Why are SO MANY veterans homeless?

[Nancyg56]

I think part of it is the population who chooses to enlist in the first place. I know that's not popular to say, but in an all-volunteer military many young people who enlist do so because they lack other options, and if someone is unprepared for life before they enlist it only makes sense that they'd struggle upon separation. Several of the young men I know who enlisted recently are barely literate, barely managed to squeak by to graduate from an alternative high school, and see military service though very rose-colored glasses - they think it is a way to gain marketable job skills without ever setting foot in a classroom, which we all know isn't the case for most. And to make matters worse, they're mostly young men without any family support to speak of so they won't have a soft landing when their service is over. Those people have always existed - my father dropped out and ran away from home to enlist as soon as he was of age - but in an all-volunteer force I think they're probably a larger percentage of the military population than they were in a time when the draft forced young men from all walks of life and all levels of ability to serve.

I think that there are a multitude of reasons why young people enlist, and education or lack thereof is just one of them. My sister and her ex's divorce was horrific. The kids seemed to be in the middle and each one of them suffered in some way or another. My nephews went directly into the Marine Corps upon graduation from HS< the structure was what they were seeking. After ten years in, the oldest decided not to reenlist, but because of his skills set he had no problem finding a job that was conducive to his need for structure and discipline.His brother needed to be in the open air, after his tours.

My nieces went in a different direction. The oldest, my Godchild is a State Trooper, and the youngest is in the Coast Guard. They are all well educated, three have bachelors degrees. I think that theyall gravitated towards the military in much the same way that other young people look towards the culinary arts: they craves the security that comes when you are in a structured environment.

The problem is that when the enlistment is up and you are set free: then what? If the young people who now defined themselves by their service, and thrived under the enforced disciples that the Military offers, cannot find a job that can meet the specific needs they have, its a problem. Add that many have no support from family, and skills that do not always translate into civilian jobs, those problems magnify.

 

[lovemygoofy]

I refer people wanting to know statistics and resources to National Coalition for Homeless Veterans. http://nchv.org/ This is a non profit that is trying to be a liaison among all the variety of support groups and organizations within the country.

First, we will never have a solid account for how many homeless there are and home many are Veterans. It's a finite number that changes every single day.

Here's the stats being reported as most recent for release:

The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) states that the nation’s homeless veterans are predominantly male, with roughly 9% being female. The majority are single; live in urban areas; and suffer from mental illness, alcohol and/or substance abuse, or co-occurring disorders. About 11% of the adult homeless population are veterans.

Roughly 45% of all homeless veterans are African American or Hispanic, despite only accounting for 10.4% and 3.4% of the U.S. veteran population, respectively.

Homeless veterans are younger on average than the total veteran population. Approximately 9% are between the ages of 18 and 30, and 41% are between the ages of 31 and 50. Conversely, only 5% of all veterans are between the ages of 18 and 30, and less than 23% are between 31 and 50. Nearly half of homeless veterans served during the Vietnam era. Two-thirds served our country for at least three years, and one-third were stationed in a war zone.

About 1.4 million other veterans, meanwhile, are considered at risk of homelessness due to poverty, lack of support networks, and dismal living conditions in overcrowded or substandard housing.

How many homeless veterans are there?

Although flawless counts are impossible to come by – the transient nature of homeless populations presents a major difficulty – the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) estimates that 39,471 veterans are homeless on any given night.

Approximately 12,700 veterans of Operation Enduring Freedom (OEF), Operation Iraqi Freedom (OIF) and Operation New Dawn (OND) were homeless in 2010. The number of young homeless veterans is increasing, but only constitutes 8.8% of the overall homeless veteran population.

So why are they homeless? It's a perfect storm of ever reason discussed on here. The VA is a disaster and that's a fact. They are overloaded with the people in the system now and though I have no proof of numbers a VA rep recently told me that more than half OIF/OEF veterans are not enrolled into the VA. That is couple million Service Members(SM) but increase it exponentially if the number of Vietnam Vets were enrolled in the VA getting their due benefits and I don't know how the VA can stand up to it. Simply put the VA is the largest not for profit foundation that cannot sustain itself. A couple years ago Rep Beto O'Rourke (my Rep from TX) said the VA Medical System would be completely different and much more important to others if it was a for profit. I can't agree more. It's a black hole that is incredibly difficult to sustain itself.



Someone mentioned lack of job skills, I don't think it's really lack of job skills but lack of conveying what a SM can bring to an employer. People have ideas from stigmas placed on the military and the young SM that stays 4 years doesn't likely have the management experience of someone staying longer and cannot properly express how they are marketable. Each branch of the military has a transition office that I know the Army SM is required to attend for at least 3 months. It includes making them a plan whether it college/school, a trade, entrepreneur, or other. They try to partner them with someone on the way and includes employment readiness and finding them a transition specialist in whatever state which they intend to move.

I don't want write a dissertation about this. I will say that many homeless veterans become acclimatized to being homeless. The homeless that stay homeless typically colonize and create a hierarchy if you will of support.
For those that really want to know more I urge you to find a local Joining Community Forces meeting in your state. Every state has one. Also, every year there is a Veteran Homeless Stand Down. It is eye opening to see how amount there really is in your state or area. I participated in my last one in 2015 in El Paso, TX. There were over 700 people and that was not all of them by any means. They had taken showers and prepared themselves the best they could. My office/table was covered down. My job that day? I gave out hugs. The need for human interpersonal contact is always there.

 

[Nancyg56]

Tina, you make me cry. I often wonder what would have happened to Timmy if his family was not around when he returned home. I also will say that while I have abhorred the VA medical benefits system for years, my disgust was reinforced this summer. My handsome brave nephew, a man who manages to return from two tours active duty in Iraq as infantry and driving a Hum Vee, in excess of 5 years on the open ocean in a crab fishing vessel, and two years as a framer, was shot while attending a wedding in Boston. He refused to hand his money over to two thugs, and when they pulled a gun on him he reacted. He was shot through a main artery in his leg, fell down, got up and chased those two until he collapsed in the street from blood loss. He was lucky, a passerby stopped because he was blocking the road. The vascular surgeon was his friend's Dad. His treatment at the hospital was good, until they decided to move him out. HE was sent home, man who could not walk! To his second floor apartment, and whoth proper medications. In order to get them filled, he was required to travel to New Haven. A man who could not walk!

This young man volunteered to serve this Country while we were engaged in an active war. He knew that he would be an infantryman and he knew what he was facing because his older brother was serving. I am sickened that upon his return, he was not given the level of care that he was promised, and can only imagine how he woudl have fared without the intervention of his family. He has family, but what about those who do not?

I know this is not supposed to be political, but for the life of me, I cannot understand why we offer better benefits to those who make the decisions than those who follow them through. We owe our veterans better.

 

[lovemygoofy]

My Matt is going through the out process of leaving the Army now. We retire in two months!! He has to get a VA disability rating to get into the system which means an appointment with local office in Ft Bliss. This office to do the ratings is a first come first serve basis. My husband does not have all day everyday to go stand in line and see if he gets called in that day. There are 2 people that do this job in large city of El Paso. I told him to wait until he gets here to Indiana and go to a smaller county that does not have the volume. This is incredible to me that my husband can't even get in the damn system.

I feel I can't really say much do to me interactions with the VA here from my own office. I can say it's hit or miss.

 

[Gracie09]

Im not going to join the fray except to say that there are several bill proposed in this years congress that directly impact funding and other resources for veterans. I would suggest people get on the phone with their elected officials and voice their views. Phone is best, letter second email third.

 

[kathyk2]

Tina, you make me cry. I often wonder what would have happened to Timmy if his family was not around when he returned home. I also will say that while I have abhorred the VA medical benefits system for years, my disgust was reinforced this summer. My handsome brave nephew, a man who manages to return from two tours active duty in Iraq as infantry and driving a Hum Vee, in excess of 5 years on the open ocean in a crab fishing vessel, and two years as a framer, was shot while attending a wedding in Boston. He refused to hand his money over to two thugs, and when they pulled a gun on him he reacted. He was shot through a main artery in his leg, fell down, got up and chased those two until he collapsed in the street from blood loss. He was lucky, a passerby stopped because he was blocking the road. The vascular surgeon was his friend's Dad. His treatment at the hospital was good, until they decided to move him out. HE was sent home, man who could not walk! To his second floor apartment, and whoth proper medications. In order to get them filled, he was required to travel to New Haven. A man who could not walk!

This young man volunteered to serve this Country while we were engaged in an active war. He knew that he would be an infantryman and he knew what he was facing because his older brother was serving. I am sickened that upon his return, he was not given the level of care that he was promised, and can only imagine how he woudl have fared without the intervention of his family. He has family, but what about those who do not?

I know this is not supposed to be political, but for the life of me, I cannot understand why we offer better benefits to those who make the decisions than those who follow them through. We owe our veterans better.

 

[kathyk2]

Nancy you described the issue I've encountered. It doesn't matter if veterans get moved up on the waiting list for housing if none is available.

 

[tvguy]

Im not going to join the fray except to say that there are several bill proposed in this years congress that directly impact funding and other resources for veterans. I would suggest people get on the phone with their elected officials and voice their views. Phone is best, letter second email third.

Something has to change. We are currently spending a lot of money and Veterans aren't getting the services they need and worked for. How the VA designed the system that has soooooo many unused services and facilities......at the same time that veterans can't get access to those facilities.

My dad was a vet and when he was diagnosed with cancer, he even had to fight to reserve a burial plot that he was entitled to.

 

[Nancyg56]

Something has to change. We are currently spending a lot of money and Veterans aren't getting the services they need and worked for. How the VA designed the system that has soooooo many unused services and facilities......at the same time that veterans can't get access to those facilities.

My dad was a vet and when he was diagnosed with cancer, he even had to fight to reserve a burial plot that he was entitled to.

I have no words except that I am sorry. It just is not right.

 

[Nancyg56]

Nancy you described the issue I've encountered. It doesn't matter if veterans get moved up on the waiting list for housing if none is available.

I know, and it is not right.

Tim has a home, but it was not appropriate to send him there when he coudl nto get up the stairs. They just wanted him ouy, and convinced him he would be okay. His Mom was horrified, and tried to have him stay with her, but he "was okay." Until he was not. Thank God Tim had family. I have no idea how those without manage.

 

[Mickeyluver37]

I refer people wanting to know statistics and resources to National Coalition for Homeless Veterans. http://nchv.org/ This is a non profit that is trying to be a liaison among all the variety of support groups and organizations within the country.

First, we will never have a solid account for how many homeless there are and home many are Veterans. It's a finite number that changes every single day.

Here's the stats being reported as most recent for release:

The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) states that the nation’s homeless veterans are predominantly male, with roughly 9% being female. The majority are single; live in urban areas; and suffer from mental illness, alcohol and/or substance abuse, or co-occurring disorders. About 11% of the adult homeless population are veterans.

Roughly 45% of all homeless veterans are African American or Hispanic, despite only accounting for 10.4% and 3.4% of the U.S. veteran population, respectively.

Homeless veterans are younger on average than the total veteran population. Approximately 9% are between the ages of 18 and 30, and 41% are between the ages of 31 and 50. Conversely, only 5% of all veterans are between the ages of 18 and 30, and less than 23% are between 31 and 50. Nearly half of homeless veterans served during the Vietnam era. Two-thirds served our country for at least three years, and one-third were stationed in a war zone.

About 1.4 million other veterans, meanwhile, are considered at risk of homelessness due to poverty, lack of support networks, and dismal living conditions in overcrowded or substandard housing.

I've been reading this thread and trying to think of how to articulate my feelings on this without sounding harsh. I think there is a disconnect between what a lot of people think should actually happen with our Veterans, and what actually does. I'm coming from the perception of having been a military wife for 8 years, and at this point my DH has been out for 13. What I think people fail to realize is that if you just do an enlistment (or 2 or 3), and not the full 20, it's just a job like any other, and the military doesn't owe you anything. My DH did not retire, the military doesn't pay him a dime, nor do they provide health care for me, the kids we had while he was in, nor the kids he had after he got out. My DH got out with an MOS that was largely not transferable to civilian life, went to college, and is working in a completely different field. He did get the GI Bill to assist with college, which is the reason he initially enlisted in the first place, and was in his contract. This all takes work and dedication, not some magical transition into civilian life. The military took great care of us as a young family the 8 years he was in. After he got out, it was his job to do so. We often watched people with families get out of the military with literally no plan whatsoever, and wonder why the job offers weren't falling at their feet and suddenly they had no health care and couldn't pay their bills. It seems like some people do their 4 years, or even less if discharged and then want to carry this veteran card around for the rest of their lives and be "taken care of." If you want lifetime benefits, you do your 20+ and retire. I truly think the substance abuse of the homeless is the largest factor of all, and generally irrelevant to one's veteran status.