Homeless Vets

**CHUQ** · Agitator Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts votes: 3

And the similarities go on from Vietnam.

Often, when Ryan Svolto manages to sleep, he finds himself back in Iraq preparing for triage, awash in blood and bodies. But he can't find his medical kit, and, helpless, he thrashes awake, damp with sweat.

As an infantry medic, he patched up soldiers wounded in combat in Iraq. Now, Svolto, 24, is trying to fix his own wounded life after a recent stint at a Daytona Beach homeless shelter.

Svolto is one of a growing number of Iraq and Afghanistan war veterans who joined the ranks of Florida's homeless after returning home. Experts say a system already buckling under one of the nation's largest homeless populations might collapse under the weight of a new wave of veterans, many saddled with mental-health issues and crippling brain injuries.

LINK

**Tumbleweed** · Admin Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts votes: 4

Quote:

Nearly half of all homeless veterans served in Vietnam. Hamstrung by a lack of job skills, by drug addictions and psychological issues, they became homeless 12 to 15 years after discharge.

Sounds like they had a long hard post war life to get to that point if it took that long.

Quote:

A recent report by the Swords to Plowshares' Iraq Veteran Project, a San Francisco advocacy group for veterans, says new vets "are already seeking housing services, some just months after returning from Iraq."

Sounds like the current rank of homeless vets are on the fast track to the same fate. Firing a few head administrators doesn't seem to be helping much either.

Bush is setting on some recommendations that only take the the swipe of a pen to implement too. The Government just doesn't care.

**CHUQ** · Agitator Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts votes: 3

Tumble, you are correct, they do not care and seldom have ever cared.

**Tumbleweed** · Admin Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts votes: 4

I'd like to see all the vet groups band together and try to shame these bastards into taking action on the issues facing vets. They need to organize something that gets everyone's attention. We hear from different groups, but a march on Washington or a bunch of protests might help.

**CHUQ** · Agitator Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts votes: 3

That would help the situation, but as in the past, each groupseem to have a different agenda and onlky work together when it is necessary. The situation like this, remains me of the old socialist parties from the 70's. each one had a stand and never once worked with others to bring about understanding and support. In essence they f*cked themselves. The same will happen with the vets groups.

**CHUQ** · Agitator Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts votes: 3

More info on the pronlem

WASHINGTON - Veterans make up one in four homeless people in the United States, though they are only 11 percent of the general adult population, according to a report to be released Thursday.

And homelessness is not just a problem among middle-age and elderly veterans. Younger veterans from Iraq and Afghanistan are trickling into shelters and soup kitchens seeking services, treatment or help with finding a job.

The Veterans Affairs Department has identified 1,500 homeless veterans from the current wars and says 400 of them have participated in its programs specifically targeting homelessness.

The National Alliance to End Homelessness, a public education nonprofit, based the findings of its report on numbers from Veterans Affairs and the Census Bureau. 2005 data estimated that 194,254 homeless people out of 744,313 on any given night were veterans.

LINK

**CHUQ** · Agitator Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts votes: 3

More info on the pronlem

WASHINGTON - Veterans make up one in four homeless people in the United States, though they are only 11 percent of the general adult population, according to a report to be released Thursday.

And homelessness is not just a problem among middle-age and elderly veterans. Younger veterans from Iraq and Afghanistan are trickling into shelters and soup kitchens seeking services, treatment or help with finding a job.

The Veterans Affairs Department has identified 1,500 homeless veterans from the current wars and says 400 of them have participated in its programs specifically targeting homelessness.

The National Alliance to End Homelessness, a public education nonprofit, based the findings of its report on numbers from Veterans Affairs and the Census Bureau. 2005 data estimated that 194,254 homeless people out of 744,313 on any given night were veterans.

LINK

**Tumbleweed** · Admin Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts votes: 4

It's pretty scary that as bad as this situation is, it's about to get worse.

**CHUQ** · Agitator Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts votes: 3

Tumble, I have so much to say about this situation that I am speechless. I want to rant and rave but it will do no good. I know it.