The Homeless Veteran
Walking through the streets of any major city, we pass by homeless men and women asking for change. Some people ignore them, while others give them money. But regardless of whether or not you believe that a homeless person needs your change, there one particular sign that is hard to ignore: homeless veteran. One must wonder how the men and women who have sacrificed their lives for this country are now living in destitution.
According to an article in the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, over 48,000 veterans who have served in Afghanistan and Iraq since 2001 are homeless. When they return from combat, many of these veterans have difficulty rejoining society. They find themselves struggling with drug addictions, posttraumatic stress disorder, and physical injuries that prevent them from living a full and healthy life.
In order to get the help and care they need, they require money and a roof over their heads, which are impossible to obtain without a job. As a member of the U. S. armed forces, these men and women have learned many skills that would be valuable to employers, but they are unable to present these skills in a way that shows their true potential.
I would like to know more about what incentives are in place to help these veterans. The Department of Veteran Affairs is working to put $300 million in grants to good use, endeavoring to place veterans in stable housing. Once these veterans have received any medical care they may need, they will need to explore employment opportunities. The U. S. Department of Labor in particular is working to create training and reintegration programs specifically for veterans, which will help best represent their specific experience. I would like to know more about how these veterans will be helped and what we as individuals can do to help them.
Sources:
http://www.post-gazette.com/opinion/2014/01/21/War-on-homelessness/stories/201401180009
http://www.dol.gov/vets/programs/hvrp/homeless_veterans_fs.htm
photo: http://www.voaspokane.org/Services/Housing-for-Veterans
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There is a man that sits on the corner of Rite Aid and Rite Aid Express on Forbes and asks for money. I believe his name is Rich which is ironic because he is homeless. A friend of mine wrote an article on him and I remember him saying that he served in the military. That upset me because I believe a problem for him was sufficient aid after service and help with job placement. He was a very successful man at some point and is now sitting in a dirty corner in Pittsburgh because there was no help for him when he needed it. I think the veteran services in the United States need improvement.