Homeless veterans legislation aims to get veterans off the streets

When the government does something wrong, I always point it out so when they do something right, it is only fair to praise them. Take a look at what the numbers were in 2002 and you'll know the VA and congress have gotten this right.

Homeless Veterans
April 25, 2013

The chairman and ranking member of the Senate Committee on Veterans’ Affairs today proposed legislation to help the Department of Veterans Affairs meet its goal to eliminate veteran homelessness by 2015. The Homeless Veterans Prevention Act of 2013 is sponsored by Sens. Bernie Sanders and Richard Burr (R-N.C.). While there has been a 17 percent decline in the number of homeless veterans since 2009, there still were more than 62,000 homeless veterans as of the latest count by the VA. “We must continue to invest in the progress that has been made and remove any remaining barriers to housing for veterans,” Sanders said.

“Our veterans served our country with honor and they should not be forgotten when they return home,” Burr said. “Helping homeless veterans get off the street and back on their feet is our obligation, and this legislation is an important step in that direction.” John Driscoll, president and CEO of the National Coalition for Homeless Veterans, welcomed what he called “the most comprehensive and well-resourced homeless veterans assistance bill ever introduced in Congress.” Driscoll said the bill “provides the support necessary to ensure our nation’s plan to end veteran homelessness succeeds.”
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This is how many were homeless in 2002 when I wrote FOR THE LOVE OF JACK, HIS WAR/MY BATTLE

We ask so much of those who serve this nation and we need to start asking where will we be when they are warriors no more?

FROM THE NATIONAL COALITION OF HOMELESS VETERANS
NATIONAL COALITION FOR HOMELESS VETERANS
STATE FUNDED HOMELESS BEDS
HOMELESS VETERANS

AK 7
350

AL 27
5,275

AR 80
4,389

AZ 219
6,190

CA 2,713
49,250

CO 72
3,457

CT 137
2,900

DC 175
9,403

DE 15
600

FL 492
19,231

GA 81
9,852

HI 118
3,000

IA 17
1,600

ID 10
400

IL 158
19,943

IN 138
1,600

KS 27
1,259

KY 153
2,100

LA 186
4,620

MA 477
2,700

MD 126
2,800

ME 3
1,000

MI 69
5,171

MN 42
1,961

MO 96
13,549

MS 40
1,400

MT 17
320

NC 247
6,805

ND 48
1,100

NE 12
560

NH 72
437

NJ 193
8,300

NM 26
3,600

NV 219
5,500

NY 354
44,700

OH 258
9,697

OK 42
1,750

OR 143
8,450

PA 206
10,166

RI 23
400

SC 50
3,850

SD 16
430

TN 230
2,972

TX 256
19,640

UT 114
575

VA 98
2,450

VT 10
1,200

WA 167
6,850

WI 209
1,132

WV 52
531

WY 31
1,175

PR 0
50

total 8771
316,640

These are men and women just like Jack so when you read our story remember how many of them got to be where they are today. Some do not have PTSD who end up homeless. Most do have it.

The truth is, most of these veterans were Vietnam Veterans.

Justice for Fort Hood Victims

Justice for Fort Hood Victims Apr 18, 2013
Congressman Rooney (FL-17) argues that the decision by the Obama Administration to classify the attacks at Fort Hood as "workplace violence," rather than terrorism, wrongly denies the victims of the attack the Purple Heart and appropriate benefits. During this hearing with Attorney General Eric Holder, held by the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Commerce, Science and Justice, Rooney questions the involvement of the Department of Justice in the Administration's decision.

Family donates $50K from jail suicide settlement for PTSD help

Family donates $50K from jail suicide settlement for PTSD help
April 27, 2013
Associated Press

NORTH PLATTE -- Lincoln County has settled a wrongful death suit with the family of an inmate who committed suicide in his jail cell in 2008.

Kara Hatcher Hawkins, the sister of 27-year-old Phillip Hatcher, filed the federal lawsuit in 2010, saying officials should have known Hatcher might try to kill himself because he was arrested in the middle of a suicide attempt.
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Man's best friend, a treatment for PTSD in Vets

Man's best friend, a treatment for PTSD in Vets

FOX 23 News
By Trishna Begam

ALBANY, N.Y. -- The U.S. military estimates around 20 out of every 100 veterans returning from wars in Iraq and Afghanistan experience symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder. It's a constant emotional battle some veterans cope with through the help of a service dog. But the NEWS CENTER's Trishna Begam has discovered the dogs are not being covered by the Department of Veterans Affairs (V.A.).

Mike, who did not want us to use his last name, joined the Marines and went to fight in the first Gulf War during Desert Shield and Desert Storm. He later joined the Department of Defense as a Para Military specialist to fight the War on Terror. He found himself in countries like India, Pakistan and Iraq. When he returned home in 2005, like so many others, he came back with PTSD.

We found the retired U.S. Marine Corporal Mike in the one spot he goes to escape. "It's indescribable. It's so frightening those feelings like you're right back there," Mike explained.

It's during these solitary moments he relives the nightmares and opens the wounds no one else can see.

"Feeling under attack, you don't see the enemy you have a feel they are coming in closer and closer and closer, and my gun won't fire it's jammed. It won't fire it's a feeling of panic anxiety and fear," Mike added.

Anxiety, panic, and nightmares are now his constant companion.

"We had a time in the bunker in mop suits. It was such a closed entrapped feeling and there was a free rocket over ground attack. So I'll have dreams that are claustrophobic. Where I'm trapped in something or it's all black around me," he said. "I had to figure out how to live in the world without medicating without drinking. That's the only way I could cope for a while."

Then Russell, a service dog, entered his life. read more here and watch video report

Memories would not cease to haunt Max Cleland

Max Cleland is a Vietnam veteran among many other things but it is because of his service in Vietnam that he has done the rest with his life. When you are aware of what it was like when Vietnam and older veterans came home, no one was talking about what we call PTSD now. They didn't have the support from their communities and found it hard to find each other. They didn't have the Internet or anything it has offered the newer generation of veterans. Because Vietnam veteran we willing to fight this battle, we have what is available for veterans now.

Vietnam Veterans Reunion Proves Moving
The Welcome Home Vietnam Veterans Reunion in Silver Spring evokes great range of emotion
By Mark W. Sanchez
Patch.com
April 29, 2013

His scraggly grey hair curling from both his beard and head, Bruce Smith looked hesitantly up from his wheelchair.

“I’m probably going to have some nightmares after this,” Smith said.

Nearing four decades after the Vietnam War ended, the veteran spoke disgustedly about Agent Orange and its effects.

He came to The Welcome Home Vietnam Veterans Reunion at the Silver Spring Civic Building Monday because employees at the Silver Spring Vet Center had urged him to discover avenues available to him to deal with health treatment.

Max Cleland—a Vietnam veteran, triple-amputee and former Georgia senator—spoke eloquently and decisively about the sacrifices each person in the roughly 35-veteran audience has made—many of whom, like Cleland, were missing limbs. He expressed how important it was for each of them to find something in life worth pursuing.

Cleland was awarded the Purple Heart, Bronze Star for meritorious service and Silver Star for gallantry in action when he arrived back from Vietnam, but he described himself as having “no job, no future, no girlfriend [and] no car.”

With one arm and no legs, Cleland questioned his life’s direction, now that he was “on this side of the wall,” referring to the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in which is sketched each American death from the war.

And he was simultaneously dealing with serious effects from the war.

“If you don’t have (Post Traumatic Stress Disorder), then you’re crazy,” Cleland said.

He knew that the memories would not cease to haunt him.
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