by Peter Joseph Swanson
Member since:
April 13, 2007

1 in 4 homeless people are veterans

November 07, 2007 07:27 PM UTC
views: 0 | comments: 23

Veterans make up one in four homeless people in the United States, though they are only 11 percent of the general adult population, according to a report to be released Thursday.

And homelessness is not just a problem among middle-age and elderly veterans. Younger veterans from Iraq and Afghanistan are trickling into shelters and soup kitchens seeking services, treatment or help with finding a job.

The Veterans Affairs Department has identified 1,500 homeless veterans from the current wars and says 400 of them have participated in its programs specifically targeting homelessness.

The Alliance to End Homelessness, a public education nonprofit, based the findings of its report on numbers from Veterans Affairs and the Census Bureau. 2005 data estimated that 194,254 homeless people out of 744,313 on any given night were veterans.

Some advocates say such an early presence of veterans from Iraq and Afghanistan at shelters does not bode well for the future. It took roughly a decade for the lives of Vietnam veterans to unravel to the point that they started showing up among the homeless. Advocates worry that intense and repeated deployments leave newer veterans particularly vulnerable.

"We're going to be having a tsunami of them eventually because the mental health toll from this war is enormous," said Daniel Tooth, director of veterans affairs for Lancaster County, Pa.

Comments: 23

Donna Besso Nov 7, 2007, 7:29pm UTC
What a shame! Excellent article. Now, how can we fix it?
Vivian P. Nov 7, 2007, 7:38pm UTC
Thats terrible we need to keep our promises and take care of our vets
Peter Joseph Swanson Nov 7, 2007, 7:44pm UTC
It's like we USE people - isn't that how it seems?
Ghostly Ghoul Nov 7, 2007, 7:57pm UTC
I actually knew this, I did a project on this in Socialogy class. It's pretty sad because most of mental illiness ontop of the homelessiness. Also my dad has been homeless a lot, he abuses alcohol. It's sad but he picked that path, I feel bad for those who didn't and still ended up this way. Anyway a good way to help is to donate blankets or start a blanket drive in your community.

It's weird how we can take something like a blanket for granted but think of your life if you didn't have one. How sad is that?!

Help me makeover this room!
Jean R B. Nov 7, 2007, 7:58pm UTC
It is difficult for them coming back. When they left they had jobs like soda jerks in drugstores or pumped gas, etc. They have outgrown these jobs. Have no other experience except war. We need to retrain them to find better employment. Give them temporary housing until they are trained and fit back into life.
Peg Doak Nov 7, 2007, 8:19pm UTC
I listen to a show on my community radio called Democracy now. They were interviewing vets coming home who were trying to get help for ptsd. You are right peter. i used to take twenty years for post trauma to show up in it's full glory. Now vets are getting it while in battle. I have ptsd. it would take more than a job training course to help me. I lived by hitchiking so I didn't seem to be homeless, but instead was going somewhere. I eventuallly got the help I needed. I am pissed that this war is happening, that these young people are suffering and bush not only doesn't care, but he wants to hit Iran too. What the f?
Lori F. Nov 7, 2007, 8:22pm UTC
Peter I have seen these stats. I know after Nam this was a huge problem. You train these soldiers to kill and have no remorse then you bring them home and tell them killing is murder and throw them into society with nothing. Nice way to treat the men and women who fought for our freedoms.
Peter Joseph Swanson Nov 7, 2007, 8:26pm UTC
Sad
P C. Nov 7, 2007, 8:28pm UTC
I have no doubt that what you say is true. How do you return to our world of materialism, leisure and the pursuit of the american dream after living through death and fear and terrible choices made in a split second. It would be nice to study soldiers who are successfully re-integrated as well as those who fail so that support services can begin to meet their needs.

I wish we were out of this war.
Ghostly Ghoul Nov 7, 2007, 8:32pm UTC
You know you can donate your points to the PVA here on gather? They help vertians with all their needs including legal battles. They are a great cause and I support them, I have for a number of years.
Clifford H Colpitts Jr Nov 7, 2007, 9:58pm UTC
Correct: unfourtuanly, appearently, way back when...when all you veterans were fightsing on those perticuler dates....for intance....what really happened to so many of the mentally ill?....Drop dead!
Laurun M. Nov 7, 2007, 10:04pm UTC
This is a shame. It doesn't surprise me though.
Kay M Nov 7, 2007, 10:54pm UTC
It is shameful. Now I fear that returning Iraqi vets are not going to get any more help than the Nam vets did.
Holly G. Nov 8, 2007, 12:37am UTC
It's a horrible thing...you think the government would help our vets after what they did/went through for our country. I take that back, I am talking about the goverment, never mind!
Alkistis Wechsler Nov 8, 2007, 7:41am UTC
Peter I only had time for the title and the last phrase! Forgive me (but it is for the shake of Art)!
That is a terrible fact you mention here! We all should be a ware and the governments should take care of not creating mre and give the honour and help they deserve and need so disperately. We all are brothers and sisters but we forget it all the time!
Susan A. Nov 8, 2007, 9:20am UTC
heartbreaking
J. G. Weddle Nov 8, 2007, 9:52am UTC
It does seem that the facts bear out your theory that we USE people Peter. I never would have thought the statistics would have played out that way.
Lacey K. Nov 8, 2007, 10:02am UTC
It breaks my heart to see them. I wish we had NO homeless.
donna h. Nov 8, 2007, 1:33pm UTC
sad
I heard these statistics on the news ljust last night. It's absolutely horrendous that this country can let this happen to people who have served time on behalf of all of us. I am disgusted.
Nancy O. Nov 9, 2007, 2:11am UTC
I heard this on tv this am , it is very sad. The admin. also keeps wanting to cut Veteren's benefits truly shameful. Most of the soldiers families have to apply for food stamps because they fall way under poverty level, sad what has happened to these families.
Sharon Katz Nov 9, 2007, 5:02pm UTC
Sad state of affairs. I don't know if you remember but when the Viet Nam war ended many veterans were homeless as well because they couldn't find jobs or were sick mentally and/or physically because of the war. Our government forces men to fight (there was a draft for Viet Nam) and then when they come home the government gives them nothing. Veterans risk their lives for this country and the country does little, if anything, to help them out afterwards.

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