Why Are There Homeless Veterans In America?

Iwojima

It upsets me to no end when I read statistics stating there are roughly 50,000 homeless veterans in America, representing roughly 8.6% of the total homeless population. Why are there homeless veterans?!

If the motto “leave no man behind” holds true, why has the US government abandoned the very people who served their country the most?

Whether you've served in the military for 1 year or 20 years, veterans  should be able to count on the government for the bare minimum of food, clothing, and shelter. The government needs to provide maximum support for those wishing to transition to the private sector with job placement and continued training.

It's why we pay our taxes. It's also why fewer and fewer Americans are feeling less guilty paying federal income taxes. If the government is not doing their job in helping veterans live good lives after serving, why should we keep forking over our hard-earned money?

Homeless Veterans In America And Good Soldiers

There's no mandatory draft now, so it's important to realize every single military participant is voluntary.  Who is braver than those who enlist to serve in Afghanistan and Iraq?  Nobody!  We are reminded of their bravery today. But we should be aware every single day of their service to our country.

One of my closest in-laws lives near the poverty line in another state. He cannot find work in his trade (carpenter/electrician). He served in the army for two years and was told before he enlisted that he would always be taken care of. His back hurts, he went through pancreatic cancer in 2015, and he has arthritis at 62 years old.

We try and help him every month where we can. However, he's a proud man who doesn't want help from us. We try and contact the VA on his behalf to see if they can help him look for work and provide medical coverage. They cannot. He's just *this* many years too young to start receiving benefits. 

We cross our fingers every day hoping nothing bad happens to him. In the meantime, we are saving aggressively to be able to care for all his medical needs. Long-term care insurance is also something we are considering, but it is very expensive.

A Positive Perspective On Homeless Veterans?

Just to get a better perspective, I asked a US Air Force serviceman friend of 7 years how the government treated him when he served. His experience was positive, but highlights areas of improvement.

“Based on my military experience I think the government and military take great care of their troops while they are still in the service, and very good care of military retirees. Of course there are outliers, but the majority of veterans who fall in those 2 categories have a solid support network and many programs and benefits to help them get by.

The group of veterans who seem to fall through the cracks are those who serve less than 20 years, which is the minimum amount required to receive a military pension and retiree benefits. Many veterans are not prepared to leave the military and enter the civilian world. There is not enough done to give them the proper training and information regarding benefits they are eligible to receive once they separate. The problem can be exacerbated for those with little formal education or service related disabilities. Further, some have post traumatic stress disorder, and other service related problems.”

This goes back to my original statement. Whether you've served in the military for 1 year, or 20 years, veterans should be able to receive benefits from the government.  Patrick has since started a website especially for military folks called Military Finance Network to help out his fellow veterans.

Veterans Need More Government Assistance And Increase Awareness

The US government spent roughly $45 billion dollars bailing out Citibank in 2009. Citibank then turns around and raises salaries for all their senior executives by 50% the same year. Come on now.

If the government just spent $13.1 billion dollars, they could allocate $100,000 to each homeless veteran for housing, food, medical attention, and education and get them back on their feet. Someone please tell me why the government is unwilling to do this? Maybe they do spend billions?  I really need to understand.

My generation of war is the war on terror. My father fought in Vietnam and my grandfather was a captain in the second world war at Pearl Harbor, Oahu. He shared with me a great many stories before he passed away.

I feel like somewhat of a dud because I have no military experience. But, what I do have is a voice, through this site and beyond. Hopefully this post raises awareness there is a serious amount of veterans abandoned who need help. Please spread the word!

Write to the White House HERE to voice your concerns. It only took me 2 minutes.

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Lulu
Lulu
6 years ago

Perhaps with this understanding that Wars are propaganda that help the rich get richer and then leave you on the street after you have killed and been fed drugs, will make more people more anti war. Really we should question who benefits and value the life of every human being. Unfortunately, we live in corruption, the psychopaths have risen to the top. They hide behind institutions. They care about themselves only. Our Congress is full of them as well as the bankers,How much money/land does one man need? How do these people sleep at night knowing because of their greed, suffering exists. If we can put a man on the moon and create a nuclear bomb, we could have solved hunger and stop these constructed wars to benefit a few fat cats.

Grant @ Life Prep Couple
Grant @ Life Prep Couple
7 years ago

We never should have bailed out any of the banks. We should have let them all go under.

I am usually massively apposed to any government spending but I support a big military and support anything that helps our troops.

Wader
Wader
9 years ago

Have you gone to visit the VFW, or the American Legion, or the DAV. They are there to help find these very things.

Chris
Chris
9 years ago

How about we give $16B to bailout Citibank with the express condition that they hire EVERY homeless veteran for no less than 3 years, and pay them no less than the median household income for the county in which they are being hired? Everybody wins!

Chris
Chris
9 years ago

I am a vet. I have PTSD, major depressive disorder to list a few. I am 70% disabled through the military I pay all my bills and leaves me nothing for clothes or anything I would like. I am married for 8 years and have 3 kids 4, 5 and 6. I absolutely hate going to the VA they treat you worse then I was in the military. Lately my depression and anxiety has got so much worse. All I can think about recently is buying a tent and going to live by myself deep in the woods so that my family don’t have to see me suffer. All I can think of is sooner or lately my kids are going to start realizing I’m not like other dads. Can only think of the day I have to go to my sons school with all the other parents for job day and explain what you do. I am a no one. I cant work I can barley go outside without having a anxiety attack. I don’t know what possessed me to post this but after many times deleting it I finally posted it. Thanks for hearing me out.

Buck
Buck
5 years ago
Reply to  Chris

Thank you for your service.

Jamal
Jamal
5 years ago
Reply to  Chris

Hello.

You might not read this and it may not mean much to you but I am sorry that this happened to you. I can empathize as my father served in the army in the 60s. After all was said and done he was left to fend for himself once he returned. It breaks my heart to see him struggle. I hope that one day all veterans will get the proper mental and financial support that they deserve. Thank you for your service

Deanna McKinney
Deanna McKinney
5 years ago
Reply to  Chris

Bless you for having the courage to post that! You are someone! You served you country voluntarily, you put your life on the line for it. How many other dads can say that?

alexi
alexi
10 years ago

This sounds silly. I only agree IF the veteran has a disability such as ptsd or physical injury. If, however, he’s perfectly healthy, then the government has no obligation to take care of them for the rest of their lives. Whoever thinks that is delusional. Retirement benefits after 20 years? Yes. Disability benefits? Yes. Freebies forever because you served for a few years? I think not. Also, unemployment in healthy non disabled veterans could have many reasons. Men who enlist usually have little education or other options. The economy also plays a role so that everyone, including vets, have a harder time finding jobs. That said, if a disabled veteran is being denied help, he should absolutely fight it. There are plenty of disability attorneys who don’t charge a fee until they win the case.

Buck
Buck
5 years ago
Reply to  alexi

You must remember, did you sign the papers to get in? did you fight through a war get shot at, or did you save America with a single message? “I think not.” also it doesn’t mean that because that they served for 1 or two years, or 7 like my stepfather before they “kicked him out”. so when you see someone who was in for 5 years or 7, or 1, it doesn’t me it was their choice they left.

Brenda Hicks
Brenda Hicks
4 years ago
Reply to  alexi

They may look perfectly fine. But some of these young men who are suffering went into the service with promises of a career and an education..they were mommas boys, playing xbox the day before they left for bootcamp, before going off to Iraq. They were not mature enough to do the things required from them, i.e killing people before they were killed.. they never get over that. It is always with them and it should be they’re human. Sometimes it takes years for the full effects of PTSD to surface..the government owes these people..

Juan Miguel
Juan Miguel
10 years ago

Thanks alot for forcing us against our wills to pay mortgages and then evicting us unremorsefully from our houses Mr. Obama,Vladimir Putin,Prime Minister Tony Blair,etc. This is where governments are a problem.

OIF Vet
OIF Vet
12 years ago

Because they make it so damn hard to get your benefits that by the time you get the first taste your tank is so far past empty that most give up.

Stephanie Daniels
Stephanie Daniels
12 years ago

I think you are right, there are too many veterans homeless in this country….If they are Promised they are going to be taken care of when they sign up for the military, then they Should Be….I hate to see this….I actually try to stay away from the news, and the negativity of everything that is out there….it is saddening to see the actual truth of America…ANYONE who signs up to save our country SHOULD BE TAKEN CARE OF!!! I don’t care if they served 1 month,…..they signed up with NO WORRIES!!!…Our government is too greedy to see these issues and sticking money in there own pocket and THE BANKS for that matter…and on another note….it is our fault also….Who Really thinks that anything we say or do will change our greedy government… why do you think they bailed out the banks, because we too are guilty of trying to live a life that we all can’t afford!!!!! I am getting on another subject but…it is too much……the innocent sign up to protect us, while we live our overly exaggerated lives, then who does the government bail out? The Banks…so we can sign up for more credit while the veterans go homeless!!!!!

Mel Gibson
Mel Gibson
14 years ago

That is so sad to read too, they are supposed be carried by our government since I think there are privileges of giving them and their family a home to live to. Veterans should provide with all their needs with our government after they had sacrifices their lives for the country.

Mark
14 years ago

The least that the government can do is take care of those who fought to defend this country. I have always thought that military wages are obscenely low.

Jared
Jared
10 years ago
Reply to  Mark

Not me. My friend makes $85k per year, all expenses paid, and he’s getting a free masters degree and doesn’t even have to work while in school. He has class 3 days a week and watches sports the other 4 days

Mike Hunt
Mike Hunt
14 years ago

Sam,

How do you reconcile this upsetting statistic with your belief that Everything is Rational?

-Mike

youngandthrifty
14 years ago

I am not a veteran, but I can understand why some veterans may seem like “scam” artists. I think a lot of veterans end up with traumatic memories of their experience, and probably a lot suffer from post tramautic stress disorder. Some go for alcohol or drugs to try and stop the pain of remembering their veteran experience.

I think that it should be up to the government to try and help these veterans as best they can- it’s the least the society can do, right?

Sullivan Kincaid
Sullivan Kincaid
14 years ago

This is a strong post – as with the author, I am not a veteran, but am related to several. All would agree that being a veteran doesn’t absolve anyone from holding personal responsibility for their own lives, but our government, when calls these men and women into harm’s way, holds a debt to do everything possible to provide a support structure for them when they come home. Education, affordable health care, etc. This is the bare minimum of respect owed our soldiers.

Take care,

Sully

FinancialBondage.org
FinancialBondage.org
14 years ago

good topic. no vet should be homeless or hungry or broke.

Our govt could stop wasting money, cut back on money it sends to countries that hate us, and help the vets more.

thanks for bringing this topic up.

AB
AB
14 years ago

If any veterans are reading this, check out this blog for more information on how to best utilize your GI benefits

Bonnie Wilson
Bonnie Wilson
15 years ago

I am a disabled veteran, I’m only 27 years old. I only served for two years in Sardinia Italy. I will tell you that trying to get help for the traumas I’ve experienced in the Navy has been a complete slap in the face by my own country. Our country will help anyone before our own people.
I was sexually assaulted while in service which is actually still VERY common, the only difference now is that most of us are to afraid to come forward due to the way we are treated if we do. IF we survive reporting it and going through months of working with the person who sexually assaulted you, you might get a trial and have that person removed from service. But in my case the guy had been appealing the case and 5 years later he got all his benefits back.
Now, NOTHING was in my service record about the trial or sexual assault, and if I would not have made a copy of my medical records, I would have no proof I was ever assaulted. I’ve been seeing VA since 2003, and only because I can’t afford anything better on SSD checks.
From the second you join you are a pawn, once they have broke you physically or mentally, they get rid of you and never think twice about it.
Wanna know why a LOT of veterans appear to be liars or trying to get something out of the government that we were told would be handled?
Because we did serve and some of us were hurt by our OWN team…. Yet once we are not suitable any longer due to abuse and neglect we are discarded for a new young kid to Fup.
That is the honest to god truth about our Government and how much they CARE…
WE fight for the rest of our lives to survive, and then people have the nerve to judge. I don’t judge you. God bless all of you who respect our veterans and the true Sacrifices they ALL have made.

tim
tim
15 years ago

admin-thank you for your concern.here is a copy of my resume.. Timothy B Cain

406 Cressmont Ave

Blackwood NJ 08012

Summary:

Proven experience in supervising and maintaining military equipment to The United States Army standards. Proven ability to work in a fast paced environment and multi task. Consistent record of work dedication and ethics. Able to work in a group setting to achieve a common goal.

Professional Experience:

Vehicle Commander in Stryker Brigade (Infantry)

United States Army, 2005-2009

-Repaired hydraulic, lubrication lines, and pumps

-Performed wire harness repairs

-Read and interpreted blue prints and drawings for the Stryker

-Diagnosed malfunctioning equipment during combat situations and made corrective actions

-Proficient in various military systems such as thermal imaging, global positioning, and automatic fire extinguishing systems

-Followed Army’s expectations for tool and personal accountability

Maintenance Mechanic/Brick Mason

S.E.B Realty, 2003-2005

-Made repairs to plumbing and electrical concerns in building units.

-Diagnosed and overhauled maintenance equipment.

-Re-pointed buildings and external brick work structures

Education:

Camden County Vocational School, 1999-2003

Erial, New Jersey

-Specialized training and courses in plumbing and brick laying

United States Army sponsored courses, 2005-2009

Fort Lewis WA

-Radio Transmission Operator

-Combat Life Saver

 

Achievements:

While serving 18 months in Iraq, earned the Oversees Service Ribbon, Combat Infantry Badge, and the Campaign Medal with bronze service star.

tim
tim
15 years ago

I served 3.5 years in the army.i spent 1.5 years in iraq. ive been out for 11 months applied to over 60 jobs.I have not heard from any of them i dont get it i can go fight in iraq but cant get a stupid security gaurd job.iam so frustrated i cant even sleep at night

Roger
Roger
15 years ago

Hunh, I can’t believe I didn’t comment on this already. It is a shame that veterans in particular seem to suffer from physical and psychological problems that can result in homelessness, especially after all they have done for our country. It’s a travesty.
.-= Roger´s last blog ..Net Worth Update: Christmas Shopping is On =-.

RRogers
RRogers
15 years ago

I do understand that there are scam artists. I am sensitive to that, completely. I take the biggest issue with our foreign war vets being denied coverage. When my grandfather (WWII), uncle (Korea and Vietnam) and father (Vietnam) signed up, they made a “pact” if you will, with the government. It was understood that if they served their country, their country would take care of them (i.e. the VA). When the time came for the government to do that, they denied responsibility and coverage until we hired lawyers. That’s not right. My father is a combat veteran. He did not choose create the war, but he served his country willingly and bravely.

I took my dad to the VA for dental work once, and while we were there, a young, female Iraqi war vet began talking about her experience overseas and her experience once she came home. It was so sad. She’s lost her family (divorce), her job and nearly her mind. PTSD consumed her. A WWII was sitting in there listening just nodding his head. My dad said later that he too knew what she was experiencing.

I feel very strongly about our combat veterans. They deserve the best doctors, the best medicine. They risked their lives and sometimes lose everything that matters to them just to serve their country. I believe we owe them more than third rate treatment when they come home.

JoeTaxpayer
JoeTaxpayer
15 years ago

One of the charities I donate to is https://www.neshv.org (New England Center for Homeless Vets) I also include it as a link on my blog under “charities to consider.”
The men who have served are at the top of my list for support and attention. We can’t just abandon them.

I wrote a post after a trip earlier this year to LA. On the boardwalk, a Vet came by asking for money, and was wearing what looked to be legit ID. I pulled out a few dollars and said “thank you for serving.” He smiled and said I just gave him enough for lunch, but then said “you’re the first person to thank me….”

David
David
15 years ago

I’m a veteran, and I’ve worked in a VA medical center (I did a co-op when I went back to college after transferring from active duty to the Air National Guard). The VA’s budget has always been a low priority, when I was there the Clinton administration slashed funding and since then Homeland Defense is top priority. As a veteran I would only go to the VA out of desperation and sheer necessity. If you want to improve the situation contact your congress person and senators about increasing funding for the VA.

As for the veterans, some of them I’ve spoken to are scam artists. They’ve run up to me when I was in uniform and are quick to ask for a hand out, but when I offer to buy them food or pay for a motel room they’ve got a hundred excuses why it has to be just cash. And when you question them about what they did in the military a lot of them were stateside for less than four years and had problems with their commanding officers.

Just a bad situation all around with no simple fix. Not enough money for legitimate needy veterans and too many bad apples giving the rest a bad name.