Orlando Sentinel Report Scott Maxwell explains why veterans deserve special attention

I don't make a practice of emailing reporters but in this case I had to. Scott listed all the reasons we should pay special attention to veterans. We are great at saying we support them but lousy at really doing it.

I do a lot of posts on homeless veterans. What I end up getting are emails on not caring about all homeless people equally. The fact is, veterans are equal to no one. They risked their lives serving this country and the last two words that should ever be put together are "homeless veteran" but few want to acknowledge that. My heart goes out to all our homeless but it is the veterans tugging it more. I donate to charities serving all in need but I donate more to the veterans. I cleaned out my closet the other day because it was full of clothes I hardly ever wear. Today the Vietnam Veterans of America driver will pick up the two bags I filled with warm clothes and a couple of coats. A couple of days ago I delivered bags of clothes, a blanket and comforter my daughter left behind when she moved because she didn't want them anymore. That donation went to general use for anyone in need. Why? Because these men and women would probably not be homeless had they not served the rest of us in the first place.

PTSD, self-medicating, unemployment and divorce all contribute to the homeless veterans' population. In most cases these issues can be directly tied back to their military life. They face the same problems everyone else in the country does but they have a harder time as veterans after combat yet few want to acknowledge this.

Read Scott's article on why he feels the same way and then maybe you'll understand it too.

Special attention for veterans? Yes, and here's why

Scott Maxwell
TAKING NAMES
10:23 p.m. EST, December 18, 2010
Every now and then, I get a note from a reader who wants to know why I often highlight veterans when writing about homeless people and the downtrodden.

One reader recently suggested that I must think "veteran homeless are superior to other homeless people."

Another asked why I think veterans are special.

Well, let me tell you why.

Because this country has a shoddy record of taking care of the men and women whom it sends off to war.

Because veterans constitute a disproportionately large segment of the homeless population — one out of every three people on the street, according to the Department of Veterans Affairs.

Because when I stood outside the Orlando Rescue Mission one day last month, I couldn't even count the number of men and women wearing jackets and hats that indicated they had served our country.

Because many of the chicken-hawk politicians so eager to send men and women off to war have never served themselves.

Because the number of cases of post-traumatic stress disorder among veterans in this country can now be counted in the tens of thousands.

Because about 150 soldiers took their own lives last year, marking a record high.
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Special attention for veterans

Orlando Sentinel editorial on new VA hospital

We think: Lawmakers need to follow through on new hospital for veterans
October 27, 2008
Because success has many fathers, as the saying goes, it's not surprising that almost every member of Congress who represents Central Florida is claiming credit for bringing a badly needed and long-awaited Veterans Affairs hospital to Orlando. A ceremonial groundbreaking was held Friday for the $656 million medical center at Lake Nona.

This is one project lawmakers don't have to be embarrassed about. There are about 400,000 veterans in Central Florida. Orlando is the country's largest metropolitan region without a VA hospital. Area veterans and their leaders have spent years pushing for the facility. Some have died waiting.

go here for more
http://www.orlandosentinel.com/news/opinion/orl-ed27308oct27,0,4794373.story

Orlando Sentinel endorses Barack Obama for president

Orlando Sentinel endorses Barack Obama for president
We think: The campaign has revealed the Illinois senator's strengths as a leader
October 19, 2008
The United States is fighting two wars. The financial system is in crisis. The terrorists behind the worst-ever attack on U.S. soil are regaining strength. The cost of propping up the economy will propel the federal budget deficit from the stratosphere into deep space.

Americans badly need a leader who can navigate the nation through these perils.

As the primary season began, the candidate who seemed best qualified to be that leader was Republican John McCain. But Mr. McCain then was a different candidate from the one before us now. He has abandoned positions we admired. He has reacted inconsistently, even haphazardly, to events. In making the most important decision of his campaign, he showed shockingly poor judgment.

In contrast to Mr. McCain, Democrat Barack Obama has exceeded our expectations during this campaign. He has demonstrated sound judgment and grace under pressure. Because we are now more confident in his ability to steer America through the rough waters ahead, the Orlando Sentinel is endorsing Barack Obama for president.

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Orlando Sentinel common sense on homeless problem

Our position: The relocation of homeless from encampment in woods offers a how-to
May 5, 2008


How do you relocate 60 people who have been living in the woods, some of them as long as 14 years, in a couple of weeks?

The Homeless Services Network found a way. Hopefully, the regional commission on homelessness was taking notes.

This is a blueprint on how to deal in crisis management. Better yet, it shows how a proactive approach will get homeless people the services they need, many of which they're entitled to have.

One person was a veteran who had gone seven years without a caseworker -- who could have told him he was eligible for a pension and medical services.


Others moved into a permanent supportive housing program, which assigns them a case manager and includes a rental subsidy as long as they follow rules.

It's a good example of what's a critical first-step for many homeless people: housing, followed by help for those who need mental-health treatment. Once stable, they are able to make better choices, and stay off the streets.

This particular group was part of a homeless camp off John Young Parkway that had been living on private property.

There's always going to be a few people who prefer to stay out of society's reach, but they aren't the bulk of as many as 9,000 homeless people living in this region. Some of them live in one of the estimated 180 homeless camps in Orange, Osceola and Seminole counties.

Ignoring them solves nothing. But here's a thought: By reaching out, you keep them from dropping off the radar in the first place.
http://www.orlandosentinel.com/news/opinion/orl-ed05208may05,0,1189885.story

There are 1,400 of the 9,000 homeless right here in Central Florida who happen to be veterans. The Dom, out of the VA clinic can only take care of 60 at a time. If you really want to help the veterans, donate to the Dom and show the forgotten you care. If you want to help the other homeless people in the area, support programs for them and talk about the issue. Don't let them be forgotten either.