The Embarrassing Issue Of Homeless Veterans
With all the recent talk about more refugees entering the country in the near future, I see more and more people complaining that we cannot accept refugees as long as we have homeless American citizens– specifically veterans. First of all, these are two (or three) separate issues to tackle. Second, I’m not writing this to advocate for refugee admittance or denounce our involvement in any war. As far as I’m concerned, my opinion on war does not matter when it comes to the topic of veterans becoming homeless when they return home. Regardless of reasons for being at war in the first place, the fact remains that veterans make up roughly 10% of the homeless population in America– about 48,000 (according to the Department of Housing and Urban Development). These numbers vary drastically depending on the source. According to the advocacy group, Justice for Vets, the estimate is considerably higher: 30% of the homeless population– 67,000 at any given time. Either way, we can’t deny this problem any longer.
So why is this happening and what can we do to solve this? The problem first seems to stem from the inside out. The military strives to create dependence and loyalty in order to function properly as a larger unit. From the moment someone enters the military everything is essentially pre programmed and provided for. You are told where to be and what to be doing at all times, you are given a salary as well as a food allowance and a roof over your head. Health insurance is provided through Tricare and other benefits are essentially endless– until your service ends.
A sense of dependence is created and then taken away; throw PTSD into the mix if a veteran is returning from war and you have a perfect storm for self-destruction. The homelessness then simply becomes a side-effect or consequence of everything leading up to it. Sure, all the tools needed to help create a new life are available when they leave, but after being dependent for so long it’s not exactly easy for everyone to put these tools to good use. Especially if you return from war with physical injuries or a long list of mental issues ranging from PTSD to depression and anxiety.
”a bill to expand education and health care to vets-- it was shot down in the Senate just two days after Veterans’ Day. Ouch.
Another problem facing vets that is devastatingly overlooked is the staggering number of incarcerated veterans. It’s a common connection to put homelessness and incarceration in the same cause-effect bubble– but not veterans. The National Institute of Corrections estimates that at any given time about 1 in 10 inmates have served in the military at one point in their lives. The majority of vets who end up behind bars have had no criminal history prior to entering the military. Which isn’t surprising considering it’s not exactly easy to enter the military with a felony on your record.
The prison system eerily creates a similar sense of dependence: you are told what to be doing and where to be at all times, you are provided food and a roof over your head, healthcare and dental is provided. And once you’re out– there’s a 75% chance you’ll be back within 5 years. (Of that 75%, half will return within one year.)
So now that we see the causes of the problem, how can we find solutions? Well we have to address the issue of homeless veterans two different ways: stop it from happening in the first place while fixing the problem that already exists. Stopping veterans from becoming homeless in the first place would require an entire re-working of the military’s daily operations to create more independence before a member leaves the service. Sadly, considering that we are currently involved in war more and more each day, this does not seem to be a realistic solution at all. In fact, it is safe to assume more and more veterans will be becoming homeless as they return from war in the following years.
In recent years, several bills have been proposed to provide more assistance to veterans, including employment, business development, education, home assistance, and healthcare. All have been shot down. The most recent was a bill to expand education and health care to vets– it was shot down in the Senate just two days after Veterans’ Day. Ouch.
On the bright side, some states are attempting to combat the issue themselves. In November, Ohio Senator Sherrod Brown co-sponsored and outlined a bill called the Veteran Housing Stability Act, which would require the VA to reach out to public housing authorities and encourage landlords to rent to veterans. The bill would also provide grants to organizations that assist veterans with after-care. It would also provide veterans listed on the VA homeless registry with intensive case management. The bill is currently still in the senate and hearings are being held. Hopefully if enacted, this bill will spark a chain reaction to help veterans across the country.
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Randi Nord lives in Pontiac, Michigan and is a journalist for the Pontiac Tribune.