Signs of Homeless Veterans
If you search the net for homeless veterans pictures, you will find a lot. All of these came from Flikr.
This picture came from: Your Cyber Friend
One sign says 33% of US homeless are Veterans US Government Sources
Another says 45% of US homeless are Veterans Homeless Advocate Sources
They are both close to right. The US Sources reference the total homeless population, including men, women and children. The Homeless Advocate Sources reference the total homeless male population above 18 years of age. The latter one makes more sense. My personal research shows 43% of all male homeless are veterans. Almost half of the men you see are homeless veterans. Something is not right about that, our country needs to do more – a lot more!
This picture came from Shrued’s photostream.
The sign says Homeless Veteran Very Sick with Liver Damage. Lost Job after 21 years. Please Help. God Bless You.
According to the National Coalition for Homeless Veterans (NCHV) 76% of homeless veterans experience alcohol, drug, or mental health problems
This picture came from francography’s photostream
This Air Force vet says he is 61 years old, served 1959-1963, is homeless. ”Can you help Waiting for Deployment to Iraq“
NCHV says 46% of homeless veterans are age 45 or older compared to 20% for homeless non-veterans.
47% are from the Vietnam Era.
This photo came from Kenny429252
Kenny says this about the photo:
“Cartersville, GA. Came across this guy today and he wanted me to get his photo standing next to this monument. He is an Army Veteran and served in combat during the Panama Canal Invasion. Sad thing is he is homeless. ”
Wikipedia says this: “The military incursion into Panama began on December 20, 1989, at 0100 local time. The operation involved 27,684 U.S. troops and over 300 aircraft. (…)
These were deployed against the 16,000 members of the Panama Defense Force“
This tattered sign comes from an0nym0usmuse
NCHV says that from their surveys, 45% of the homeless veterans cite needing help finding a job. Whoever lost this sign is one of them.
There should be no need for our homeless Heroes to have to carry a sign.
16 responses so far ↓
Joni // August 29, 2007 at 8:50 am |
How truly disturbing it is that the USA government does so little for our Veterans (OUR HEROES!). I’ve known of the homeless vets, which sickens me! But never really realized that statistics of how many over age 25, living on the streets…ARE VETS!! It makes me cry. Most suffer from mental illness, and society and government have just turned away from them!
RenaRF // November 9, 2007 at 9:02 pm |
Dear Oldtimer,
Your site really brings me to tears. There are three pictures that you have here that I would like to ask your permission to use in a post on Daily Kos (my Daily Kos profile is linked in the comment). As the granddaughter of a veteran buried at Arlington Cemetery, I would like to do a post about homelessness among veterans. I have to ask permission to use photos found on the internet, however. I would gladly, visibly link back to your site in the post. Please let me know if this is ok with you.
Thanks and God Bless,
RenaRF
Oldtimer // November 9, 2007 at 9:56 pm |
RenaRF,
You need to click on the links beside the pictures and follow the link to get permission. The second one is “creative commons” and the author has already generously given permission to use it for non commercial use but you need to cite him and not me.
This is an older post. I have started to use the “advanced” search feature of flickr to find photos that are listed as Creative Commons and all my recent posts use those exclusively. I also display the creative commons link and also cite and link to the photographer.
However, when I find a picture in a gallery that sells their pictures and I have a real need for using it, I have always asked and always received permission, but that can’t be passed on to others.
Three of the pictures are not creative commons but are available to the public for viewing and allow free downloads on Flickr. The photographers in those cases retain all rights and if you don’t get permission they may ask you to take them down, but otherwise they will welcome it since it brings visitors to their sites.
By linking to them, I have sent pings to each of the photographers to let them know I’m using them and have cited their work and given proper credit.
I applaud you for posting about homelessness among veterans. The more we shine a light on it, the more likely they will get help.
Thank you for looking in.
Grace and Peace,
Oldtimer
Judy Callarman // January 17, 2008 at 9:35 am |
Hi, Oldtimer–
I didn’t mean to get all caught up in this last night, but I did because the fact of 200,000 homeless veterans is so disgraceful here in a land of plenty–or anywhere, for that matter! I borrowed one of your pictures for my blog entry. Thanks for working to draw attention to this problem.
Judy Callarman
Judy Callarman // January 17, 2008 at 9:37 am |
And….I’m pretty much an oldtimer, myself. I don’t think there are many of us, out here ‘mongst all these bloggers!
LB Armstrong // January 25, 2008 at 10:09 pm |
Why do you all take at face value the claims that these people are veterans? I have sympathy for any and all homeless, but I’m highly skeptical whether they are veterans until I see a DD214. Why would they NOT claim to be veterans, when people are so much more liable to give them a handout when they say they are?
Oldtimer // January 26, 2008 at 12:17 am |
That is a good observation. We do have people that prey on the goodwill of others, but being a veteran does not often garner special privilages or donations.
What matters to me in the case of pictures like those above is that they convey a deep problem that that tears at my heart.
Many movies tear at my heart even though I know that those are just actors up there. It is the story line and the realism. If every one of the above were a fake, the story in the pictures still conveys one of misery and despair and need.
The homeless veterans we have discovered around here, turn out to indeed be veterans and not fakes. We don’t ask to see proof. We have asked if they know about VA benefits and do they have VA ID for medical care. If not we offer to help get those papers.
But to demand proof? Never! it doesn’t matter at all in the food line. It doen’t matter in the need line. Every homeless person is treated the same.
Our homeless ministry trys to help whoever we can, veteran or not (sometimes we can’t). No special services other than getting them a card if they don’t have one, just as we would give a coat to someone else that doesn’t have one. Same size food portions, same love and compassion – one size fits all.
We are not qualified, you or I, to test the truth of a person in need. Only to try to help fill that need. It is experience that leads to truth, if that matters. Often it does not.
Try ot find Peace with that truth,
Oldtimer
kenny // February 27, 2008 at 5:44 am |
How does the U.S. compare to other countries on addressing the situation of the homeless?
What actually does the U.S. do to address these poverty/homeless issues? and what does it not do that it needs to?
J.R.Silva // April 27, 2008 at 3:41 pm |
I am not a US citizen, I am brazilian and live in Rio de Janeiro. I can not understand, and believe, that a so rich, so powerfull country like USA has so many homeless in the streets of its cities. Why its happen?? Is this de american-way-of-life?? I prefer my brazilian-way-of-life.
August // August 10, 2008 at 12:18 pm |
J.R. The homeless veterans are just a “PRODUCT” for the POVERTY PIMPS. None of the Billions of Dollars spent for homeless veterans actually goes to the veterans. The VA will pay $2400 a month for a bunkbed/mat on the floor and babysitting in an overcrowded shelter, but not $475 a month for a decent studio with privacy & dignity. They pay billions for “Life Skills” classes masqueraded as “Job Training” , which when the veteran is fininshed does not qualify them for a living wage job, just dead-end jobs; if even that. The Poverty Pimps focus on “Counseling” which basicly consists of “How do you feel today” or “NO!” . The veterans do not want their shelters because besides being NASTY, they are all ran on the PRISON MODEL. NO THANKS!
August // August 10, 2008 at 12:31 pm |
J.R. One more thing, go to agencies websites that offer HVRP; it’s a very expensive “Job” scam from US Dept. of Labor. Look at the statistics for job retention: 60 days, 90 days, 1 year; they go down hill with time. The jobs that homeless veterans are getting through the program are WORTHLESS, UNMEANINGFUL JOBS. Most of their “EMPLOYER NETWORKS” are in CAHOOTS with the HVRP programs to get the TAX CREDITS & 50% WAGE MATCHINGS for hiring the veterans and when used up “LAYOFF” or “FIRED”; for cause of course! Anything REALLY benificial & tangible for the veteran is ABSOLUTELY NOT ALLOWED. I’m not going to get into all the FORCED 12-STEP RELIGION & group therapy that drives the veterans to suicide; it’s too sad!
August // August 10, 2008 at 12:45 pm |
Kenny, Other countries know the value of a CAREER or TRADE. In the US, very few when let go from a company gets to RETRAIN for a trade. Actually if you go to school while on unemployment benefits you are considered “NOT AVAILABLE FOR WORK” and benefits are STOPPED. Other countries “LETS GET YOU TRAINED & IN A GOOD FIELD” and benefits continue. The “JOB TRAINING” offered at employment depts. are anything but “JOB TRAINING”; it’s supervised resume making classes.
August // August 10, 2008 at 1:02 pm |
OldTimer One for you. Do you realize “WHAT SHELTER LIFE IS LIKE?”; lingering in shelter after shelter after shelter, waiting years for your disability to be denied, refilied, appeals, lawyers fees, court hearing. A disabled Veteran can’t work since they are disabled so they have to drown in poverty and lose everything. When homeless agencies say they provide “BASIC NEEDS”, they mean GUTTER LEVEL SERVICES even though they are raking in the cash from every FUNDING STREAM ON THE PLANET! Every homeless veteran I have EVER MET knows all the services the VA provides; why do you think they are still homeless?
August // August 10, 2008 at 1:10 pm |
One for all others. The “Homeless Veteran Industry” is growing by leaps-and-bounds. Billions of dollars are at stake; they are not ever going to let this problem go away; and the veterans do not get the money; it goes into the POVERTY PIMPS pockets & pensions. I know this one veteran that panhandles in Santa Monica that has been through ten expensive homeless programs. Before he said a word I asked him “No housing and no training?” and he said “How’d you guess?” . REAL TRAINING, REAL JOBS with that training, and REAL HOUSING without babysitting!
Shlomo // November 9, 2008 at 2:09 pm |
like Las Vegas, where a well-known homeless aid organisation recently “lost” $4 million in funding. Well, the Director there can weep as she drives home up in the hills in her new yellow Humvee, price about $70,000.
Li // September 24, 2009 at 11:13 am |
I want to share some in hopes that we can become a possible resource.
Maryland Center for Veterans Education and Training (MCVET)
301 N. High Street
Baltimore, MD 21202
410.576-9626
http://www.mcvet.org
Feel free to check us out. We are a residential rehabilitation program for homless veterans. I’m commited to puttimng effort into identifying those agencies that will assist in traveling expenses. We provide a continuum of care making sure to address the needs of our vets fully. We are an agency of Veterans helping Veterans under the direction of Col. Charles Williams (RET). It’s a great place! God Bless!