200,000 war veterans homeless in US
“For six years of war in Iraq, the Bush administration has done absolutely nothing to take care of the hundreds of thousands of wounded veterans coming home, said Aaron Glantz, a journalist who has been covering the stories of US military vets returning from Iraq and Afghanistan.”
http://www.middle-east-online.com/english/?id=29803
Are those numbers reliable?
_
Sadly, it seems to be true:
How many homeless veterans are there?
Although accurate numbers are impossible to come by – no one keeps national records on homeless veterans – the VA estimates that nearly 200,000 veterans are homeless on any given night. And nearly 400,000 experience homelessness over the course of a year. Conservatively, one out of every three homeless men who is sleeping in a doorway, alley or box in our cities and rural communities has put on a uniform and served this country. According to the National Survey of Homeless Assistance Providers and Clients (U.S. Interagency Council on Homelessness and the Urban Institute, 1999), veterans account for 23% of all homeless people in America.
It sais that most of them are comming from disadvantageous families as background.
Is not one of the reasons they choose to join the US Army Force is that Army provides them with some educational, social other priveleges after the service?
Why would they leave the army if they have nowhere else to go?!
Or were they laid off?
If they are wounded and are left unable to perform duties, they are discharged right?
Ummm… note the difference between former soldiers who served in Iraq, and former soldiers. Until 1973 the US operated a system of conscription, therefore any homeless person born before about 1955 is overwhelmingly likely to be a former soldier. That by itself (and remembering the survey was dated 1999) is probably enough to swing the statistics upwards like that.
Secondly, the military (like prison) is a very regimented life. There exists a certain category of people unable to function outside such an environment - long term prison inmates are another good example of this. Such people are more likely to have major personal issues and end up homeless than others, and are more likely to join the armed forces in the first place.
Secondly, the military (like prison) is a very regimented life. There exists a certain category of people unable to function outside such an environment
Ughh…that was hard. :rolleyes:
Not only homeless . But also without job . You see i believe in Obama . I saw his speech yesterday . But do you actually believe that he will bring every single one soldier from iraq back home ???
Well, probably… even if they end up on the streets, they’re still on American streets!
Yeah you got a point . But if they come home dont they need some kind of support . I dont mean only money
Wow just seeing the title of this topic makes you want to shed a tear
yeah what to say … absolutely right … but why you say that ???
These figures may or may not be valid, but so what?
I was drafted, got out and was homeless for a time. There may well have been assistance available but, for whatever reasons, I did not seek it. My being homelessn was of my own doing and was my responsibility to relieve.
I know there is now much assistance available to veterans and I have found the VA to be satisfactory. I have heard many complain of the VA and every one of them I have questioned have served only a short time, usually one tour of duty, and for some reason think the Government is responsible for any injury or illness they have incurred, even when not in uniform.
In my opinion there are limits to any employers responsibilities to short time employees (those wounded or injured while on active duty not included) even the Military.
My sister worked for a fast food chain for several years in the 1960‘s, are they responsible for her life time care?