America’s Homeless Veterans We see homeless people every day. We may choose to look at them or maybe we turn away and ignore their presence. We often label them as “Losers” or “Bums”. The one thing we can’t ignore is that we seem to see more and more of them each day and we now see women among their ranks. We rarely stop to think about the persons past, careers they may have had, families that love them, or don’t love them, and we never stop to consider that a lot of these people have served in our Armed Forces. The term, “Homeless Veteran” appalls most of us because we don’t want to think that the country they served, “The United States of America”, has turned its back on these individuals. Doesn’t that imply that “We” have turned our backs on them as well? If the Government is in charge of the care of our Veterans, and we as citizens vote for the people responsible for making decisions on our behalf, isn’t this a direct reflection of us as a society? We tend to vote in favor of the politician who cuts the funding of social programs in the name of saving tax dollars without considering the consequences. There are always consequences. The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, HUD, estimates the number of Homeless Veterans at roughly 50,000 on any given night while other sources place that number at roughly 130,000. I have found that all statistics given by any U.S. Government source are always extremely low, perhaps to influence public perception. The official definition of “Homelessness” according to United States Department of Health and Urban Development is as
Monschau 2 follows: “An individual who lacks housing (without regard to whether this individual is a member of a family), including an of individual who’s primary residence during the night is a supervised public or private facility (e.g. shelters) that provide temporary living accommodations, and an individual who is a resident in transitional housing.” (United States, Department of Health and Urban Development U.S. Code 11302) This is a broad definition that also includes persons who are incarcerated, in a half-way house, or in a mental health facility. Statistics for any one category of Veterans are vary drastically. Flawless accounts are impossible to come by. It is impossible to track down and count all Homeless Veterans. Different sources use different means of accounting for them. For example, the Veterans Administration counts them by the number of claims they receive for assistance. Private nonprofit organizations count them by the people they assist and reports from local hospitals, homeless shelters and treatment facilities. The statistics in this report are a rough “Average” of these numbers. Statistically Homeless Veterans account for 12% of the adult homeless population or 130,000 and 200,000. 1.4 million Veterans at risk of homelessness at any given time. Of this number 8% are female. Roughly 40% are African American or Hispanic. One in ten are disabled, about 70% have substance abuse problems and 40% suffer from mental illness and a 2004 survey by the Department of Justice’s Bureau of Justice Statistics places the number of incarcerated Veterans at 225,700. Demographics for Homeless Veterans statistically given by the Department of Veterans Affairs according to The National Coalition for the Homeless are as follows:
23% of homeless population are veterans
33% of male homeless population are veterans
47% Vietnam Era Monschau 3 17% post-Vietnam
15% pre-Vietnam
67% served three or more years
33% stationed in war zone
25% have used VA Homeless Services
85% completed high school/GED, compared to 56% of non-veterans
89% received Honorable Discharge
79% reside in central cities
16% reside in suburban areas
5% reside in rural areas
76% experience alcohol, drug, or mental health problems
46% white males compared to 34% non-veterans
46% age 45 or older compared to 20% non-veterans (“Homeless Veterans”) The Female Homeless Veteran situation is relatively new compared to that of men and statistics are hard to come by but are estimated to be 8% of the Homeless Veteran population. Homeless Veterans come from all branches of service and have served in World War 2, the Korean War, Cold War, Vietnam War, Grenada, Panama, Lebanon, Persian Gulf War, Afghanistan and Iraq and drug war efforts in South America. While the United States hasn’t officially been at war since World War 2 Veterans are categorized by the War Era in which they served, World War 2, the Korean War, Vietnam War and the Gulf War. These are actions of Military force approved by Congress. Vietnam War Veterans, a unique category of their own represent two-thirds of the Homeless Veteran population. Approximately two-thirds of these
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Veterans were on Active Duty for at least three years and one-third served in a War Zone at some point in their service. Mental Health and Substance Abuse are a major problem amongst Homeless Veterans and comprise approximately 75% of the Homeless Veteran population. The majority of Mental Health issues are, P.T.S.D. (Post Traumatic Stress Disorder), T.B.I. (Traumatic Brain Injury) and females are now being diagnosed with M.S.T. (Military Sexual Trauma) and all of these disorders are on the rise. P.T.S.D. is commonly associated with Combat Veterans. The disorder can be acquired in many different ways including childhood experiences. Woman with M.S.T. are commonly diagnosed with P.T.S.D. Veterans with P.T.S.D. are almost always have a Substance Abuse problem mainly from self-medicating themselves for the sleep disorders that accompany P.T.S.D. I have been through the V.A.’s P.T.S.D. inpatient intensive treatment program and all the men in the group I was in admitted to having to drink till they pass out in order to go to sleep and more than half of the group, including myself have Sleep Apnea. The combination of heavy intoxication and Sleep Apnea can be a lethal combination. The most serious type, CSA is the most dangerous because the signal to the body to breath is not being transmitted by the brain. This often times results in death. I mention this because treatment requires the use of a CPAP machine. A mask connected to the machine is worn during sleep maintain about 5 psi in the lungs forcing breathing. I mention this because obviously Homeless Veterans who might have access to the machine through the V.A. system have no way to use it. Also P.T.S.D. eliminates the moment of pause between feeling threatened and thinking about it before reacting to the threat is eliminated. With P.T.S.D. feeling threatened can be a matter of perception. If a person

Monschau 5 who has it but doesn’t know it or isn’t aware of the events that trigger a violent reaction they will, sooner or later have legal issues and will most likely end up incarcerated. T.B.I. (Traumatic Brain Injury) has been around a long time and is only recently drawing the attention of Physicians and the public. We are seeing more and more of it occurring in Professional Sports. Combat Veterans are susceptible to the condition from explosions or gunshots to the head. This condition creates a multitude of physical and physiological problems. A Homeless Veteran with this condition could due to memory and concentration could find himself with the same legal problems as a Veteran with P.T.S.D. Military Sexual Trauma is something I have no experience in at all. The Veterans Administration uses this term to refer to “Sexual assault or repeated, threatening sexual harassment that occurred while the Veteran was in the military. It includes any sexual activity where someone is involved against his or her will – he or she may have been pressured into sexual activities (for example, with threats of negative consequences for refusing to be sexually cooperative or with implied faster promotions or better treatment in exchange for sex), may have been unable to consent to sexual activities (for example, when intoxicated), or may have been physically forced into sexual activities. Other experiences that fall into the category of M.S.T. include unwanted sexual touching or grabbing; threatening, offensive remarks about a person’s body or sexual activities; and/or threatening or unwelcome sexual advances.” (United States, Department of Veteran Affairs”) Monschau 6 Incarcerated Veterans are included in the description of Homeless Persons. Homeless Veterans with Mental Health issues are more likely to end up in prison than other people. While in prison for a felony a Veteran loses all of his V.A. benefits after 60 days. If the incarcerated Veteran happens to be married half of his disability pay can be apportioned to the spouse, at his or her request, it is not automatic. A prisoners benefits may be restored after release from prison. While in the prison system Veterans are subject to all the conditions of a non-Veteran including their health system. There are currently 2.2 million people incarcerated in the United States. We have more people in the prison system than any other country in the world including China. We have 5% of the world’s population and 25% of the world’s prison population. This is obviously a flawed system due entirely on our Justice System. Minimum Sentencing Laws, the archaic Three Strike Rule and Recidivism are some of the main causes. Prison’s being the new Mental Health System is another. A 2004 report from the Bureau of Justice Statistics given to the National Coalition for Homeless Veterans give some startling statistics. “There are 140,000 Veterans in state and federal prisons, almost exclusively male. They have fewer crimes but have longer sentences due to having more violent crimes. More than a third have maximum sentences of at least 20 years, life, or death. ” (National Coalition of Homeless Veterans) In the 1960’s it was decided, in the name of budget cuts to deinstitutionalize the mentally ill. It was thought that reintegrating them into society or putting them in community mental health facilities would better help them cope with their illnesses. As a result more and more mentally ill people end up in jail. There are currently 10 times more mentally ill people in prison than there are in state prisons. A 2006 report by the Bureau of Justice Statistics, averaged with numbers from varying

Monschau 7 sources roughly estimates that there are approximately 706,000 mentally ill people serving time in the United States prison system. In the present situation we can only expect these numbers to rise. With the approval of privatizing prisons, “Prisons for Profit” there is an incentive to incarcerate even more. In the current prison system there are no rehabilitation programs for any prisoners including the mentally ill and those who have substance abuse problems. Today incarcerated veterans and non-veterans that are released are put outside the gate with $40 and a Greyhound bus ticket and once again join the homeless population. I think the blame goes to us as a society by blindly voting for politicians who cut programs in the name of saving Tax dollars. The money they claim to have saved just gets apportioned to other programs that benefit investors and big businesses that donate to the campaigns of these politicians. An example would be that Boing is a prime investor in the prison for profit agenda. I have NEVER felt a budget cutback add money to my wallet. Instead politicians in the name of corporate greed they dig deeper and deeper into our pockets. The Veterans Administration is in charge of taking care of our veterans. There are currently 21.8 million veterans alive today, 3.6 million have service connected disabilities. The V.A. like any Government agency is extremely inefficient. When there are no incentives “Profits” the system moves very slowly. It is a misconception that the V.A. is designed to benefit all veterans when in fact it only serves veterans with Service Connected Disabilities, a permanent injury that occurred on active duty while performing their military duties. It does not provide even temporary shelter for veterans including the disabled unless they are inflicted with a sudden mental disorder and then the stay is only 90 days. There are less than 100 beds set aside to take care of veterans with P.T.S.D, substance abuse problems and homelessness in the Pacific
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Northwest. These numbers are unacceptable. The majority of these veterans don’t even apply for benefits due to the complicated and time consuming process required by the V.A. It is of course designed this way to discourage veterans from applying thus saving the government money. The typical processing time for a claim from the time it is submitted and the time you get a decision can take anywhere from 6 months to several years. Most veterans get discouraged and just give up saying it’s just not worth it. This combined with several scandals and poor record keeping make the process even worse. Appointments, the time spent at an appointment and backlog times are consistently falsified. In its defense I will say that the Veterans Administration does have a few good programs, even provides funding for homeless veterans at the local level but within the Veterans Administration itself, Mental Health, Substance Abuse and homelessness are not among these programs. The V.A. did however find funding for a golf course at the American Lake facility. This is open to retired military, Active Duty, V.A. employees, still working or retired and even V.A. volunteers. This is a blatant misuse of Federal funding designed to go for Veterans programs. Military people have access to recreational facilities on military bases and don’t need this. There are non-profit organizations that help veterans including the homeless. At the local level in our own community there is the Opportunity Council that will help a homeless veteran find permanent shelter. They will provide first and last month’s rent, deposit and even pay the electric bill for 6 months and then will assist the veteran in seeking employment. This is an excellent program but it does have one hitch, veterans don’t know about it. This is true for a lot of homeless programs. Veterans are usually referred to the Opportunity Council by one of the local non-profit veteran organization such as The American Legion, The Veterans of Foreign
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Wars and the Disabled American Veterans Association. These groups will help all veterans with the V.A. claim process including help with the correct forms, mailing them and become a “Middle Man” between the veteran and the V.A. These groups with the help of their Women’s Auxiliary component raise money throughout the year for veterans and provide lobbyists and other people to represent veterans in Washington D.C. More and more you see other veterans organizations in the form of motorcycle groups that have fund raising activities wherein the money is kept at the local level. So what we have is a subsystem of veterans helping veterans. Veterans understand that public awareness is a problem and try to make themselves as visible as humanly possible. You cant not have seen groups on motorcycles, flags waving or veterans outside supermarkets and grocery store or department stores handing out pamphlets or buddy poppy’s to raise money for veterans. Maybe they would be more visible if they sold Girl Scout cookies or perhaps you, like your country are simply turning your backs on them. Let’s wake up people.

Monschau 4 When we examine the number of mentally ill Veterans in the “Homeless System” a number of surprising things come to light. Most of the mentally ill suffer from Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, P.T.S.D. or Traumatic Brain Injury, T.B.I. and the problems associated with it,.substance abuse being the greatest of these side effects. Exact numbers of Veterans with P.T.S.D. or mental illness is difficult to find. The Veterans Administration itself only gives statistics of the general population. This in itself is a major part of the problem, denial. If you don’t address it doesn’t exist. There are roughly 2.3 million Veterans of the Iraq and Afghanistan Wars and 8.2 million Vietnam War era veterans. It is estimated that 14% of Gulf War Vets have P.T.S.D. and 19 % have T.B.I. The numbers from the Vietnam War era veterans are known to be much higher but since the Government does not keep track of its Veterans after they are discharged the numbers are less accurate. It is known that less than 50% of Gulf War Veterans with PTSD/TBI ever seek treatment