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Homelessness among veterans has become rampant and one of the most salient domestic issues. It is a poignant thought to know that persons who served our shared nation, risking everything for nearly nothing, are sitting under a decrepit bridge, contemplating how they will manage another cold night. I, like most Americans, have relatives and friends who currently serve, or have served, in the armed forces. I would never want any person close to me to experience homelessness--certainly not someone who devoted irreplaceable time to serve and protect.
Veteran's homelessness is a multifaceted issue that has been hard for the government to cure. One factor that hinders improvement is the transient nature of homelessness: It is difficult for non-profit organizations and government agencies to accurately chronicle the number of homeless persons, particularly veterans in this case. This element is crucial because without accurate data on the homeless population, it is difficult to secure the adequate amount of resources needed.
As stated before, it is difficult to accurately chronicle the number of homeless, so the data presented are estimates.
According to data collected by the Department of Veteran Affairs (VA), roughly 11% of the adult homeless population are military veterans: “40,056 veterans are homeless on any given night.” (National Coalition for Homeless Veterans) Also, approximately 1.4 million veterans are on the precipice of being homeless—meaning these individuals are at risk of being on the streets.
Homelessness disproportionately affects minorities and older veterans. Again, according to data collected by the Department of Veterans Affairs (VHA Office), roughly 56% of the homeless veterans’ population are either African American or Hispanic, while African American and Hispanics only sum up to just 14% of all veterans. In addition, over 40% of homeless veterans are aged between 30 to 50 years-old—that is nearly double the percentage of veterans 30 to 50 years-old (23%) total: older, homeless, veteran's enjoyment option is circumscribed because of the exacting physicality of some work.
Moreover, about one-third of homeless veterans were, previously, deployed and served in an active combat zone; these men and women traversed treacherous terrains, amid war, incessantly putting their lives in danger, just to come back to the world’s richest country and descend into homelessness. To add to the injury, data from We Honor Veterans organization show that approximately half of all homeless veterans suffer from some sort of disability; more than 70% deal with alcohol or drug abuse; and 45% suffer from a mental illness (Homeless Veterans)
America has made progress on this issue. Although there was a slight increase in 2017, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development estimates that the number of homeless veterans is approximately half of what it was a decade ago. Although, when put into context, the Department of Veteran affair’s budget has increased 3-fold within the same time frame: The [VA]’s budget is 220 billion USD—that amount is larger than any other counties entire military budget.
A significant portion of veterans lack transferable skills from the military to civilian life. It becomes tremendously difficult for them to transition from the military to civilian life and then to the workforce: “…. half of the respondents in the poll said their readjustment to civilian life was difficult.” (Flournoy) They are used to stringent schedules and a stone solid regiment. Also, veterans are not financially stable enough to afford standard essentials like housing, healthcare, and food—all congruently rising in cost. According to an article written by Psychology Today, the [VA] uses pay grade is a measurement used to predict the chances of homelessness after serving (Vitelli)
The number of military veterans who experience homelessness is abhorrent. This domestic disease has been a potent topic for decades and there are an array of methods non-profit organizations and the government practice to tackle veteran’s homelessness. Since this issue still persists, it’s evident that each popular method has benefits that are coupled with significant flaws.
Bibliography:
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Fitzgerald, S. (2013, February 12). Obama Phone Program Costs Govt. Over $2 Billion. Retrieved from https://www.newsmax.com/us/obama-phone-costs-billions/2013/02/12/id/490022/
Flournoy, M. A. (2014, April 02). We aren't doing enough to help veterans transition to civilian life. Retrieved April 15, 2019, from https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/we-arent-doing-enough-to-help-veterans-transition-to-civilian-life/2014/04/02/d43189e2-b52a-11e3-b899-20667de76985_story.html?noredirect=on&utm_term=.158303d553a0
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Homeless Veterans. (n.d.). We Honor Veterans. Retrieved February 25, 2019, from https://www.wehonorveterans.org/veterans-their-needs/specific-populations/homeless-veterans
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National Coalition for Homeless Veterans. (n.d.). Retrieved February 19, 2019, from http://nchv.org/index.php/news/media/background_and_statistics/
Olivet, J. (2017, February 15). 4 Simple Ways to End Homelessness. Huffington Post. Retrieved February 19, 2019, from https://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/4-simple-ways-to-end-homelessness_us_58a45fe9e4b080bf74f04294
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Vitelli, R., PHd. (2017, May 17). Why Are so Many Veterans Homeless? Psychology Today. Retrieved February 19, 2019, from https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/media-spotlight/201705/why-are-so-many-veterans-homeless
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