Homeless Veterans
According to the National Coalition for Homeless Veterans (NCHV), nearly 200,000 American Veterans are homeless on any given night (Rieckhoff). NCHV - the resource and technical assistance center - reported that the number of Operation Iraqi Freedom (OIF) and Operation Enduring Freedom (Afghanistan) - (OEF) veterans are becoming homeless much more quickly than Vietnam veterans. As the war in Iraq and Afghanistan continues the number of homeless veterans increases. The next generation of American Veterans is on its way home, and tens of thousands more will return from combat over the years to come. Upon returning home from Iraq and Afghanistan thousands of veterans are facing a new nightmare, the risk of homelessness.
Veterans of the Iraq and Afghanistan conflicts are now showing up in the nation’s homeless shelters. While the numbers are still small, they’re steadily rising and raising alarms in both the homeless and veterans communities. The concern is that these returning veterans - some of whom can’t find jobs after leaving the military, others of whom are still struggling psychologically with the war – may be just the beginning of an influx of the veterans in need. Currently, there are 150,000 troops in Iraq and 16,000 in Afghanistan. More than 130,000 have already served and returned home writes Alexandra Marks (Marks).
It is estimated that half of the homeless veterans served during the Vietnam years, but they usually don’t become homeless until nine to twelve years after their discharge. Primarily because the trauma they experienced during combat took time to surface (Glantz). Most of the veterans that served during the Vietnam era are at least 55 years of age or older. The contributing factors for them becoming homeless may differ for this age group as opposed to veterans in their twenties. Specifically due to lingering PTSD which may have been untreated and the lack of family support because immediate family members may be deceased. Subsequently,
Veterans of the Iraq and Afghanistan conflicts are now showing up in the nation’s homeless shelters. While the numbers are still small, they’re steadily rising and raising alarms in both the homeless and veterans communities. The concern is that these returning veterans - some of whom can’t find jobs after leaving the military, others of whom are still struggling psychologically with the war – may be just the beginning of an influx of the veterans in need. Currently, there are 150,000 troops in Iraq and 16,000 in Afghanistan. More than 130,000 have already served and returned home writes Alexandra Marks (Marks).
It is estimated that half of the homeless veterans served during the Vietnam years, but they usually don’t become homeless until nine to twelve years after their discharge. Primarily because the trauma they experienced during combat took time to surface (Glantz). Most of the veterans that served during the Vietnam era are at least 55 years of age or older. The contributing factors for them becoming homeless may differ for this age group as opposed to veterans in their twenties. Specifically due to lingering PTSD which may have been untreated and the lack of family support because immediate family members may be deceased. Subsequently,