Homeless Veterans More Likely To Die On Streets Than Other Homeless People, Study Says

Homeless veterans are more likely to die on the streets than non-veterans, a new study revealed.

Those who return from serving, to leading the homeless life are 11 percentage points more likely to develop life-threatening diseases than non-veteran homeless people, the 100,000 Homes Campaign concluded in a study published Tuesday. The movement, which works to place homeless Americans, surveyed 23,000 homeless people across the country. It found that homeless veterans are typically older than non-veterans and tend to remain homeless for longer periods of time.

"Men and women who risked their lives defending America may be far more likely to die on its streets," the authors concluded.

The authors noted that 21.3 percent of homeless veterans reported an age over 60, compared with 9.4 percent of the non-veteran homeless population. Though this factor doesn't fully account for the disparity in the length of time that veterans remain homeless, or their susceptibility to sickness, older veterans claim that their age often impedes their ability to get their lives back on track.

T.J. Manning, who served in Vietnam, has been living in a Texas homeless shelter for a year and says that President Obama's plan to help employ veterans doesn't cater to servicemen from Manning’s era.

Though Obama's bill aims to help find jobs for the country's 900,000 unemployed veterans, Manning told woai.com that such initiatives are often geared to help those returning from Iraq and Afghanistan.

"When you say a bill for veterans you are intending to seem very inclusive," Manning told the news outlet.

As Obama works to incentivize companies to employ veterans, he's also in the midst of executing his and the VA's plan to end homelessness by 2014. Back in 2009, Secretary of Veterans Affairs Eric K. Shinseki announced the $3.2 billion collaboration to end veteran homelessness. The initiative is both preventative and ameliorative, it aims to keep veterans from ever losing their homes and to find residences for those who are living on the streets.

"Those who have served this nation as veterans should never find themselves on the streets, living without care and without hope,” Shinseki said.

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Comments

[Linda Edmondson]

01:59 AM on 11/28/2011

After reading the thread and the wonderful comments, I've heard that there is a rich and caring network of friends amoung vets. This is a treasure of info and network to pull on to help these returning and long homeless vets. How better than those that have already had the experence
of, "comming back". I think a government program nationwide of " Stand Down" to transtion vets, to help homeless, to find jobs, and assist with any medical issues. What do you think?

[SHIRLEY CARR]

04:45 PM on 11/17/2011

We can send returning vets to school but we can't provide eco-friendly communes for the older vets who find themselves homeless. They protected us with their lives, can we not protect them upon their return. Something is truly wrong with the way we handle the homeless, be they vets or not. Anything that can be done should be done and the 1% should be the first to jump on this bandwagon.

[opinionator63]

03:06 PM on 11/14/2011

In addition to my comment - yes I know that the headline states the conclusion correctly, but it's not stated correctly in the sentence I quoted, and that quote can be taken out of context, which is why it's concerning when it comes to what people may conclude.

[opinionator63]

03:04 PM on 11/14/2011

" "Men and women who risked their lives defending America may be far more likely to die on its streets," the authors concluded." WAIT A MINUTE - That is NOT the conclusion! They ONLY SURVEYED HOMELESS PEOPLE! What is WRONG with people these days? You don't do a study of ONLY homeless people, and then say that vets are more likely to die in the streets, period. No. They're more likely to be old (and possibly die) than OTHER HOMELESS PEOPLE! This is deliberately misleading, and therefore the whole thing has to be thrown out. If the people running this study are that dumb, then we have to wonder if they were that clueless in how they conducted the study. It sounds pretty clumsy and lazy as a study. They didn't follow up and find out who ACTUALLY DIES on the streets. They just asked homeless people how old they are right now. This is how these rumors or factoids that aren't true get started. "Vets are more likely to die on the streets" and people assume you mean "in comparison to everyone else [including non-homeless people]. Sigh.

[Ralph Rowlands]

12:36 AM on 11/15/2011

You are correct, it would have to state what percentage of vets become homeless before that conclusion is reached. the sentence almost sounds like a GOP sound bite

[TruelyFedUp]

11:18 AM on 11/14/2011

Our government holds in trust for us nearly 30% of our land this is equivalent to 1,115,344 square miles and is equal to the combined land masses of Great Britain, France, Germany, Italy, Spain, Poland, Greece, New Zealand, Ireland, Bahrain, Hong Kong, Liechtenstein, the Cayman Islands, Anguilla, and Bermuda.

The Pentagon "loses" 25% of its budget each year.

Congress can give arable land and the resources they need to vets and other homeless Americans so they can create free self sustaining eco villages. They can have modest accomodations and shared buildings like kitchen, dining hall, laundry, business/trade center, school, clinic, organic farming and gardening, etc. These should be placed all over the country and should be available to any American that wants or needs to live there with the only criterion being that they should make themselves self sustaining. They/we should never have to depend on an unstable economy for the right to a decent quality of life when we live in a country of massive resources.

We are beginning such a community and you can read about it on our in-progress website here. www.the-communal-solution.us

[opinionator63]

03:08 PM on 11/14/2011

Some of the "lost funds" or funds spent on "300 dollar toilets" are funds spent on deep black programs that cannot show up on any budget because, well, they're deep black. So they have to pad the non-classified budget to include funding for the most extremely classified programs that officially do not exist. That said, it's so true that we need to step up and take care of our vets! We are still an incredibly rich country with many, many resources and there's no reason or excuse for the shameful way we treat our vets! All that after they've risked their lives and minds and souls for our interests.

[TruelyFedUp]

03:53 PM on 11/14/2011

I guessed that funds were going to those programs but I am sick of those as well given that there is no oversight and this kind of stuff goes on without our consent http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7Yg8FBnGXIk&feature=email

And I agree with you about the vets - but perhaps there would be fewer of them if we stopped funding the wars too.

[MHT73]

10:02 PM on 11/11/2011

One thing that everyone who comments here can do is look up the email for your Senators and Congressmen, and send each of them an email saying that they should fully fund the VA, and do all they can to end this disgraceful treatment of veterans.

Please just do it. Ten minutes is all it'll take,

[Razpooten]

09:44 PM on 11/11/2011

As veteran who has been in need of help with food and housing I have attended and workded an event called, "Stand Down." I takes place in major cities and maybe even in small towns.
“Stand Down” is a military term referring to the brief period of time a soldier leaves an active combat area in order to rest and regain strength.
In Houston an other cities in the US the “Stand Down” brings a range of specialized resources together to provide homeless veterans the ability to obtain comprehensive medical and psychological services. It also gives homeless veterans access to other services such as medical and dental health screening, eye exams, housing, employment, legal assistance, social services, VA and Social Security benefits. Agencies and volunteer groups converge in one place to help homeless veterans for re-entry into mainstream society.
Find out when the next Stand Down will take place and donate goods or services. Your homeless veterans would be very grateful of you.

[chevyliddle]

05:26 PM on 11/12/2011

I'm a good judge of character. I always knew you were special. Thanks for your service....from a fellow vet.

[Razpooten]

06:17 PM on 11/12/2011

Likewise, I'm sure. Thank you for your service.

[tj101]

03:14 PM on 11/13/2011

Allow me to thank you for your service and sacrifice.

THANK YOU!!

[tj101]

03:13 PM on 11/13/2011

Great idea!! I had no idea this existed.

I'm in OR and we have one in Medford.

I just emailed them and will be donating some winter coats and whatever else they request.

Thank you for this and, most importantly, thank you for your service and sacrifice. I am eternally grateful.

[Razpooten]

04:41 PM on 11/13/2011

Thank you on behalf of all my comrades. It is because we know there are people like you that we serve faithfully and honorably. Politics max nix.

[MHT73]

09:15 PM on 11/11/2011

Time for a system change in the way we integrate veterans back into civilian life.

For years we've been running an experiment to test the theory that all it takes to reintegrat­e a veteran is a smile, a handshake, and a thank-you-­for-your-s­ervice. That experiment has been a dismal failure. We have homeless veterans (and one is one too many), veterans trying to cope with PTSD, families collapsing under the burden of caring for sons, husbands, daughters and wives who have been through so much that they just can't readjust on their own.

Time to try a new theory - a return to civilian life is a major, major adjustment­, and we have to plan accordingl­y. Let's try a different experiment. Let's plan on a a one-year transition period, with a public service job + a healthy dose of employment counseling­, mental health counseling­, whatever it takes. This wouldn't be an entirely new idea: The Romans gave returning soldiers farm land, and put them to work farming it. Maybe they'd figured out something that we should know.

NO veteran should be homeless, NO veteran should be without medical care, and NO veteran who wants to work should be jobless.

[Razpooten]

09:11 PM on 11/11/2011

Here is another sobering number: more than 60% of the homeless in US cities are homeless. Homeless veterans are more likely to committ suicide; the risk increasing the longer they remain in the streets.

[chevyliddle]

05:21 PM on 11/12/2011

"Here is another sobering number: more than 60% of the homeless in US cities are homeless."

I worry about you.

[sedc72]

08:58 PM on 11/11/2011

I was one of these homeless veterans a few yrs. ago, from Nov. '97 to Dec. '99, after losing my job. I contemplated suicide on a regular basis, and became a Atheist through that experience. As the saying goes, 'Don't judge a man until you walked a mile in his boots'. I didn't choose to be homeless, it happened. And ONLY through some past encounters with former co-workers, the VA, and one family who extended themselves to me, I'm here today. It's hard to see other vets on the streets of D.C. where I live, knowing that they are NOT getting the help they DESERVE, and it pisses me something ugly when folks who never been where I have been make it like I or others like me wanted to be that way.

[Razpooten]

09:07 PM on 11/11/2011

Thank you for your service sedc72; I too have been there, done that. But I was fortunate that family and friends helped me. The VA has let me down consistently. I have "been on the list." for serveral years now waiting for my disability pension.

[MHT73]

09:17 PM on 11/11/2011

There is no excuse for this hamstrung, delayed pension system. I wish you the best in getting through it.

[FanciullaDiMiele]

02:41 PM on 11/13/2011

Yes THANK YOU for your service sedc72 and Razpooten. I'm angry that you are
still waiting for your disability pension. People like Cheney should have their personal fortunes and property taken from them, and distributed to those they deceitfully put
in harm's way. Not in place of, in addition to a decent disability pension.

[tj101]

03:16 PM on 11/13/2011

I'm sorry your country failed you.

I am ashamed.

[Chi Man Sam]

08:25 PM on 11/11/2011

Unintended consequences of an unjust war,
during the 70's and 80's 1 in 4 vet was homless,
today its a little less but 18 vets a DAY commit suicide.
The wars vets fight may end on the field, but the
greatest battle they fight is with themselves when they come
home. during WW1-2 vets were attach to therr unit for 45 days
after they return from war to help them asimilate back into society,
it worked, Vietnam Vets were returned home immediatly, it didn't
work. I don't know how much time todays soldiers returning from
war have to asimilate, but I hope Command has learn from the past.

[MHT73]

09:18 PM on 11/11/2011

It would be a step in the right direction, for sure.

[Chi Man Sam]

08:00 AM on 11/12/2011

yes, indeed

[she343]

02:09 AM on 11/12/2011

it also took them longer just to get home....a time to wrap their heads around the fact that they weren't at war anymore
met a kid in Chicago back in the day who was shooting at the enemy on Mon. and walking aimlessly on the streets of Chi. by the weekend--hated and protested the war but us "hippies" let him crash with us for a month until he felt he could head home....always hoped we helped a little.

[Chi Man Sam]

08:01 AM on 11/12/2011

I'm sure it did help,
I was born in Cook County Hospital
I serve with the 82ND Airborne, Ft. Bragg

[AlfredE69]

05:06 PM on 11/11/2011

This is a disgrace and another reason why I am against unjust wars like the one in Libya. Biden said in Libya "America spent $2 billion total and didn’t lose a single life,"

Sorry VP Biden, spend the money here in the US helping vets.

[brooklyncitizen]

03:30 PM on 11/11/2011

what is the difference between memorial day and veteran's day?

and yeah not surprised that govt doesn't really mean it when they say "support the troops"I remember during the onset of the Iraq invasion neighbors held a fundraising to buy protective gear for a neighbor's kid that was being shipped there.I could hardly believe that especially given all the missing palettes of money...and the gizillions spent on privatized militia.

[FanciullaDiMiele]

03:02 PM on 11/13/2011

Brooklyncitizen - eh paisano! (or Landsman whichever) I certainly agree with what you wrote.
I wanted to tell you I like the 'mini-bio' you chose. Are you aware Mozart set that to music?
Here's the youtube.com link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=47GTMpcbkCs

[brooklyncitizen]

03:08 PM on 11/13/2011

Thank you for the link.
Yes I am familiar with this piece, but it is more of a motto to live by. : )

[Bob Metcalfe]

03:23 PM on 11/11/2011

God help us how can you let your war veterans live like this? It is truly unconscionable. Particularly from those who make their careers promoting war.

[hard2swallovv8]

03:16 PM on 11/11/2011

America should be ashamed that we allow the men and women that defend our country to live like this.