Veteran Employment & Discrimination

As a disabled vet, I am beyond proud of my wife and my affiliation with a powerful company helping families, small businesses & others across North America! Only restrictions on "employment" are a burning desire to succeed & ability to make it happen! You own your own business & if you treat it like a business, it will treat you like a business! We share information; you make the decision! God bless! 

<p>Agreed.&nbsp; While I was homeless the VA was giving me a song and dance about nothing being homeless enough.&nbsp;&nbsp; You would think that cynicism would not be directed at someone needing help but it was and they did.</p><p><br></p><p>One night while I was sleeping in my car and at a rest stop,&nbsp; I woke up and saw a guy leaning on my driver's side door,&nbsp; and I told him to get off my car.&nbsp;&nbsp; He got loud and stupid,&nbsp; so I said,&nbsp; I am homeless and have PTSD and an anxiety disorder, so do this at your own risk.</p><p><br></p><p>During the five months on the road,&nbsp; I helped place people as far away as California and here in North Carolina.&nbsp;&nbsp; Where these office warriors couldn't,&nbsp; I did.&nbsp;&nbsp; I am not a quitter and I will fight for the right thing. </p><p><br></p><p>And props to Senator Burr for his help.&nbsp;&nbsp; It is nice to be out of the car and safe in a house with my cat.&nbsp;&nbsp; </p>

<p>I can relate to SSG Olson, serving from 76 to 86, active and stepping into a world I was not to use to, was hellish for me. How the Vietnam veterans were treated in that time kind of followed me as well. Looking for work was not easy, until I ended up homeless as well. Only I was in salt lake city when it happened. I found myself 300 miles from no where, between salt lake city and los Vegas Nevada. that was almost all desert. No help, no money, no food no place to sleep. What helped me was the military skills I learned. I found myself as if I was in a field problem with a Special Forces like assignment. No VA, no one to talk too, when I was hungry I had no choice but to eat nothing. 3 days later the hunger left me, I felt no more hunger. I was in a free way and slept under the bridges. I didn't have anything to loose since I had nothing. I looked up in the sky and saw the bright stars at night. when I was close by small towns, I didn't even stop, but I saw how worry these people were having to work to pay off their rents maintain and support their families,</p><p>yet even though I was homeless, when I looked up I noticed I was not homeless, I was home, the earth is my home. &nbsp;I did get some rides from 3 good&nbsp;people whom are always in my prayers. but to make a long story short and to&nbsp;bring it to the present time, I learned a few things, Jobs any one can get, careers are not job's, when I decided I had about enough, I came back to my mothers home and found myself doing something every day, working with computers, it was my hobby at the time. One day I decided to go to school to get my A++ certification and converted a hobby into a full time&nbsp;career. That is what happened. I can work for myself or work for someone or both. I did this alone, with help from anyone, public assistance didn't help me rather&nbsp;tried to suppress my actions, the VA didn't need to help, but what I went through to get where I am, took 12 long weeks,&nbsp;walking 6 miles from my home to the school and back, with out missing a day. in the winter time with all the snow and rain and what have you.&nbsp;</p><p>Today I can say I'm a rather happy person&nbsp;with a family of my own, a dad to a 4 year old and a skill that I can use to work for myself when I want. I'm not going to recommend any veteran nor SM to go homeless, but what I am going to say is that if it happens get out of small towns and cities, look for larger cities where you can get better support from any programs they may have, VA or not the objective is to get back on your feet larger cities have shelters, soup kitchens and survival&nbsp;is greater in larger cities then small towns or very small cites. Once you know what you would like to work in and seek that education, no one will be able to hold you back. &nbsp;What seemed to be every thing gone wrong, turned out to be destiny taking its course. I didn't die because it was not my time. It made me wiser enough to be here to tell it and share it with you.&nbsp;</p>

I can tell you what happened when we returned home! Discrimination yes; then set your sights on not being a willing participant and make things happen! After thirty years of owning two businesses, pursuing different endeavors helping vets & others & getting paid to make a difference!!!

I fell just outside the Vietnam War entering in 8/74 and departing on 8/85.   I have a disability and working to make sure there are resources 24/7 for veterans and I am working on that.   Suffice it to say, but keep up the good work.   We have to fight against scoundrels who use our cause for their own selfish gain.

Yes, I think that is exactly what I was experiencing, especially during those times in which I later found out that someone with no experience was hired. It is hard to prove though, and at the end of the day, all they have to claim is that you weren't right for the position.