RE: http://www.military.com/opinion/0,15202,181752,00.html

Mr. Stevens,
I was impressed by your article. I have been heavily burdoned for homeless vets. I was homeless my self for a time, 25 years ago. As a current national guard soldier it grieves me how little this country regards its Vets. Especially those in government. I have for a long time wanted to have an outreach to Vets. I believe also as a christian it is my responsibility. Thank you for keeping this out front.

there are plenty of groups u can check with when you do does not mean permenant. u should understand they are not your parents u signded that contract on your own va hospital for your trumatic stress if any shelter and food are provided she can go wiht you and her him too tax $$$$$ are not wasted you say you did service then prove it where is the smarts that came with the traing if not drop it yours Spc. Simmons J.C. (caution)

I think that it is great that the VA and others are looking out for our vets. But the bad thing is that there are those making a living being homeless and always looking for a handout instead of doing what is right and becoming a productive citizen exercising constitutional rights and using VA benifits. This is also to include connections throughout the military world. Being that I an retiring soon I have started my retirement briefings. Many things have changed for us as vets and it would do us all good to visit the VA web site and find out what is being offered then help those that we can.

I spent many years after service working with the homeless and street gangs as a volunteer citizen. I took people in feed and clothed cleaned them up found them jobs. Many were able to make something out of their life through our brotherhood. I evens ran across one of my Army brothers with his family on the street. In service I was the black sheep that he and everyone liked to made fun of. They were out blowing their money and gambling. Many would be broke the next day after payday. While I was in service I was paying on me some farmland so I could not afford to party. This made me the laughing odd ball in the barracks. I always told them I may never have a fancy home but I will always have a roof over my head and a warm place to sleep. The first thing he asked me was if I still owned the land I was paying for in service. I told him yes I was living in my shop while I was trying to save for a house. He told me how he wished he had taken my example in service and saved in place of blowing all his money. They were living under the river bridge and this was in the winter at Christmas time. His wife was two weeks past due with their third child. I had just closed my house of brothers so I did not have a place to put them up. I told him to come by my office the next day but I never saw them again after that night. This is a major problem for people. Yes some are suffering from PTSD. Some are drug addicts after Nam. Some are alcoholics as the result of the war. Some we can help just by reaching out and letting them know someone cares. Some are there as a result of no fault of their own. Many today are losing their homes because of loss of jobs and unable to meet the house notes. Some don’t want help because they feel they deserve to be homeless. I keep all in my prayers since I’m no longer able to take in the homeless any more due to old age and health.

As a veteran of a couple of tours in Iraq and the son of a retired CSM who served in all three major conflicts during his 33 year career I have seen and continue to see vets without homes and without hope. I have always thought of trying to open a shelter of some type for homeless vets and or families. If anyone in AZ has any suggestions on how to get this started please let me know.

Hey, I went out to Los Angeles from Jan to March of 2008 and checked out the homeless situation, the USVETS really have a good program and if you want to really help homeless vets get with them, they have the best program in the country. the VA in west LA has some problems and is being reconstructed, should have better services next year. Hopefully Barrack will have some ideas on how to do things better, since he has been around the homeless and knows what is really going on, ol george w. i don't think even knows what a soup kitchen is.

Check with any of your local veterans service organizations - VFW, American Legion, National Coalition for Homeless Veterans....here in San Diego, VVSD (Veterans Village of San Diego), with backing from the City, State and the VA, has been reaching out to the homeless vet population for more than 20 years with Stand Down. Stand Down has now spread to 300 cities around the country.
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25% of the homeless in this country are veterans...one third of those due to unresolved/untreated PTSD and the related substance abuse and mental health issues...horrendous numbers. Calling the homeless predicament of veterans in this country a national disgrace is like calling gang rape a mild social deviation.

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Happy Holidays folks...makes ya want to take some sandwiches down to the guys living under the bridge....in the spirit of the season and all.

three applications over a 9 month period - each one rejected because I did not enclose a dd214 - which is ironic because each time they sent back my applications - with the dd214 attached !!!!
Then 7 month wait to have c&p exam (OIF Fast Track, mind you!) then 3 months wait for decision - given only 50% despite having been through 2 VA PTSD programs - 15 months to DRO hearing - been 8 months since that and no word. so I am not sure how the VA is helping anyone!