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Homelessness is a growing concern in the world we live in. But, how do military veterans end up homeless? The men and women who voluntarily fought for our country and others. Homelessness among military veterans concerns me because I, as a current service member and spouse of a retired veteran, understand some of the things veterans face once they return to civilian life. We need to take steps to save our military men and women from the destructive life on the streets of America. One must fully understand homelessness before anything can be done to correct the problem. People typically turn their heads in disgust when looking at a dirty, smelly, homeless veteran and blame the veteran for letting themselves get into such a situation. Our society needs to take ownership in working with our sState and fFederal gGovernments to come up with successful solutions that will produce positive results in eliminating homelessness among our veterans. Daily they give their all for each of us.

The first step in solving a problem is to understand why the problem exists. Veterans have been separated and isolated from society and when they return home they are lost and feel out of place or out of touch. Most are wounded and need help getting back on their feet. Many homeless veterans suffer from health related problems and experience alcohol, drug, or mental problems such as Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). PTSD, the result of current wars, makes it harder for our veterans to adjust to society. Addiction to drugs and alcohol are two of the main reasons why veterans are out on the streets. An autobiography of one veteran’s struggle with homelessness provides insight into understanding this dilemma. The book titled “Homeless in the City: A Veteran Describes the Decade He Has Spent Living on the Streets” is written by Theodore Walther. Walther spent over 10 years living on the streets of Los Angeles, CA. Walther describes homelessness on different levels such as short-term or long-term; which can be a result of divorce, losing a job, or financial troubles. According to Walther, veterans like himselfhim continue to participate and function in society to the best of their abilities. Walther refers to himself as chronically homeless or long-term. Walther’s journey into the streets began with him selling all his belongings and going into rehab. He was self-medicating with alcohol to deal with his demons that resulted from his combat tours of duty. He felt rehab would turn his life around and he would once again be an average member of society. Obviously, rehab was too short and did not resolve the issues responsible for his drinking problem. This was the start of his homelessness adventure, which lasted 10 years. In his book, Walther also provides his opinion of the services in place to handle the problem of homelessness. For example, he states, “When I saw the sheer numbers of men and women going through these rehab centers just as I was, without a clue as to what was really happening to them, I realized how hopelessly broken this “world of recovery” really is. It’s a band-aid on a gaping wound.” (Walther, 2014). He now receives federal disability compensation and has been living in an apartment in Los Angeles, where he continues to write.

Funding is a major hurdle that must dealt with in handling this issue, and the American people are a strong force in lobbying our legislators for appropriate action. For example, there is a bill in congress, The Mobile Medical Homeless Health Improvement Act (HR29) that provides one of the best available methods of reaching our homeless veterans. (Paralyzed Veterans of America, 2013). This bill provides funding to local hospitals to create a mobile medical unit that can provide case management, behavioral and mental health care, medical care, and screenings and immunizations. This unit visits the streets where the homeless reside and seek out veterans. Many services are available, but the homeless vets just don’t have the means to reach them. Unfortunately, like many other successful homeless veteran venues, the bill is sent to the committee to die or funding is not renewed based on budget cuts. The American people need to contact their congressmen and support these initiatives. Votes create action.

An often overlookedoften-overlooked group of homeless veterans is the female veteran and needs to be taken into consideration when coming up with solutions. According to Lieutenant Colonel Patricia Gatson, U.S. Army Retired, female veterans are four times more likely to be homeless than civilian women. Some have histories of trauma or abuse before military service, and one in three military women have complained of being sexually harassed or assaulted while in the service (Ziegler, 2014). Female veterans make up about 17% of the veteran population in the U.S. according to the Arizona Department of Veterans’ Services. (Lee, Female veterans struggle to overcome homelessness, 2013).

In conclusion, understanding the homeless vets’ unfortunate situation will encourage people to provide the much neededmuch-needed support our homeless vets need. Enhanced services are needed for female vets whichvets, which provide a safe place for them to address their issues and rehabilitate back into society. It’s easy to criticize the military for not providing proper exit education to our troops. It’s human nature to look for a quick fix to a problem. However, war is an unfortunate gift that keeps on giving back through addiction, divorce, flashbacks, etc. Our Soldiers and their families need all the support we can provide. Jeff Susman states, “We need to do more to reintegrate returning vets into civilian life. The reality is that we owe our vets—and their families—far more than we provide.