Our Veterans, The Brave, The Proud, and The Homeless

With our focus zoomed in on the financial, and debt crisis our country is in, not much attention is paid to other issues that also affect our country. One of those issues is our country’s homeless population, the Veteran homeless population in particular. While it is of utmost importance that our country not go into default over our debt, affordable healthcare, and housing for the soldiers that have put their lives on the front lines, and fought for our freedom is important.

The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs estimates more than 100,000 veterans sleep outside in the streets, under bridges, or in a temporary shelter on any given night. The number of the homeless veterans in the United States is rapidly increasing at a much faster rate than it did seven or eight years ago. The urgency of the problem is growing as more veterans return from the service in Iraq and Afghanistan, because those with disabilities, including post-traumatic stress disorder, and traumatic brain injury are more likely to become homeless. A high percentage of veterans returning from the current conflicts in Afghanistan and Iraq have these characteristics, and a study performed at the Naval Postgraduate Institute and Stanford University suggests the rate will be higher than previously expected, at about 35% of those returning. According to the U S Department of Housing and Urban Development, Veterans make up 9.7% of the United States population, 5.2% of the poverty population, and 11.1% of the homeless population.

The basic needs of homeless veterans do not differ from those of other homeless people, basic needs that include things such as food, clothing, and shelter. However, the needs of our Veterans are more than just the “basics needs.” It is challenging to recover from the mental and physical damage that occurs to them while they are serving our country. We need programs with the ability, and determination to understand the nature and constraints of homeless veterans. In June of 2010, President Obama set a goal of ending chronic homelessness of veterans by 2015; however,  if we hope to meet President Obama's goal of ending this national tragedy within five years, serious efforts will need to be made to address the underlying causes of homelessness. Many advocates for ending homelessness applaud President Obama’s goals, and say the plan is a major breakthrough because there has never been a comprehensive federal effort to end homelessness; however, they questioned the lack of details about how some of the proposals would be paid for. In order to achieve these goals, the funding has to be there, and that means the administration has to really be firm and advocate. If we do not take an all-inclusive approach to issues such as inadequate wages, lack of affordable housing, and lack of accessible, affordable health care, the tragedy of homelessness among both veterans and nonveterans will continue to plague American communities.