An Overview of National Programs for Our Homeless Veterans

It is a sad fact that our nation has a problem with homeless veterans. We should not have a problem with homeless veterans, because they put their lives on the line for us in the military. If the military gave its veterans what they have earned, through serving our country, this problem with homeless veterans would not exist.

According to the Department of Veterans Affairs, the VA offers homeless veterans aggressive outreach, clinical assessment and treatment, long-term transitional assistance, case management and rehabilitation, employment assistance and supported permanent housing.

The Department of Veterans Affairs also provides some disheartening statistics regarding the homeless population. Approximately one-third of the adult homeless population served in our military. As many as two hundred thousand veterans are homeless on a daily basis.

We have more homeless Vietnam veterans today than military men and women that died in Vietnam. There are even homeless veterans that served in Desert Storm. The Department of Veterans Affairs claim that the largest causes of our veterans homelessness has to do with family background, lack of family and friends support, and personal characteristics, not with the military itself. In my opinion, the numbers are too high to be a coincidence, and I believe the military should take care of its veterans.

The Department of Veterans Affairs states that approximately 45% of homeless veterans suffer from mental illness. Much of this mental illness is a direct result from the military. Therefore, the military should have provided adequate counseling services, and perhaps military veterans would not have become a statistic.

The Department of Veterans Affairs does offer programs and incentives for our homeless veterans. However, are these programs adequate to actually make a difference for our homeless veterans?