You would think that when these brave heroes (our soldiers) come back from Iraq and Afghanistan that they would have a safe, warm comfortable house to come home too.
However, this is not so, because studies find a high percentage of Iraq veterans are returning home with mental problems and they are showing up at homeless shelters around the country.
Recently, the government concluded that there are about 200,000 homeless vets in the United States. About 10 percent are either from the 1991 Gulf War, Iraq or Afghanistan.
Our soldiers need serious help. We cannot let them reside in homeless shelters. These heroic men and women risked their lives to protect and ensure well-being and safety of America. They are putting their personal lives (family, friends, social lives and relationships) on hold to help America. Now America has to give back and ensure the soldiers that they have their own house to come home too. The government has to step in and providing funding for this important cause. If Americans can donate money to help other countries build homes then they can certainly donate money to help build living quarters for our soldiers. The welfare of our soldiers should come first.
Nearly 1,300 U.S. soldiers were killed since the war began. Many thousands more have been wounded. Last week the New England Journal of Medicine reported that the US is facing a “severe shortage of surgeons in Iraq” to treat wounded soldiers. It is estimated that more soldiers have been injured in Iraq than during the Revolutionary War, the War of 1812, or the first five years of the Vietnam War.
Organizations around the country that help soldiers and veterans found that homeless shelters around the country are reporting they are already seeing some recently returned Iraq veterans showing up in need of shelter. The Homeless Veterans coalition estimates that nearly 500,000 veterans are homeless at some point in a given year.
The medical community believes that many of these soldiers are suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder.
The army reported in the New England journal of medicine that 17% of all of the soldiers who are just stepping off the military plane would screen positive for posttraumatic stress disorder. This problem pops up weeks or months after serving in combat.
The Department of Veterans Affairs concluded that 30,000 soldiers from Iraq had shown up at Department of Veterans Affairs health care facilities. In addition, out of these 30,000 one out of every five has been diagnosed with some sort of a mental problem.
So if a majority of our soldiers is suffering from mental disorders how are they going to survive in the civilian world? Prices are rising dramatically. Even people that make a decent salary are suffering.
How are soldiers going to be able to get a good job, work long hours, pay their bills, and afford housing to top it off if they are not functioning 100 percent. A mental disorder is a serious issue. How are they going to afford houses and living expenses if they are battling everyday with a mental disorder that interferes with their lives and their ability to live a happy healthy and productive lifestyle?
The government is telling us that these soldiers are homeless, but what are they doing about it? That is great they can tell us the figures, the real question is what are they doing to put a stop to all this.
The government says the reason why they are homeless is because many suffer from residual stress from daily crucifying attacks and roadside bombs makes it tough to adjust to civilian life; some can’t navigate government assistance programs; others simply can’t afford a house or apartment.
Again, I ask what are the government and the people of America going to do. The government has to have a well-developed program ready so when they evaluate them, they diagnose with a mental disorder they have to have assistance, and facilities ready for them. This includes housing provided by the government for these men and women.
They are finding soldiers living in towns and cities big and small, from Washington State to California and Florida. Some of the hardest hit are in New York City, where housing costs is extremely expensive. Studio apartments in New York usually cost more than $1,000 a month.
Many soldiers come home and have trouble finding a job. The economy is at its worst right now jobs are not easy to find. Many cannot support their families for this reason and without enough money to rent an apartment, they turn to the housing programs for vets, but some soldiers are overbooked and for this reason, they become homeless.
One man from New York told a newspaper this, “I ended up in a Bronxshelter “with people who were just out of prison, and with roaches.” “I’m a young black man from the ghetto, but this was culture shock. This is not what I fought for, what I almost died for. This is not what I was supposed to come home to.”
About 350 nonprofit service organizations are working with the Department of Veterans Affairs to help veterans. It is not acceptable to let soldiers come home after risking their lives to help our country and have nowhere to go.
However, more has to be done to help this problem.
What is shocking is that almost half of America‘s 2.7 million disabled veterans receive $337 or less a month in benefits. This is unacceptable. How are our soldiers going to survive? They cannot survive on this income.
Something needs to be done and it needs to be done now. After reading this, please contact veteran organizations and find out how you can help. Something has to change. And we are the only ones that can do it. The government will not do anything unless we put pressure on them and demand that something needs to be done.
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please inform me and keep me up to date on number of war casualties:deaths,disabled,etc,
Thanks for your idea. We will take a look at adding a weekly update on these statistics.
I have 3 military sons (one Navy and 2 Army), both Army were in Afghanistan in 2008, and one injured 2 months after being there by an IED. He lost his right leg below the knee and half of his left hand. His brother was able to sit with him for 4 days before taking him to Germany. I am with him now temporarily while his wife and child are overseas. I love what Walter Reed does for our Warriors, but I am gretly concerned about housing for many who have no families/finances for housing. I have land that I want to build upon with effieiency cabins/a lodge. Presently I have enough housing space for 4-5 until more efficient housing is built with grants/donations. The site is very quiet, has deer and turkeys, suitable space for shuffleboard, croquet, quiet sitting areas and hiking, and two porches. It has a ramp into the house in the back. I love people, and want to give back what men and women did for us. I rented rooms for low cost for 1 1/2 yrs until my son’s accident, and I love helping others. Any suggestions. I can be contacted through the DAV in West Liberty, Ky. or at the Walter Reed address for my son. There has to be a way to get started. Thanks again Woulded Warriors for your sacrafice!! God bless.
Mom of Wounded Warrior in the Army wants to share housing with wounded/homeless vets from Afghanistan and Iraq wars. I have 25 private Eastern Ky. acres and love hosting people in need. I rented rooms for over a yr before my son got injured. Can help begin in Ky? I think so. Help me make Camp Spencer a reality!! God bless.
I have a home with 5 bedrooms and a previous family care for the developmentaly disabled that I would find room for at least two soldiers. God Bless Them All…and I mean I would realy open my home for them.
don’t give up the faith
Hi , I have a little homestead in the sabine national forest of east texas , you can see what we are doing there by googling ” sabine homestead ” and look for our blog . If it looks like some thing a homeless soldier would like to be part of , write me at srh@juno.com , Thank You
have a large home in al. would like to share with our disabled veterens .need to contact me call ft. payne al.veterans affairs
I think its great that people are willing to open up their homes for our brave soldiers. I was thinking along the same lines…no help from local Va. They don’t seem to know of a program or any way i can find a soldier in need of a home. I have a 400 acre working farm, big house and lots of hunting and fishing. These are hard times and I want share my home with someone and i thought i would start with a veteran.
This was not at all shocking to me as i am living this situation at the moment. My fiance and love of 12 years came home from Iraq and has been going thru a living hell dealing with PTSD. The army discharged him right before december and our economy in florida is in a terrible state. We were living in WA and just relocated back to our hometown to be near our families and to get some support from the local VA. I am so hopeful after reading people’s responses to this article our Veterans need to outreach services for their mental health and transition back into the civilian world. The rest of the country needs to be aware of what these guys are dealing with because I dont think the general population has any idea. Our guys go and fight so we have our freedom and defend our country and the government needs to do more for them! They deserve the best in health care and social services. They risked their life abroad just to come home and be treated this way in the same country they fought for. Not right at all.
iam a homeless veteran, im living in whats called a GRANT PERDIEM program which is sponserd by the VA, i am down in clearwater fla,not far from Bay Pines V.a. This is a farly recent program, the facilty is top of the line state of the art. We have V.A. scial workers that come a few times a week, etc etc, the Fcility im at is about to expand with 3 new building , ground breaking aprox april 15..They are really targeting the OIF, OEF Vets. just want to put this info out,,, for more info call Bay Pines V.A. 727-398-6661 ask to be connected to homless social worker at the Domacillary,, they can get you all the info.. this is one Vet, tryiong to help another, ,, the program is great, it is really helping me to get my life on track.
We are a national organization with chapters opening in many states to help homeless veterans find homes.
Please contact Sandra at csinational@yahoo.com
God bless all of our veterans and active duty troops.
HOOAH ARMY MOM
The “Preparing Employers to Reintegrate Combat Exposed Veterans with Disabilities” (PERCEVD), is a revolutionary diversity training program for colleges, faith based organizations and employers of transitioning veterans. It aptly addresses issues such as homelessness, suicide and military sexual trauma (MST). It provides a Layman’s understanding of the medical conditions, symptoms and the affects of various anti-depressants, anti anxiety and sleeping medications. It also helps to bridge the cultural gap towards understanding of military paradigms and provides great tools for intervention, flexibility, support and accommodations. Most importantly, it offers clarification on proper etiquette, insensitive practices, misconceptions and fear(that lead to stigma) and environmental issues that may represent possible PTSD triggers. The new book “The PERCEVD Principles” conveys much of the philosophies of the training and is a great resource towards overcoming transition challenges and achieving readiness. It is strongly recommended for families, caretakers and all veterans.
Sounds as if there are some good programs coming about to help homeless veterans. There is still a long way to go as we all know. And ther are injustices being done to veterans that have or had homes lost in unjust foreclosure practices.
I am a 40% disabled veteran retired. After 6 months of desperately trying to keep the home I grew up in (from Jan -June 2011) and purchased from my brother out of foreclosure I was finally able to find a couple that wanted to do a lease with option to purchase. My foreclosure sale date was set for June 7, 2011. I contacted Ocwen Loan Servicing LLC and they sent me a dated and written quote good through June 6, 2011. All the money to include Ocwens “other fees” was wire xferred from my local bank in Statesboro, Ga. and Ocwen sent a confirmation of receipt back a few minutes later.
However! I rec’ed a legal package on June 14, 2011 informing me Ocwen had sold my home to Freddie Mac in foreclosure sale!..?? It was essentially an eviction notice! Now I have these good Army people that like me acted in good faith living in the house because according to Ocwens dated and written quote that was stated to reinstate the loan and keep house out of foreclosure everything was good! Ocwen took the money to reinstate and keep house out of foreclosure and foreclosed anyway! Unehical? Unjust? Ridiculous? YUP!