In general, homelessness is a long standing problem within many countries but within the United States hundreds of thousands of people are homeless every day.  Some reports emphasize that as little as roughly a million people are currently homeless and other estimates indicted as many as 3 ½ million people could be categorized as homeless in the US. Whatever the case, homelessness is definitely a problem.

One area of homelessness that has recently gained attention is that of female armed services veterans. Recent rough estimates put out by the US Government Accountability Office (GAO) indicate that in the last 5 years, homelessness among female veterans has doubled from about 1300 in 2006 to over 3000 in 2010. This increase could be due to any number of variables. The increase in enlistment of women in the military could conceivably contribute to this issue or an increase in resources and thus more woman homeless veterans are coming forward for help. I would tend to believe the former as the barriers for woman to access homelessness services are many. Problems such as long wait times for subsidized housing, homeless entities not housing children or having strict restrictions about housing children and lastly safety issues create difficulties for homeless female veterans to find help. As many female veterans are middle age and have a child, combating homelessness is just another wrench in the process of securing a home.

Nonetheless, there are resources out there for homeless veterans including female. Some are listed below:

Steps N Stages

Project Foot

Make the Connection

Volunteers of America

Disabled Veterans of America

The Jericho Project

Doe Fund Inc.

National Resource Directory

Another way to assist with combating female military veteran homelessness is to place emphasis on job resources in addition to housing. Many veterans have skills that they learned in the military that could equate to job skills in the civilian market if properly framed for employers. Recently president Obama proposed a billion dollar effort to assist with getting veterans back to work. The funding will be in the form of grants for skilled labor, police/firefighter positions, and other entry level work such as with park and recreations. The Obama administration is entitling the initiative the “Veterans Job Corp” modeled after the Civilian Conservation Corps that was present during the early to mid 1900’s. The funding is geared towards post 9/11 veterans who continue to poor into the community especially now that many veterans are ending their Iraq/Afghanistan tours and will be looking for work in the private sector both male and female. The hope is that the initiative will also assist with the Veteran’s Affairs office initial 2009 commitment to end homelessness among veterans by 2015. Whatever the case, it is good to see positive efforts at helping those who have served their country and attempting to assimilate back into the civilian community.

BAGRAM AIRFIELD, Afghanistan — Soldiers with the 82nd Combat Aviation Brigade traded friendly fire for hours here early Monday morning — not with bullets, but with words.

US to expand special operations forces’ role in Afghanistan

The U.S. military is planning to expand role of special operations forces in Afghanistan, putting more emphasis on killing Taliban leaders and advising Afghan forces, according to a Washington Post story.

Advanced Sight Could Double Range for Shooters

The next generation of battlefield optics will empower infantrymen to hit enemy targets from twice the effective range of the M4 carbine if Defense Department scientists get their way.

Army Doctor at Madigan Suspended Over PTSD Comments

A Madigan Army Medical Center psychiatrist who screens Soldiers for PTSD has been removed from clinical duties while investigators look into controversial remarks he made about patients and the financial costs of disability benefits, according to U.S. Sen. Patty Murray.

One Soldier’s Progress Against Traumatic Brain Injury

One of the guests in the congressional gallery at last week’s State of the Union address was Roxana Delgado, an advocate for soldiers returning home with traumatic brain injuries. Her husband, an army sergeant who NPR profiled in June, 2010, had been dramatically affected by the concussion he received from a roadside blast in Iraq.

Panetta: US, allies will shift Afghan mission to training next year

BRUSSELS — The U.S. and its allies will formally change their military mission in Afghanistan to training and advising Afghan troops next year, a shift meant to extricate the alliance from a combat role after more than a decade of war, Defense Secretary Leon E. Panetta said Wednesday.

DOD adds Vicodin, Xanax to drug testing, offers 90-day amnesty

TOKYO — The Defense Department announced an expansion of its drug testing program Wednesday to include widely abused prescription medications containing hydrocodone and benzodiazepine, but it’s offering an unprecedented 90-day amnesty period for servicemembers to come clean or get treatment.

(CNN) – Two American tourists have been kidnapped in the southern part of Egypt’s Sinai Peninsula, a security official said Friday.

Obama Announcing New Programs for Vet Hiring

President Barack Obama plans to announce a new job-hiring plan that could see thousands of post-9/11 veterans filling first responder positions across the U.S., as well as a conservation program intended to put 20,000 vets to work restoring and protecting the nation’s national parks.

In winding down war, a fundamentally different challenge in Afghanistan than in Iraq

The narrative that the Obama administration has laid out for winding down the war in Afghanistan has a familiar feel: It is intended to evoke the gradual withdrawal from Iraq.

Marine Fights Conviction for Suicide Attempt

HAGERSTOWN, Md. — A discharged Marine private who slit his wrists in a suicide attempt is fighting his military conviction for deliberately injuring himself, arguing the punishment is inconsistent with the armed forces’ efforts to battle a rise in suicides during the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Combat troop ailments drive medical retirement backlog

Tens of thousands of combat troops who undergo routine health checks before returning home need treatment for ailments ranging from bad backs to mental illness, helping to drive a backlog of troops waiting for medical retirements, new Pentagon data show.

Danger Pay Now Calculated By the Day

WASHINGTON — Starting this month, the Defense Department will calculate imminent-danger pay by the day rather than the month, a cost-cutting move the department estimated last year could save $30 million annually.

U.S. government, military to get secure Android phones

(CNN) – Some U.S. officials this year are expected to get smartphones capable of handling classified government documents over cellular networks, according to people involved in the project.

One of the guests in the congressional gallery at last week’s State of the Union address was Roxana Delgado, an advocate for soldiers returning home with traumatic brain injuries. Her husband, an army sergeant who NPR profiled in June, 2010, had been dramatically affected by the concussion he received from a roadside blast in Iraq.

Panetta: US, allies will shift Afghan mission to training next year

BRUSSELS — The U.S. and its allies will formally change their military mission in Afghanistan to training and advising Afghan troops next year, a shift meant to extricate the alliance from a combat role after more than a decade of war, Defense Secretary Leon E. Panetta said Wednesday.

DOD adds Vicodin, Xanax to drug testing, offers 90-day amnesty

TOKYO — The Defense Department announced an expansion of its drug testing program Wednesday to include widely abused prescription medications containing hydrocodone and benzodiazepine, but it’s offering an unprecedented 90-day amnesty period for servicemembers to come clean or get treatment.

NATO Report: Taliban Expect to Retake Afghanistan

Once the U.S. ends its combat mission in Afghanistan — which Defense Secretary Leon Panetta anticipates will happen next year — the Taliban expect to resume power, a secret NATO report says..

‘Hemp Solo’ Says Pot Laws are Veterans’ Issue

William Solomko knows he’s making a lot of people angry by using the famous POW/MIA image as the logo for his pro-marijuana website, Veterans for Weed United. He doesn’t care.

Probe: Air Force punished Dover whistleblowers

WASHINGTON (AP) — Federal investigators have concluded that Air Force officials at the military mortuary in Dover, Del., illegally punished four civilian workers for blowing the whistle on the mishandling of war remains.

Pakistan Concedes Advantages to US Drone Strikes

Pakistan on Tuesday acknowledged “tactical advantages” to U.S. drone strikes on the Taliban and Al-Qaeda, but appeared to shrug off the unexpected confirmation by Washington of attacks on its soil.

Civilian deaths due to drones are not many, Obama says

President Barack Obama candidly addressed the United States’ covert drone program in an online discussion group, officially acknowledging the controversial use of the unmanned aerial vehicles in Pakistan and elsewhere, and defending their missions, according to The New York Times.

WASHINGTON (AP) — Federal investigators have concluded that Air Force officials at the military mortuary in Dover, Del., illegally punished four civilian workers for blowing the whistle on the mishandling of war remains.

Pakistan Concedes Advantages to US Drone Strikes

Pakistan on Tuesday acknowledged “tactical advantages” to U.S. drone strikes on the Taliban and Al-Qaeda, but appeared to shrug off the unexpected confirmation by Washington of attacks on its soil.

Civilian deaths due to drones are not many, Obama says

President Barack Obama candidly addressed the United States’ covert drone program in an online discussion group, officially acknowledging the controversial use of the unmanned aerial vehicles in Pakistan and elsewhere, and defending their missions, according to The New York Times.

U.S. officials see increasing threat of domestic attack from Iran

WASHINGTON — Even as al-Qaida’s ability to attack the United States continues to diminish, Iran is more willing to attack the United States and American interests overseas, the top U.S. intelligence official told Congress on Tuesday.

Marine hit by grenade rates MoH, buddies say

Lance Cpls. Kyle Carpenter and Nick Eufrazio were posting security together on a dusty rooftop in Afghanistan when an insurgent tossed a hand grenade at them. The world melted in a white-hot blast, and the two men were rocked by an explosion that could be heard nearly a mile away.

‘I’m very alive’: Army veteran declared dead 4 times

The U.S. Veterans Administration has declared him dead four times, but Miller, a Brevard County resident, has refuted the claims.

BRAC Threat Takes DoD Budget Fight to Next Level

If the Pentagon didn’t already have Congress’ attention for its appeal to prevent next year’s round of automatic budget cuts, it does now.

St. Louis Parade on Iraq War’s End Draws Thousands

ST. LOUIS — Looking around at the tens of thousands of people waving American flags and cheering, Army Maj. Rich Radford was moved that so many braved a cold January wind Saturday in St. Louis to honor people like him: Iraq War veterans.

Pentagon Prepares for New Military Talks With Iraq

WASHINGTON — The Obama administration is preparing to begin talks with Iraq on defining a long-term defense relationship that may include expanded U.S. training help, according to Defense Secretary Leon Panetta’s chief policy aide.