose to be or because they are lazy. It could be mental illness, or health, or difficulty transitioning from military to civilian life.

After WWII there were laws enacted that gave veterans 2 years unemployment, and other benefits to enable them to transition and we didnt go bankrupt or turn communist.

Opra, Woopi Goldberg, Cramer (Wall Street Guy), Paul Mitchell (Shampoo Guy) and many more unwillingly all were homeless, we went from the "we generation" to the "me generation" to now the "F U Generation"?? I hope we can do better...,

Answer 1

I can't believe the ignorant people responding to this question....Mr RTO for one....Where has he been living under a rock? YES! The statistics PROVE that 25% of all homeless are veterans. That is simply disgraceful! And the suicide level of soldiers is at it's highest point ever. America's best and bravest deserve better, not a "what have you done for us lately?" response. It is our responsibility to make it right for these defenders of American freedom!

Answer 2

Just because there are Vets who succeeded after the military doesn't mean that the ones who didn't, didn't try just as hard. I'm a military vet, I also got med. chaptered out of the Army. I worked my *** off for 4 yrs, and did jobs that people who had more rank than me should of been doing. I didn't leave as an E7 but I sure as hell worked like one. But after you get out, all of that doesn't matter. Companies only see that I was in for 4 years and I was junior enlisted. So that must mean that I'm in-experienced. They only see people who got out with high rank. I'm still trying to find a good job. If I didn't marry into the military I would be homeless right now. I'm forced to take jobs that down grade my knowlege and my experience. Jobs that don't pay nearly as much as I need to survive. Yes, school is an option. Everyone loves to see school on a resume. But how do I provide for myself while I'm waiting for the GI Bill to FINALLY kick in? It's not as easy for Vets as people think. I see it as once you join the military, your best bet is to stay in until you retire. Atleast then, you will know that you will always have food on the table and you will always be able to provide for your family.

Answer 3

Your question only has validity if you accept the current stories about one in four homeless being veterans. But, no one in the media has checked to see that these homeless persons claiming to be veterans are in fact so.
I did a year as a VISTA volunteer dealing with the homeless in my community. Supposedly there were a lot of homeless vets in that group. I found out it wasn't so. Those "vets" couldn't tell me one valid thing about their service. They were lying through their teeth! Those few who were veterans had been thrown out of the service in basic training for medical and mental conditions which pre-existed their enlistments and were disqualifying.
In the past year we've been exposed to a guy who made a videotape and said he was an Army Ranger, only to be exposed as an utter fraud. Another former Private First Class in the New York City area had been impersonating a decorated Lieutenant Colonel and had attended many military-related events at the Soldier, Sailor, Marine and Airman's Club. The VA cemetery on Long Island has to deal with the fact that they buried a man who purported to be a veteran when he never served a day. Now they have to dig him up so the real veteran with the same name can receive the burial he earned. We had a fellow who got over 25 years of medical care from the VA in Arizona and had never served one day. He even got buried in a VA cemetery. No one had ever checked his papers!
What the country deserves is honest reporting. It's not getting it.

Answer 4

The PTSD issue is a real big deal. The inital deployments to Iraq and Afganistan were 6 month deployments because they found that after 6 months the PTSD rates skyrocketed. Yet now with enlistment problems they are extending the deployments.

Unfortunately now we are seeing the PTSD cases pile up. It is easy for the VA to meet their budget restriction by denying PTSD treatment because it is not something visible. THe guys can be labeled as 'malingerers'. Kinda like blaming the rape victim because she was dressed attractively.

Some people blame substance abuse for the cause of the homelessness in the vets, but here again we have a chicken and egg set up. An awful lot of these guys are self medicating on mind altering substances (alcohol and other drugs) and develop the predictable dependence on them.

We need to fund the VA as well as we fund the companies that manufacture the war machine.

Answer 5

When I got out of the Army I was living in my car for almost 6 months. But then I found a veterans training program were I learned to be a Pharmacy technician and they also provided me with a room while I was in training. There are programs out there, but a vet most do the leg work and find it. I guess I was one of the lucky ones.

Answer 6

Well yes I think quite a few who end up homeless have likely lost their sense of purpose and they either don't have any skills or they can't get along at work in any event they should not be abandoned by their Country,and while it may be a tax burden I believe they should be looked after

Answer 7

well it is sad but the post traumatic stress issue was just swept under the carpet until a few years ago!!!

it is a REAL and SERIOUS issue,
the new crop of Vets wont be able to relate to us Vietnam Vets!!!

it took em 10 years just to get around to respecting and listening to us!!!

there is already a homeless population of Iraqi Vets which i was surprised to hear, so the Walter reed scandal was just all a bunch of crap that they were saying that things were gonna be better for the new Vets!!!

something is gonna have to be done by us, the everyday human being, cause the power freaks that started this mess will be hidin in there protective bubble out of reach and out of touch!!!

Answer 8

Yes. Most certainly. Of course.

It has been a long standing problem and though I do believe it's getting better there is still mush that needs to be done.

Answer 9

Of course they do. But, this country only cares about you if they can benefit from you. Like tax dollars and fighting their wars. Not saying its right, but its how it goes. I do believe that they should have some sort of help to prevent becoming homeless. Maybe the next president will take that into consideration.

Answer 10

It's a question of the background of military veterans, rather than them being veterans as such.
Many soldiers come from poverty and return to poverty once their military service is over. Some of them use the military service as a way to drag them out of the poverty circle, either through veteran training programmes or through using their military service record as a proof of their employability.
Others come back home to nothing and can't force themselves out of the nothing again. Therefore, too much depends on the personal abilities of the individual.
The bottom line is that although one can not expect that soldiers get rich through military service, it should definitely be a way out of the poverty circle.