"There should be no man left behind.
There will be no man left behind as long as we are this Nation"
Roy Foster, Executive Director & Founder FHLC, Inc.
given when possible and links to the sites of origin have been provided below.
For many reasons it is difficult to fully account for the actual number of homeless
(including veterans) in the US. Many sleep in their cars, in the woods, or other
hard to locate areas, and many veterans do not use VA / VA affiliated services.
The difficulty in accurately counting the homeless is compounded by the fact
that the numbers do not include those living with others due to economic need
or in motels due to lack of adequate housing. Furthermore, the definition of
homeless is in itself problematic. For example, some definitions, & therefore
statistics, exclude those who are in prison or jail and those residing in housing
for the homeless. Many of our incarcerated veterans are homeless. There
is not a national database to help track our homeless vet. Most available
statistics don't include the many that are at risk of becoming homeless.
Approximately 1/3 of homeless adults (one out of every three) in this country
are veterans, yet veterans represent only 11% of the civilian population. On
any given night 107,000 - 300,000 veterans are homeless. Based on various
estimates, 500,000 - 840,000 veterans are homeless at some time during the
year. It has been estimated that Iraq & Afghanistan veterans represent 1.8%
of the homeless veteran population. In 2008, 44% of those surveyed reported
being homeless for the first time. This number was 37% in 2007. According
to the Department of Veterans Affairs the number of homeless Vietnam era
veterans exceeds the number of fatalities that occurred during the war.
Recent studies revealed that almost one-half of all homeless veterans were
located in Florida, California, Texas & New York, while only 28% of all
veterans were located in those same states. According to some studies,
Florida ranks third in the nation in the number of homeless people, yet
has one
of the highest numbers of homeless veterans. The Florida
Dept. of Children &
Families has estimated that 17.3-18.4% of
Florida's
homeless are veterans. In 2008, the number of homeless
veterans in Florida on
any given night was ~ 19,000 .
Homeless Veterans
Vietnam War, Grenada, Panama, Lebanon, Operation Iraqi Freedom,
Operation Enduring Freedom, Desert Storm & the military's anti-drug
cultivation efforts in South America.
Comparison to Non-Veteran
Homeless
Veterans become homeless & are at risk for homelessness for the same
reasons as non-veterans, including due to the rising foreclosure* and
unemployment rates, as well
as
due to veteran specific issues. Mental
Health issues (e.g., PTSD, mood disorders
& substance use) have been
deemed among the primary risks for
homelessness among veterans.**
were also associated with homelessness. The effects of combat exposure do
not disappear as the years go by. Recent studies reveal that 10% of Vietnam
veterans still suffer from severe uPTSD symptoms & that their combat exposure
continues to place them at risk for negative social & psychological consequences.
*Foreclosure rates in military communities
increased at four times the national average in early 2008.
**See below for relevant OIF/OEF veteran
statistics.
Operation Iraqi Freedom & Operation
Enduring Freedom
300 vets who returned from serving in Iraq (OIF) & Afghanistan (OEF) sought
The NCHV's Iraq Veteran Project & others have reported that OIF/OEF
Statistics on OIF/OEF veteran unemployment vary by year & by study.
PTSD & traumatic brain injury (TBI), the signature wound of our current wars,
Soldiers often need Mental Health assistance after they return from Iraq or
Between 2002 & 2008 almost 290,000 OIF & OEF vets entered into
Females
Females make up 14-15 % of the US active-duty force & 14% of veterans &
Since 2001 ~ one-half of all active duty & reserve females have deployed to the
Approx. 40% of active duty women have children & 11% are single mothers.
Homeless Female Veterans
The DVA reportedly serves more than 100,000 homeless veterans each year.
According to the National Coalition for Homeless Veterans a "top priority
The most effective programs for homeless veterans, according to the
They believe these groups are most successful when they work in collaboration
Stand Down is a place like that described above.
According to Peter H. Dougherty, Director of Homeless Veterans Programs for
Some of the dangers inherent to homelessness are easily known, for example,
There is an increasing threat to the safety of the homeless. The number of violent
*
The number of reported attacks, especially non homicide, is likely to be significantly
You are the
visitor since September 9, 2008
assistance for homelessness between 2004 & 2006. To date, approximately
2,000 OIF & OEF veterans have sought assistance from the DVA homeless
programs. In May 2008 U.S. Medicine reported that at least 1,500 OIF/OEF
vets were homeless & many expected the number to continue to rise.
Unfortunately they were correct. In 2011 the number of homeles OIF & OEF
veterans is more than 9,000. OIF/OEF vets are becoming homeless sooner
after their return from combat than seen in previous wars. They often have
no place to live within 18 months after coming home, compared to the 10
years on average it took for Vietnam vets.
vets are in serious danger for homelessness & chronic homelessness.
One source reported that in 2007 the DVA had identified more than 1,000
OIF/OEF at risk veterans. In addition to the veteran homelessness
risk factors noted above, they identified the following reasons for this.
Regardless
of which numbers you use the picture is dismal.
make it harder for our new veterans to readjust into society. The DVA estimates
that as many as 95% of returning OIF & OEF veterans have some form of PTSD.
One study found PTSD severe enough to cause serious functional impairment in
one in ten OIF veterans. It has been estimated that 1/3 of all OIF/OEF vets & soldiers
suffered a TBI. While the actual total is unknown for many reasons, the DOD
estimates
it to be under 50,000. Some sources estimate the number to be more
than 300,000.
Afghanistan. Recent results from mandatory surveys indicate that 20.3% of
active-component troops & 42.4% of Guard & Reserve troops were found to
be in need of mental health care. All will face readjustment difficulties &
issues,
regardless of if they develop more serious mental disorders or not.
the VAMC
system. A study of these veterans revealed that:
were diagnosed
with a mental health disorder. Almost 28%
of these same
vets received diagnoses in 2008.
the percentage of women in the military has doubled in the last 30 years. In
Sept. 2010 the number of female veterans in the US & PR was more than
1,840,380. Florida, with 140,256 women veterans, was one of five states
with
the highest numbers. As the female veteran population grows, so
will the
number that will be at high risk of becoming homeless.
current conflicts. 41,000 women were deployed during the Gulf War & more than
230,000 women were deployed to Iraq and Afghanistan. Females make up ~11%
of
OIF/OEF veterans & 15% of returning troops. According to Swords to Plowshares
"the total number of women who have served in the Iraq and Afghanistan theaters
is more than double Operation Desert Storm and Vietnam combined."
More than 100 female service members have died & ~ 600 have been wounded. 
Homeless Veteran
Outreach
Who & What Helps Homeless
Veterans
Even as the largest federal provider of direct assistance to the homeless that
is just a percentage of the number of vets who are homeless at some time
during the year & it has been surmised that they reach only 25% of homeless
vets each year. Since 1987 their homeless veterans programs have stressed
collaboration with community service providers.
is
secure, safe, clean housing that offers a supportive environment which is
free of
drugs and alcohol." They state that "veterans need a coordinated
effort that
provides secure housing and nutritional meals; essential physical
health care,
substance abuse aftercare & mental health counseling; &
personal
development and empowerment. Veterans also need job
assessment, training and
placement assistance . . . helping veterans
reach the point where they can obtain
& sustain employment."
National
Coalition for Homeless Veterans, are "community-based, nonprofit,
veterans
helping veterans groups. Programs that seem to work best feature
transitional
housing with the camaraderie of living in structured, substance-free
environments
with fellow veterans who are succeeding at bettering themselves.
Because
government money for homeless veterans is currently limited . . .
it is critical that
community groups reach out to help provide the
support, resources and
opportunities most Americans take for granted:
housing, employment & health
care."
with government agencies (Federal, State, and/or local) & veteran service
organizations and that "veterans who participate in these programs have a
higher
chance of becoming tax-paying, productive citizens again."
the
Department Veterans Affairs, VA residential care programs like Stand Down
are
successful. Preliminary studies show that four out of five veterans who have
completed these programs remain suitably housed one year after discharge.
The Homeless Are In
Danger
those that stem directly from the lack of adequate shelter from the elements
and
food. Florida's homeless veterans are among the most susceptible to these
effects
as they are among the oldest and most at risk due to illness.
crimes against the homeless that have been reported* has
risen drastically in the
past few years. A 2006 study by the National Coalition for
the Homeless found
142 violent crimes (including 20 fatal attacks) committed
upon the homeless in the
US. This number demonstrates a 65% increase from the
number of violent attacks
in the previous year and a 170% increase from their
findings five years ago. The
crimes documented included rape, stabbing, battery,
and being set on fire. The
fact that in a significant number of cases, the crimes
were committed by teens
and young adults, for no apparent reason other than
boredom, is troubling.
lower than the actual number of attacks due to the tendency of the homeless not
to report certain crimes and that crimes such as rape often go unreported.
Information Sites
Some of the above material comes from:
American Journal of Public Health
Circle of Friends for American Veterans
Florida Department of Children
& Families Office on Homelessness
Florida Department of Veterans Affairs
IAVA
Focus Online News for Harvard Medical, Dental, & Public Health
Schools
National Coalition for Homeless Veterans
National Coalition for the
Homeless
United States Department of Veterans Affairs
U.S. Medicine
Page updated June 21, 2011