Dignity Memorial Buries 1,000th Homeless Veteran

Vietnam War veteran Stevenson L. Roy died broke and homeless, but he wasn't put to rest alone.

Naval Petty Officer 2nd Class Roy was buried in Willamette National Cemetery in Portland, Ore., with full military honors Wednesday, the 1,000th homeless veteran to be buried by Dignity Memorial. Operating in 35 cities, the organization partners with the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, local medical examiners and funeral homes to ensure that veterans without friends or family are treated to the proper funeral service that they earned.

"It doesn't really matter what happened during their life," organization spokeswoman Lisa Marshall told The Huffington Post. "At some point, they were willing to give their life."

The organization, established in 2000, serves a role at a time an estimated 67,500 homeless veterans are at great risk for dying on the streets.

The nonprofit Community Solutions, which launched the 100,000 Homes Campaign, found that 27.3 percent of homeless veterans suffer from mental illness, physical illness, and substance abuse at the same time. They are also more than 11 percentage points more likely to develop life-threatening diseases than homeless people who are not veterans, according to the report released in November.

To make sure that veterans are properly identified, medical examiners work closely with the VA and reach out to Dignity Memorial to arrange a funeral if they can confirm that the deceased individuals had served in the military and were honorably discharged.

When it came to learning about the elusive life of Stevenson L. Roy, however, the organizations were able to learn little about him, as is often the case. Roy was born in Montgomery, Ala., in 1951, joined the Navy in San Diego and served in the Vietnam War. He was discharged in 1980.

But while the details of Roy's life remain a mystery, his burial took place in a manner befitting a serviceman. He was buried on Wednesday with a service that included a 21-gun salute, a missing-man procession and a presentation of the flag by the Oregon Honor Guard. Local dignitaries addressed the crowd and the flag was given to Nicholas Henry, a 12-year-old Civil Air Patrol cadet.

"The general sentiment is let's not forget," said Crystal Friedrich of Lincoln Memorial Park, which helped organize the service. "We can't forget his sacrifices and his services, just because there wasn't family to send him off."

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Comments

[littleblackcat]

11:47 PM on 01/30/2012

An idea: jamie dimon, paul singer, mitt romney. adelson, mccain, yes, even warren buffet and bill gates! Take some of your money, link up with habitat for humanity, build apartment complexes for homeless veterans. Maybe start an incubator for small business ideas, keep a councelling staff close at hand, really reach out to help DIRECTLY, rather than donating to "something that is supposed to provide services" that usually disappears into the pockets of the administrative staff.

In Vermont, it was the speedy action of neighbor to neighbor, hands-on assistence that helped people

[olitenup]

01:57 PM on 01/29/2012

Reagan closed the mental health facilities that lodged thousands of Vietnam Vets, that had/have what we now call PPST. Just last week there was an article about how many women, returning from Iraq and Afghanistan are homeless. It shameful, and with all the "patriotic" pandering and war mongering of the talibanicans, It is hideous how they are the first group to want to de-fund anything that would assist our returning veterans and the first group to spend a fortune on weapons of war.

[littleblackcat]

11:34 PM on 01/30/2012

How truly you have spoken! Our veterans are treated so shamefully it's disgusting! Damn the republicans, and damn those who trumpet for war and the misery it causes and then say that they are not accountable, have no responsibility.

The worst part is that they have NO consciences, feel no compassion, and have absolved themselves totally.

[maxfax]

01:44 PM on 01/29/2012

Joining the ranks of the old, infirmed and poor, all forgotten and ignored.

[Dael Sumner]

11:47 AM on 01/29/2012

67,500......It sickens my heart that there is one homeless veteran. This should not happen here of all places .

[gmb007]

09:55 PM on 01/28/2012

We are the most shameless country on earth. NO veteran should ever be homeless in the USA.

[rjhuntington]

07:38 AM on 01/28/2012

Why are there ANY homeless vets? Congress is derelict in its duty. What kind of "superpower" sends its young adults off to foreign wars and then abandons them if they're lucky enough to survive the wars? What sick policy allows for trillions to be spend on making war but almost nothing on taking care of those who actually fight the war? This is the shame of America.

[camelias and sweet tea]

10:15 AM on 01/29/2012

# 401..The biggest shame of all was the WAR started on a LIE..

[littleblackcat]

11:38 PM on 01/30/2012

This should be a republican shame. They are the worst for war- and fear-mongering. As long as dick cheney is making the mega-bucks from halliburton's sick war machine, wars will be fomented. Look what is now on the boards about Iran. We don't even KNOW exactly what Iran is doing with their nuclear pursuits but the war-drum pounders are foaming at the mouth to get us involved in yet another un-winnable, illegal, un-necessary war.

[mamacat]

06:10 PM on 01/27/2012

My thanks to these people for caring.

We can debate what is best to do at any particular moment and place, but it all starts with caring.
We should care for our veterans, we should care for families, our neighbors, we should care for people who are different from us, as well as those who are like us.

Hating is the opposite of caring, and we should be careful to keep that particular genie bottled up as much as possible. Once we give in to hate, it is hard to stop. We can care about our borders without hating. We can work to protect our country from danger without giving in to hate. Hate can be situationally appropriate when events cause an inevitable emotional response, but we should shun politicians and political parties that foster hate for their own personal gain.

[ladyrider1958az]

09:35 PM on 01/27/2012

The pall bearers shown here are members of the Patriot Guard Riders who do funeral escorts every single day of the year for any veteran.

[New Haven Jude]

03:05 PM on 01/27/2012

While I think it is a beautiful thing to bury homeless veterans with honor & dignity, I think it would be far more beautiful & just to help them while they are still alive. We constantly hear "words" & alcolades about our troops yet, once they come home, so many are not given the help they need. What a disgrace that there are so many homeless veterans! Congress, put money where your mouth is!!!

[ladyrider1958az]

09:33 PM on 01/27/2012

This link on MSNBC is a friend of mine who is doing something this weekend - all this month the American Legion Riders and bikers across the state have held rides and events and fundraisers - we tagged over 1500 pairs of jeans a few weeks ago and a big truckload was dropped off today at this event in Mesa AZ http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/46121428/ns/local_news-phoenix_az/t/mesa-man-live-car-days-raise-awarness-homeless-vets - this weekend some groups held three days of letting the homeless come in for hair cuts and meals etc. Next weekend at the AZ State Fair grounds there will be a large event called Stand Down where all of the clothing will be given out for anyone homeless that wants it. We just now started to do women homeless specific fundraisers as well.

[ashcom]

01:07 PM on 01/27/2012

I think we need a new branch of service devoted to homeless veterans. Providing barracks and food. And jobs.-- LIke the Conservation Corps. of yore. Could be a win-win. Those needing medical/psychological help, etc would get it as members of the armed services. terms could be for 3 years -- and when the time up, it would be re-up or job placement.

[NonlinearEd]

11:34 AM on 01/27/2012

I weep for the vets I knew on the streets when I too was a homeless one. And I'll never know what happened to those honorable men & women. You want to see an end to war? Drag the sons and daughters of the rich & the politicians to the enlistment centers.

[New Haven Jude]

03:05 PM on 01/27/2012

YES!!!

[barbara0309]

11:16 AM on 01/28/2012

Amen to that!

Anyone who votes "Yes" to war, their kid is automatically drafted. Without question, without hesitation, and if they run like a coward to another country, a bounty is placed on their head and they will be arrested upon re-entry and sent to the Leavenworth (sp).

[camelias and sweet tea]

10:16 AM on 01/29/2012

# 176

[rejco]

11:05 AM on 01/27/2012

If a homeless veterans only wants REAL HOUSING, REAL TRAINING, and a REAL JOB the VA & its Poverty pimps will not help them; in order for a homeless veterans to get "HELP" they have to be willing to be labeled for life in their medical records as CRAZY, ADDICTED, and ALCOHOLIC & convert to a lifetime of 12-step religious cult AA/NA meetings & "Jesus Saves" proselytizing...

[booker52]

10:15 AM on 01/27/2012

This is a wonderful service that is provided, just wish there was more being done for them while alive.

[Mupaaat]

01:44 PM on 01/27/2012

Yeah, it's a little late. Alone in the world. No education. No job training. Cast aside.

[mamacat]

06:37 PM on 01/27/2012

Many, maybe most of them, had education and training, but were emotionally crippled.