I agree with this picture 100%. How do you feel about the current state of Veteran support in our country?

I agree with you, there are plenty of services and support for current Service members but about Veterans that served during Vietnam? How can they get the support that they truly need?

I agree it is important to have a plan. That said, even with the best plan, life happens and curve balls will get by you.

I feel that this image represents the idea that when the chips are down the nation you served should go the extra mile to serve you back!

Now that makes good sense

I completely agree w you SSG. Absolutely, and when I was active duty I would agreed with you even more. My views have changed since, because I have lost over a half dozen brothers to suicide and now I realize how common heroin addiction has followed up on vicodin abuse. Once drugs are in play everything else goes out. So there is an issue...

But overall I am behind the responsibility of the individual. And someone who has lived through battle, should surely be able to stay alive in the rear. Even if there is demons in ones head.

Saw your unit... 2/54... I was there. 10 years ago.

I agree that self medicating with prescription pills is the problem for most vets. This turns to heroin and then a snow ball effect that causes the main reason for the pills use to be in the first place to be faded in the background. The comradery of your peers is a great asset. Once you feel that you don't have anyone. Then you start doing stuff that those people would have prevented you from doing. You lose your self respect and self worth. Once that's gone living on the streets and bumming for money is the norm. To be honest I have been taken advantage of so called homeless vets before. I had a guy ask me for money and he through the whole I was in the army at me. I stilled said no. I watch him from the fuel pump, he walked right in the store and to the ATM and pulled out money.

Dealing with the homeless and long-term homeless brings to light a very disheartening reality. Mental illness is a huge factor in this problem. For you SSG, realizing something is jacked up and fixing it is second nature. When you ETS, you're going to be job hunting and you will probably be very successful. For a huge percentage of the homeless population that I have personally dealt with, those obvious answers are not obvious to them. A huge portion of them need help just to survive day to day. I honestly believe that if someone who served honorably is now homeless and on the street there are other factors at work than just laziness and those problems need to be identified. With knowing the problem at hand we will never solve it.

The Army's Soldier for Life campaign has come a very long way since I've join the Army almost 17 years ago. The support is there, the Soldier just needs to take it.

I agree. It's one thing to know what different military agencies and transition services are out there to support you, but what about all of those civilian services ready and willing to support a Veteran in need.

It is unfortunate that so many service members don't take advantage of what's there right in front of them.