Deseret News | Over ¼ of U.S. homeless are veterans

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Over ¼ of U.S. homeless are veterans

Nyron | 5:21 a.m. Nov. 8, 2007

I am ashamed of the way the USA treats the war veterans. Beginning with Congress, the infamous V.A

Tom | 5:41 a.m. Nov. 8, 2007

This is outrageous! Leaving the care of homeless and mentally and physically handicapped individuals to our largesse is NOT working! That 1/4 are veterans is not acceptable but all need to be taken care of. Certainly, among the air bases and military installations that've been mothballed, we can make provision to house, feed and offer some basic services to our least fortunate!

I'm no bleeding heart liberal, but this is just not the best we can do.

I was a Medevac Pilot (1LT, MSC) in Viet Nam. When I got back, I was spit on in San Francisco Int'l Airport because I had a uniform on...within hours of returning from Viet Nam. It seems those who've not handled the transition well, are still despised and "spit on" by our society.

Please, let's do something to help these folks, veterans or not.

Rashers | 8:21 a.m. Nov. 8, 2007

USA hang your collective head in shame!

Comments continue below

Carl | 8:35 a.m. Nov. 8, 2007

I don't see Bush or Chenney offering to take these poor vets into their homes after fighting "their" war on terror.

What a shame to leave our vets on the streets. Bush and Chenney should both be dishonrably discharged from their present offices.

not buying | 8:42 a.m. Nov. 8, 2007

I don't believe this is true.

Snapshot | 9:19 a.m. Nov. 8, 2007

Too bad your print headline, which said "A quarter of veterans in U. S. are homeless", was so wrong wrong wrong. You fixed for online version. Stay awake, copy desk!!

yep | 9:26 a.m. Nov. 8, 2007

these people probably joined the armed forces in the first place because there was nothing else for them to do. look at where the military recruits most heavily-- low-income communities and minorities. a lot of them would probably end up homeless/struggling anyways.

former army wife | 9:55 a.m. Nov. 8, 2007

I'm glad to see the Deseret News fixed the headline from "A quarter of veterans in U.S. are homeless" to "A quarter of U.S. homeless are veterans." The word switch makes an enormous difference in meaning. While I absolutely agree that we must help our veterans, mistakes like these can add to the stigma veterans already face. In light of the mistake the Deseret Morning News made so prominently on the first page, I believe the paper needs to clarify what percentage of all veterans actually end up homeless. My rough calculation puts the percentage of veterans homeless on a given night at less than one percent. That is still too many, but an employer is going to think twice (legal or not) about hiring a veteran if he or she thinks there is a 25% chance the potential hire is going to end up homeless.

Wife of Vietnam-era Vet | 10:13 a.m. Nov. 8, 2007

This is an atrocity, even if only one veteran of war needs our help. We, as Americans, enjoy the freedoms guaranteed by our military every day of our lives. The time has come to demand that Congress address not only the needs of the soldier in combat but the needs of that soldier leaving the battlefield. These honorable men and women were productive citizens before they wore a uniform; they can be productive citizens again with appropriate care. Veterans Day is November 11. May each of us commit to one act of gratitude to our unsung heroes. Attend a Veterans Day event to show our support. Write to a member of Congress. Serve a meal in a homeless shelter at Thanksgiving or Christmas. Visit one veteran in a VA hospital. Include veterans in our daily prayers. May Heavenly Father bless all American veterans and show us how to bless those in need of our loving kindness and heartfelt gratitude.
Cynthia Rice
Texas

OIF Veteran | 10:19 a.m. Nov. 8, 2007

I'm not sure why "not buying" disbelieves this story, but it makes a lot of sense to me. The overall population level of 25% is extremely sad, but especially alarming to me are the rates at which veterans of the current wars are beginning to hit the streets. I believe the "tsunami" predicted by the individual in the article is a very real possibility. In a war with no "front line" very few servicemembers have been unaffected. These veterans come from a war that is worth fighting, but as Americans we must be willing to pay the residual costs for their service.

Vietnam Vet. | 10:48 a.m. Nov. 8, 2007

Having served two years in Vietnam, I say more effort should be taken to care for these folks. On the other hand keep in mind that few of these folks were ever in combat. Only about 15-20% of those that served in Vietnam were ever in actual combat. By far the majority were in support roles. Most actually suffer from having been young adults in the 1960s culture of drugs, sexuality, and the loss of a cultural anchor. We continue to suffer even today from the over indulgences and lack of responsibility of the 1960s. It is so sad that these veterans have wasted the last 35-40 years of their lives. Nevertheless, we must do what we can, short of forcing them into help.

Daughter of Vet | 11:00 a.m. Nov. 8, 2007

My daddy served in the Vietnam war just shortly after he and mom were married. After the first two years of service in Germany, he and mom returned to the U.S.. Just shortly after they returned home, but before he was to report to his new unit, he was diagnosed with M.S.. He and mom returned to Utah, and he received an honorable discharge. They had made many friend during their time in the service, some of which after serving in Germany were reassigned to Vietnam. Our family considers it a blessing in disguise that dad got sick, as weird as that sounds, but he fortunately was never re-assigned to Vietnam. We were taught in our home to stand,and place your heart over your hand when the flag is presented, and to be thankful to those men and women who faught to protect our freedom. Unfortunately, today, we scorn those who fight in the war, as if they have a choice, and praise those who turn their back on their duty, refusing to fulfill their obligation and those who return with demons from what they have experienced and seen are left to fend for themselves. It is disgraceful.

Thomas | 11:40 a.m. Nov. 8, 2007

Without opining on the accuracy of this story one way or the other, I think what might be behind "Not buying's" skepticism are the findings that not everyone who claims to be a veteran actually is one. The book "Stolen Valor" covers this in detail.

I believe there are studies that suggest that Vietnam-era veterans turned out to have lower rates of mental illness, homelessness, and substance abuse than the general population.

That said, I agree that if even one genuine veteran is out on the streets, that's one too many.

Anonymous | 12:20 p.m. Nov. 8, 2007

One more proof of our throw-away society.

Don | 1:00 p.m. Nov. 8, 2007

I spent two years in Vietnam as a doorgunner on combat assault helicopters. Returning Vietnam Vets were indeed spit on, or worse. I have no idea if the numbers quoted are accurate or not but would like to add that other studies have indicated that Vietnam Vets lead the general population in more education, more college graduates, more becoming self employed, more ending up in higher positions of leadership.

The fact is they were ahead in all measurements of success and lagged far behind in all areas that are normally considered an indicator of problems or failure. This would lead one to believe the military, in general, prepares many people to be better citizens. While everyone who is a citizen deserves equal treatment those who have risked their lives that we may more fully enjoy ours do deserve better treatment. God bless all who have served this great country at any point in it's history.

Blame the VA | 2:37 p.m. Nov. 8, 2007

For those of you that have not been involved in the VA care program you realize that it causes most of the problem. As has been noted in multiple stories they do not do a good job in treating soldiers with PTSD or for that matter wounded from the current war.

I am a Vet and have used the VA since I left the service and have seen how they treat me and others like me. If the easiest solution is pills then that what you get. Thats why so many vets are homeless and addicts. They give you narcotics then say "oops, we've noticed your taking them too often. no more drugs for you and no rehab either!" Its a mess, they cause the addictions and then cut them off.

I am not even going to get into their lack of care for PTSD sufferers. Its a broken system and should never have been made its own department.

Big difference | 4:03 p.m. Nov. 8, 2007

There is a monumental difference between serving this country and serving this administration.

The second is on the wrong path.

Ed | 5:36 p.m. Nov. 8, 2007

Too bad the Deseret News just copies an Associated Press article without doing simple math. One quarter of all veterans are not homeless. Just reading the article and doing the math makes things clearer. Also, why not find out how many veterans there are living and compare that number to the 194,254 homeless. The number will be much less than 25%. I am a veteran and am insulted by the mistake and inference in the article.

drugs are not the only way. | 5:37 p.m. Nov. 8, 2007

I think that the men and women who serve our contry deserve all the thnks we can give them. We
should be helping those who need help. I belive that narcotics is not the way to help our vetrains who have come back with mental illnesses.I Honestly belive the threapy and a good support group can help anyone over come any thing we as a society just need to help provide it. not only with the finacnes but training the right kind of compassionate people to be of service in that capacity. we need to support our troops because they do what most americans could never do fight for our conntry and our freedoms.

Former army wife | 9:20 a.m. Nov. 26, 2007

Did I miss it? I am a fairly thorough news reader, and to my knowledge the DMN never in print clarified the erroneous headline stating that a quarter of veterans are homeless. They fixed the headline in the online version of the newspaper, but print readers will never know the headline was wrong unless they read the article completely and then did the math themselves. If an error is made in print, it needs to be clarified in print.

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2 photos

Matt Rourke, Associated Press

Mark Salvatore, left, a homeless outreach nurse with the Veterans Administration, talks with homeless Vietnam War veteran William Joyce in Philadelphia. Veterans make up 11 percent of U.S. population.

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Over ¼ of U.S. homeless are veterans