Homeless Veterans

I know that most reports say that 1 in 4 homeless are veterans, but as I was sitting here considering that number I began to ask myself a few questions. How was their service verified? Did they just ask "are you a veteran" or did they want proof shown? Asking for a medal isn't good enough; you can buy those. I hate to say it, but I have seen more than my share of fakers.

Personally I would like to see a more indepth study of this. How long were the out of the military before they became homeless? How long was their service? Did they see combat? Why did they join in the first place? What led to their homelessness? These questions could help prevent future homelessness. If a majority became homeless within months after their discharge, maybe they need better support. If they didn't go to combat, served two years, were out for ten years, and then became homeless is that really a VA problem?

Being homeless is something that should not happen to anyone, but I feel that we need to find the root cause of their problem.

The leading cause of homelessness is mental illness. I refuse to pretend to care that the problem has anything to do with the military, or that veterans should be catered to because they "fought for our freedoms" when we sit here basking in this "free" country that allows mentally disabled people to die every day from malnutrition because somehow the American government convinced everyone that communism is evil and it opposes democracy instead of capitalism (which isn't exactly working for America either) . Basically, what I'm saying is that homelessness becomes less of a problem when more "socialist" action is taken -- publicly funded health care policies. But I guess we'll keep pretending that it's okay to write off human life on the want to say stupid phrases like "damn commies" when any attempt toward human equality is made.

reply to post by Awory


When you leave the military, you are given a form (DD-214) that documents your entire military career. However, I believe the numbers in question were derived from the VA. The VA, through their benefits program, has good ensight to a person's living condition, whether homeless or not. Many veterans even seek social services from the VA. When you are veteran, you have access to help that non-veterans don't have access to, therefore almost all homeless veterans (with VA benefits) take advantage of these services. In fact, most homeless shelters and other social welfare programs for the homeless population document whether you are a veteran or not, as you are entitled to more help as a veteran. I have volunteered my time at several homeless intervention programs and the most common question asked of these homeless people, is whether or not they are a veteran, which their answer is verified through records. Of course if a veteran chooses not to disclose whether he is a veteran, he wouldn't be counted, though I'm sure that is very rare. Furthermore, almost all homeless people seek out help at one time or another, whether it be for a blanket on a cold night, a hot meal on Turkey Day, a new and clean needle for their drug habit or a medical problem. They are then documented as veteran or not.

I have no doubt in my mind that these numbers are very accurate and that's saying a lot, as I usually don't come to the same conclusion for other government derived statistics.


--airspoon

I don't know if socialism really helps with homelessness. I went to toronto a few years back and they seemed to have a fairly large homeless population.

reply to post by Brood


i always hear people jabbering about how great communism is, but none of them can ever name even one instance in history where a communist state actually stuck to it's ideals and benefitted all of the people even the poor instead of just the politicians and military leaders of a country. i don't think this has happened one time in history. it always ends up being an oppressive place where you can get killed for stealing even though you are starving or looking a little gay. that doesn't sound like a peoples paradise type of utopia to me. so go on, tell me even one communist country where everyone lives in harmony without being oppressed holding hands and dancing circles in fields or whatever communists do. can you do that?

reply to post by 2weird2live2rare2die


I have yet to see a capitalist democracy in which the population is fairly represented by the governing body rather than the interests of a few people with a lot of money. Guess neither of them are possible, since it has never happened before. Nobody condones what communism has turned into in the past, but let's not pretend that its not possible because of that; let's not pretend that the idea of it isn't spectacular and that pathetic people haven't abused it. In any fashion, I never said that we should convert to communism, I said it was ridiculous that people relate liberty to communism, and let that opinion make all the decisions for them.

Originally posted by Awory
I don't know if socialism really helps with homelessness. I went to toronto a few years back and they seemed to have a fairly large homeless population.

The reason that the homeless population in Toronto is so out of control is because they actually live for more than a month because they are receiving social assistance. I'm not saying it would control the homeless population, I'm saying less of them will suffer due to a mental illness; something they cannot control.