Heroes - America's Disposable Vets

It is a common statistic that 1 in 4 homeless Americans are veterans of the United States Military. Some will argue that the number is higher and still others that it is lower. Four percent of homeless veterans are women. Given these conservative estimates, there are upwards of four thousand homeless woman veterans.



The typical excuses and 'causes' of homelessness are used to rationalize the homeless vets the same as they for any other homeless American. You've heard them all, and some even here at ATS will argue them till they're blue in the face' "they're drug addicts, mentally ill, they WANT to be homeless" You, like me, I'm sure, have heard them all.


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How many homeless veterans are there?

Although accurate numbers are impossible to come by -- no one keeps national records on homeless veterans -- the VA estimates that 131,000 veterans are homeless on any given night. And approximately twice that many experience homelessness over the course of a year. Conservatively, one out of every three homeless men who is sleeping in a doorway, alley or box in our cities and rural communities has put on a uniform and served this country. According to the National Survey of Homeless Assistance Providers and Clients (U.S. Interagency Council on Homelessness and the Urban Institute, 1999), veterans account for 23 percent of all homeless people in America.

www.nchv.org...

'NO ONE KEEPS NATIONAL RECORDS ON HOMELESS VETERANS' .... WHY?!?


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Just in case you think my statistics might be from some pinko commie website...here's what our Department of Veteran Affairs says:

The reduction of homeless veterans from more than 195,000 to about 154,000 was announced as Secretary of Veterans Affairs Dr. James B. Peake was elected to chair the U.S. Interagency Council on Homelessnes

VA provides health care to about 100,000 homeless veterans, and compensation and pensions to nearly 40,000 annually.

Our country, arguable the most wonderful country on the planet has forgotten it's vets. Oh, we have days for them and we all put our flags out and hug a vet at least a couple times a year, but for many of them, the hugs aren't there. They aren't part of the ceremonies. They aren't the ones remembered for their contribution. They aren't the ones remembered for putting their lives on the line for our country.

Many of them went to foreign lands, like they were told, even killed the 'bad guys' like they were told. Many came back without limbs and many found that once they had been used up, their country had no reason to pretend to care about them any more.

I am perhaps overly emotional at any given time, but I strongly feel that when a country has turned it's back on the men and women that it USED to fight its wars, and protect its interests, that country will fail. Our country, with no love left for heroes, once they have outlived their fifteen minutes of recognition, will fail.

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I know you've all seen them. I don't get to see too many of them anymore, since I live in the middle of nowhere. My father, and two of my brothers served their country, as did I.

The Air Force, The Corp, The Army, ALL represented in my family. None of US homeless. Awful close on more than one occasion, but none homeless....yet.

What are we fighting for America? What are these people worth to us? Have they just outlived their usefulness?

What can we do to help?

Get involved in the V.A....go to sites like change.org and get active... Maybe next time we see one of these guys, or the ones that don't advertise that they are vets, we can have some compassion.

Or maybe it's hopeless.

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Peace.

People have a dept to pay to these unfortunate Vets, Here in the UK we have the soldiers covenant to cover Veteran issues like housing and employment,, In all Govt agencies there has to be a 2% intake of veterans in recruitment manning levels.. Such as police fire brigade civil service to name a few.. We here in the UK have SSAFA and the Royal British Legion to help veterans who have fallen on hard times..

For me those pictures put it into perspective a little bit.

Welcome to the country you are fighting for,where after you are done you are discarded like yesterdays trash.
I said it before on here and will say it again.
If they are good enough to be on the frontlines in battle then they are surely good enough to be on the frontlines of society when they get home.

They are fighting for a country that wouldn't whizz on them if they were on fire.

I bet their lawyers found some loophole to not give them their money and pensions and benefits.

Whats sick is they have been fighting for the lawyers rights as well as the rest of the American people.

I think the government should open up a few of those closed down bases and allow homeless vets to live in those barracks. Provide them with meals and medical check ups and further education.

At the same time, they should get these vets to be self sufficient on these bases by showing them how to plant gardens, raise livestock and other ways along these lines.

This would give many of these homeless vets a second chance at life.


Anybody want to add to this idea?

reply to post by jam321


They would never do it...I mean wheres the money in that?
The decisions from higher up are not humanitarian ones they are economic ones.
Why would they have a reason to care for humanity unless for a good photo-op.

reply to post by DrumsRfun
Social housing seems to be the issue here my friend DrumsRfun. not a nice word in America i am lead to believe but these guys and girls joined to protect the Elitist hierarchy. the least the money guys can do is dig deep to help the veterans get social housing and the benefits that is Rightfully theirs...

reply to post by foxhoundone


Unless they are going to gain something like a photo-op or more money then it will never happen.
Thats how they got to be big money guys to begin with.

Natural born killers is my fav movie...love the signature.

As they say there but for the grace of god go I... however not all is always at it appears

over the weekend, Kevin Capps, 46, was standing at Central and San Mateo, holding a sign that said, "Vet, Really Hungry, Homeless, Need Help."

According to the police report, Capps was holding up traffic when he would walk up to drivers to collect cash. When an officer talked to him, Capps said he was a former lieutenant in the United States Army and a veteran of the first Gulf War.

When he was questioned further about his military background, Capps admitted to making the whole thing up—and that is not all officers discovered.

"This guy had heroin in his pocket, so obviously he was not going to use it for food," APD's Nadine Hamby said. "He wasn't going to use it to find a place to stay. He was going to use it to buy his next fix."

Source

Reply to post by DaddyBare

I can't discount that. I read that almost HALF of homeless vets have substance abuse issues. I also know that some people make things up, to tug on heart strings and manipulate others for money. Of that, there is no question. If HALF of the homeless vets are drug addicts, that still leaves close to SEVENTY THOUSAND that are not. That's twice the population of my community.
There ARE crooks out there, and there are also those that are not.
Thanks for keeping us on an even keel.


Posted Via ATS Mobile: m.abovetopsecret.com

Sorry...double post.


[edit on 2-10-2009 by KSPigpen]

Originally posted by jam321
I think the government should open up a few of those closed down bases and allow homeless vets to live in those barracks. Provide them with meals and medical check ups and further education.

At the same time, they should get these vets to be self sufficient on these bases by showing them how to plant gardens, raise livestock and other ways along these lines.

This would give many of these homeless vets a second chance at life.


Anybody want to add to this idea?

I love this idea. I was talking with my better half yesterday and my idea was to open up the foreclosed housing. Give them a couple months free rent and help them get on their feet. I like the military base idea. Can you imaging the pride that some of these people would be able to feel? What an awesome idea. (not without issues, but an AWESOME idea!)

I was in the National Guard for several years, and we used to open up the armory as a homeless shelter during the winter. One guy who stayed there turned out to be prior-service, so we reenlisted him in our unit. We got deployed not long after and he was happy as a clam; roof over his head, 3 squares, and enough cash to buy a new bicycle.

As for the way we treat our veterans; when the child of a Vietnam veteran gets more money for school from the VA than a reservist with two combat tours, something is wrong. The 9/11 GI Bill is supposed to fix this disparity, but since it took effect this fall few have seen a dime. Claims are so backed up, the VA recording says not to expect anything until November.

Support the American Legion, VFW, etc.. They're the greatest advocates veterans have in Washington.

Watch when you give money to veteran that are holding up these signs.

Some of them are real but there are a lot of fakes out there.
If i give any money its little till i have check them out.

I talk to most of them before i give them any money and what i ask is when they were in what was there unit and where they were deployed while they were in the service.

Then i get on the Internet when i get home and check them out.

If what they tell me does not match with there unit history i will tell the cops.
If they pull the old joke that they can not talk about there secret unit they are fakes,
Anyone that was in one of the secret units has cover story that can be verified because it will match a unit history of a real unit. not only can the cover story be verified but others that were in the same type units will know that its a cover story for a classified unit

Many cops are veterans to and many will help fellow veteran even if its just to tell them where they can get help. most cops know of the VA outreach programs and programs run by veterans groups in there area.

But the fakes are going to get hassled bigtime by the cops till they learn not to claim being vets.