One Homeless Veteran is Too Many

Published November 11, 2009 @ 08:03AM PT

The day I met Dale, he was in the middle of a crowded San Francisco sidewalk. But he was very much alone. He was in his wheelchair, trying to position his body upright so he could pick through the contents of a garbage can. Swarms of people, tourists and businesspeople, hurried past. They all seemed too busy to stop and notice one man's struggle, one man's devastating plight.

If these people knew Dale's story, maybe they would not have hurried past so quickly. Dale spent 14 years serving our country, including two tours of Vietnam. As a result, he has serious health issues that confine him to a wheelchair. Yet, he says the only help he gets from the VA is free coffee and donuts.

The stories of homeless veterans are among the hardest to watch, if you ask me. These are men and women who were willing to wear the uniform, willing to put themselves in harms way. It must be tough to come to the realization that their country - the people and ideals that they fought for - are not half as eager to heal their pain, to have their backs. Seems there is just too much hurt and not enough money. Still, there is a lot of noise these days in Washington about ending the atrocity of veteran homelessness. It is critical that this talk become real, tangible solutions. Our veterans have waited long enough.

Today is Veteran's Day. Today we will remember the sacrifices of our Veterans and honor their unselfish service. The day I met Dale, he was in the middle of a crowd. But he was alone, picking through a garbage can.

This Veteran's Day, let's remember the plight of veterans - homeless in America. And let's resolve to do something about it.

Dale from InvisiblePeople.tv on Vimeo.

Image: Lulu Vision

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Comments (8)

The Forgotten Soldier

Here are some statistics from a blog I wrote on my MySpace Page entitled My Hopes And Dreams For A Better World.

There are 18 returning soldiers committing suicide each day; an estimated 200,000 are homeless; 300,000 are suffering from PTSD; and 320,000 are suffering from Traumatic Brain Injuries. And what about the many thousands (186,000) of soldiers yet to return home from Iraq and Afghanistan.

Most of us who walk past someone homeless sees that person in disgust. It really doesn't matter if they are a veteran or not. Why can't they just go somewhere else where we don't have to see them. But where are they to go.

What ever happen to the words compassion and understanding and nonjudgement. Does this apply only to some. Homelessness is becoming an epidemic in our wealthy country. A study by the National Law Center on Homelessness and Poverty estimates between 2.3 and 3.5 million people experience homelessness.

Once someone hits bottom and finds themselves on the streets, at that point they lose all hope. How can someone have hope in that environment. Yet we look at them as wasted human beings that would be better off discarded from society.

If you can, put yourself in their shoes, experience what they have to experience and maybe you will begin to understand. And maybe then, you will begin to show a little compassion.

Posted by Indigenous Peoples International on 11/11/2009 @ 09:43PM PT
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I am working with a group of concerned citizens in Summit County, Ohio to build Valor Home. This campus will include a facility for transitional housing and permanent supportive housing for our homeless veterans. We all must support our veterans. Volunteer or organize a homeless facility.

Posted by Kimberly Schmidt on 11/12/2009 @ 12:27PM PT
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THere is a fantastic organization in Los Angeles, New Directions, Inc. - non -profit, long term treatment for homeless veterans and they also provide support as veterans transition back into society. www.ndvets.org

In LA alone there are approx. 17,000 homeless veterans sleeping on the streets on any given night. It's atrocious.

Thanks for this article on Dale.

Posted by Trish Cantillon on 11/12/2009 @ 03:03PM PT
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This is terribly sad to me.I knew that there were homeless vererans, but not to this extreme.It also angers me that there are so many homeless veterans.I think there should be none.No homeless people at all.And vets?No way.When they come back,they should immediately have housing.When they sign up or whatever reason they went to vietnam they probably lost their homes,alot of them.Why are they expected to come home to nothing?I know some vets in my area and they seem able to get the help they need be it their own apartments or to live at the VA.They get all of their meds at the VA also.We must need more VA hospitals in this country.It's very disturbing,the whole war concept.The PTSD,suicides,and injuries.For what?Peace is me.How can I help?I care for all of the young men and women who risk their lives for this country and will not turn my back on any of them when I see them on the street.There are homeless people in my town also.I will help if I can and I have.

Posted by wendy hammond on 11/14/2009 @ 04:43PM PT
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I forgot to say.I like Dale.He seems to be taking his terrible life very well and I like his smile.I wish I could help him.Right away,I wanted to bring him to my home and take him to the VA and get him the help he needs.

Posted by wendy hammond on 11/14/2009 @ 04:46PM PT
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We have to see the homeless together, the veterans, the displaced mentally ill, the family whose home was just auctioned off. All the homeless deserve help, and a lot more help than they've gotten. I want to BRING BACK SOCIAL WELFARE AS WE KNEW IT, when there were EMERGENCY FUNDS FOR FIRST, LAST AND DEPOSIT, MONEY TO HELP WHEN UTILITIES WERE SHUT OFF, MONEY IS WHAT HOMELESS PEOPLE NEED, AND IT IS HIGH TIME THEY GET SOME. WHEN I VOTED FOR CHANGE, I DIDN'T QUALIFY ENOUGH, I MEANT CHANGE FOR THE BETTER! Trickle down policies is what has taken place here and that IS NOT "change" and certainly not change I can believe in.

Posted by Cee Wolfe on 11/15/2009 @ 10:36PM PT
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As I said on a different area of this subject. Tonight I will sleep on the streets of Medford Or, many hundred miles away from my home of Juneau Alaska. The Va paid my way down here but refuses to pay my way home. Why? I asked for a change of Doctors and this seems to upset them greatly and they turned the request down. When I tried to appeal this they got more upset and informed me that they were kicking me out. When asked about a way home they informed me that I had to pay my own way, and when informed that I had 40 dollars to my name their answer was oh well you will need to find your own way home, have fun. By the way the cost of traveling home will be no less then 800 dollars. What does this say about the government and their "helping the Veterans"?

I have posted this in no less then 3 places in hope people will see at last the VA makes more homeless Veterans then any other reason.

Posted by James Brouillette on 11/21/2009 @ 12:38PM PT
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It says they only help if they get to control every aspect of life.

And that is coersion, not help. James WRITE to congress too, this just isn't the way you are supposed to be treated and there has to be some way to both appeal and not be tossed out to the elements.

Posted by Cee Wolfe on 11/27/2009 @ 09:08AM PT
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Author

Sixteen years ago, Mark Horvath was homeless on the streets of Hollywood. Today, he works in marketing/communications and is an activist for the homeless. He vlogs at invisiblepeople.tv and blogs at hardlynormal.com.