Startling Statistics About Veteran Homelessness: CAP

Fighting in a war can be a harrowing experience, but imagine coming back and not being able to find a home.

More than one million veterans are at risk of becoming homeless, while tens of thousands of former servicemembers are already living without shelter, according to the Center For American Progress. In fact, one in seven homeless people previously served in the military, a December 2011 report found, and much of the other data surrounding homeless veterans are equally worrisome.

Indeed, the issue of veteran homelessness is becoming increasingly important as defense spending cuts limiting vital benefits for veterans will automatically take effect in 2013, if Congress doesn't take action, according to the Center For American Progress.

As the future of the veteran support systems hangs in the balance, a recent report found that, compared with other homeless people, veterans face even greater adversity. Former service members are 11 percent more likely to develop a life-threatening disease while living without shelter compared to their non-veteran counterparts.

Good news for veterans may be rare but there is some hope. Recent job initiatives by President Obama have helped veteran unemployment fall by six points over the past year. Between January 2010 and January 2011, veteran homelessness declined by 12 percentage points. Still, with wars winding down in Iraq and Afghanistan, those numbers could increase rapidly without government safeguards, according to the Center for American Progress.

Here are 16 must-know facts about veteran homelessness. This material "Veteran Poverty by the Numbers" was published by the Center for American Progress:

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Comments

[RhysTalCernunnos]

05:48 PM on 11/29/2012

Here is a true fact, the government will do all it can to keep from having to pony up and help the homeless veterans, yet... Congressmen and women and those in the senate get pensions for the rest of their lives. How is this fair?
Sincerely,
A homeless veteran

[David Moore 2012]

09:57 AM on 07/26/2012

Great article. I just used it to aid in a blog post I will soon put up at www.veteransunited.com/network.

[rejco]

07:46 PM on 03/09/2012

The returning veterans haven't a chance with the VA's BILLION DOLLAR SLANDER CAMPAIGN telling the nation's employers the returning veterans are CRAZY, ADDICTED, ALCOHOLIC, and "One Drink Away" from a HOMICIDAL RAMPAGE....

[oldwolf49]

12:31 AM on 03/09/2012

After the first gulf war and 12 years I got out. I found work but was dealing with the crap of that war and everything fell apart quickly. I was homeless for a while and then sought help. I was one of a few lucky people who fought back and became a "working" member of society. After a lot of years and some good therapists I am on an even keel. The problem is not the people at the VA, its the people on the street, vets are a different bunch of people and that stigma from most of the country haunts us. No easy answer.

[ThinkingPatriot]

01:55 PM on 03/08/2012

Mitt Romney isn't concerned about them, since there's a 'safety net' and he will promise to check into whether it's broken once he's President.

[RhysTalCernunnos]

05:50 PM on 11/29/2012

I thank God and the electoral votes that Romney lost

[maverick9808]

12:20 PM on 03/08/2012

Still don't understand why our country doesn't hire veterans into civil works, i.e. road crews and other infrastructure jobs. They know how to work together and would be willing to receive lower pay than our current unionized force. I mean seriously the average soldier only makes 1400 dollars a month and then goes unemployed out of the force what is he supposed to do its not like the army provides life training.

[spkninglsh]

07:40 PM on 03/08/2012

1400 with free food, place to stay and medical care.

[maverick9808]

07:45 PM on 03/08/2012

for those that stay on base

[maverick9808]

07:45 PM on 03/08/2012

it aint all rainbows and sunshine

[Kye154]

11:56 AM on 03/08/2012

This has been a national problem for a very long time, going back at least to the Civil war. And lets not forget about the The march of the Bonus Army in 1932. See: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bonus_Army. We Americans just can't seem to get our act together on this one..

[DONCAL]

11:55 AM on 03/08/2012

Shame on us !!!!

[Shesme]

11:37 AM on 03/08/2012

Something is very wrong here. We sent these men and women into harm's way to fight for us. We need to make sure this country repays them with dignity, honest work and decent pay, a place to live and enough to eat.

[caymen]

11:30 AM on 03/08/2012

I meant unemployed AND homeless....

[caymen]

11:29 AM on 03/08/2012

Finally! Unemployed veterans are a disgrace to this country, and the GOP is only focusing on attacking anyone who doesn't agree with them.The ONLY one doing something about increasing jobs is President Obama.

[BothSidesSuck]

11:22 AM on 03/08/2012

Nice to see this getting the attention that it warrants.

[RhysTalCernunnos]

05:55 PM on 11/29/2012

It's not getting enough attention. There are still far too many of us veterans who are homeless and trying to better ourselves. But it's hard to better ones self when no one even gives you a chance.