Should the military services take a role in helping with homeless veteran issues?

SMSgt Ted D. — Tue, 03 Apr 2018 08:53:03 -0400

The veteran homeless population is estimated at just over 40,000 nationally (https://va.gov/HOMELESS/pit_count.asp). There are voucher programs that can help but eligibility guidelines must be met. The biggest problem with the multi-million dollar national programs (HUD-VASH and SSVF - $977 million for FY 2018) is there usually are little or no funds for deposits, only the monthly rent. This shifts an undue burden onto the community to make up the difference. Small local NGO and VSO groups are routinely contacted by VA and SSVF reps to find financial resources to make up the difference.
Recognizing veteran homelessness is still a critical problem and helping someone get off the street may be the first step in preventing a suicide, relieving dependence on alcohol or drugs or even allowing someone to find gainful employment or reconnect with family.
Shouldn't the military services take an active role in helping reduce the number of veterans living on the streets? If so, how can they help. Here is an idea - Did you know each one of our military services has a financial aid society?
Eligibility for grants, loans and scholarships is strict but it can make a difference in an emergency situation. The mission of each is to "provide financial assistance to active duty, reserve, and retired army soldiers and their dependents in the time of emergency needs". The combined net assets of these 4 military/veteran specific charities is over 630 million dollars - Yes, $630,806,142 at the end of FY 2015 (ref: GuideStar: http://www.guidestar.org).
Why not start a campaign with our congressional leaders to explore using some of these "Net Assets" to address something that is uniquely veteran specific and may in part be related to military service. I know each of these programs is a blessing to their target service audience. How about a small expansion to help cover deposit costs for service veterans seeking housing assistance through HUD-VASH or SSVF? We understand the eligibility requirement and the reserve funds limits for these agencies but altering their by-laws to allow a small set aside of 15% to help cover unmet housing costs would provide $94,000,000 in additional funds!
Maybe it's time for the military services to look at helping all of those who served not just currently serving and retired but anyone Soldier, Sailor, Airman, Marine or Coast Guardsman that is recognized as a Veteran. A small set aside from these massive foundation coffers could actually make a huge impact on their fellow warriors.
Want more info on making a difference check out our website http://www.compassquest.org
We are Veterans Helping Veterans Find the Way Forward

pit_count.asp).

Response by SN Keagan Miller made Apr 3 at 2018 9:44 AM

SN Keagan Miller — Tue, 03 Apr 2018 09:44:10 -0400

I work pretty closely with HUDVASH and SSVF, and this sounds like a great idea. That could allow SSVF to also go back to giving people rental assistance for those already housed but need help from time to time. Recently their grant stopped allowing that. HUDVASH is the most successful housing voucher program our country has ever had, and I’m glad to see that Congress gave them $40 million more this year, even though the current administration wanted to cut it entirely for FY18 and FY19. The VA’s budget is a fraction of what DOD gets every year so why can’t a little more of that go towards helping those Veterans in need?

Response by SGM Bill Frazer made Apr 3 at 2018 9:46 AM

SGM Bill Frazer — Tue, 03 Apr 2018 09:46:41 -0400

It would be nice, but were would the funding come from-? all branches are hurting badly from the sequestering years- your own branch has almost 1/2 its planes as hanger queens, and they are worried that the F-35 may not be sustainable maintenance wise on current funding.

Response by SFC Private RallyPoint Member made Apr 3 at 2018 9:57 AM

SFC Private RallyPoint Member — Tue, 03 Apr 2018 09:57:51 -0400

There's no way the services can take care of all those active duty and veterans. It's just not going to happen. Perhaps the government should get it's act together and do its job and, oh I don't know, take care of the people who elected them?

There are some people who are homeless who are so because they don't look into finding programs. Some people (not all, some) got so used to getting everything given while in service they don't know how to do research on their own. I have seen soldiers who did a 4 year and before they get out get asked "What's your plan?" and they don't have one.

Once you are out of the military the military is done with you. It moves on.

Response by SSgt GG-15 RET Jim Lint made Apr 3 at 2018 10:08 AM

SSgt GG-15 RET Jim Lint — Tue, 03 Apr 2018 10:08:30 -0400

I thought those organization were supposed to help active duty soldiers. Keep them on the right track. I am retired, it does not impact me. But, I thought that is what the service charities worked to support those who are soldiers today. The Soldiers, Marines Airman and Sailors can make any contribution during CFC...and at church, and any charity when ever they desire. Seems to be a big non-problem looking to become a problem Service charities have a mission.

Response by SrA Austin Salcedo made Apr 3 at 2018 10:11 AM

SrA Austin Salcedo — Tue, 03 Apr 2018 10:11:28 -0400

I think the military should. Funding is a huge issue and here in New York State they recently slashed the funding for SSVF in half. It's a major issue here because Section 8 has a waiting list of years. These veterans who served deserve top priority over those who didn't.

Response by SMSgt Ted D. made Apr 3 at 2018 10:35 AM

SMSgt Ted D. — Tue, 03 Apr 2018 10:35:04 -0400

These Service Aid Societies are foundations setup by the services that collect donations to help their service members, retirees, dependents and guard and reserves on extended active duty. This money doesn't come from the budget set by Congress it is all collected through fundraising activities. However, these programs are given oversight by Congress. These charities have strict eligibility requirements and they have collected revenue that exceeds their combined expenses by roughly $630 Million. They are meeting their needs. They are meeting their revenue reserve requirements. My thought is having the charities setup their own programs to offset HOMELESS VETERAN ASSISTANCE programs that are currently underfunded to meet the need. 10% of these surplus funds as a set aside would equal $63 Million. If there are 40,000 Homeless Veterans and those funds were applied equally across this number, that's an additional $1,575 per veteran to help cover deposits and utility hookups.

SSVF is funded by the VA. HUD-VASH is funded jointly by HUD and the VA. The combined annual amount of funding for the voucher programs is $970 Million. 40,000 of our fellow Veterans are homeless. Many have coexisting conditions of Mental Health, Substance and Alcohol Abuse.

My last point on this issue is the 20 (or more) of our fellow veterans commit suicide every day. A new Yale University study came out yesterday:
Homeless Veterans are 5 times more likely to commit suicide https://news.yale.edu/2018/04/02/study-homeless-vets-five-times-more-likely-commit-suicide

$630,000,000 sitting unused. Why would we not want to explore using a small portion of theses excess charitable funds to help this issue?

Study: Homeless vets five times more likely to commit suicide

The study, by researchers from Yale and the U.S. Department of Veteran Affairs, argues for the need for funding for homeless programs for veterans.

Response by CSM Darieus ZaGara made Apr 3 at 2018 10:46 AM

CSM Darieus ZaGara — Tue, 03 Apr 2018 10:46:58 -0400

In my opinion there are many great groups who have specific roles. Those identified for Active, Guard and Reserve should remain so. Same for those supporting Vets. There are many out their, the challenge seems to be identifying the Vets. I will provide an example. I am familiar with several organizations supporting Vets, when I meet a homeless person and begin to inquire as to their service it is all to often fake. Many cases where they are Veterans they are not seeking assistance. The best we can all do is be aware of supporting organizations and offer to support and guide where able. Thank you all for your service.

Response by CPT Lawrence Cable made Apr 3 at 2018 11:00 AM

CPT Lawrence Cable — Tue, 03 Apr 2018 11:00:20 -0400

OK, I guess I'll be the resident cynic. I've worked for years as a volunteer and as a contractor for various of the charitable homeless shelters and groups like Habitat. My experience, and supported by those that run these organizations, is that at least 40 percent of the homeless population have serious mental problems that make them non functional in normal society and would have been institutionalized for their own good 40 years ago. The largest part of the remainder have serious drug and/or alcohol abuse problems and still they may also have issues like depression or being bipolar. They aren't on the streets because of bad luck, they are there because they have screwed over their friends and family enough that this is all that's left. Neither group is capable of self care and providing them with an apartment or house won't solve the problem. I'm not suggesting just writing them off, but if you think you can change these individuals, you are in for a long and bitterly disappointing experience.

Response by MCPO Roger Collins made Apr 3 at 2018 11:04 AM

MCPO Roger Collins — Tue, 03 Apr 2018 11:04:08 -0400

Excellent article on the subject, although insufficient in identifying root cause and preventative measures. Merely providing temporary band aids is not the answer, regardless of how well intentioned it is.

https://endhomelessness.org/resource/veteran-homelessness/

Veteran Homelessness - National Alliance to End Homelessness

This veteran homelessness fact sheet presents information on the number of of veterans experiencing homelessness, the demographics of the population, causes of homelessness among veterans, and federal programs that address the issue.

Response by SPC Brent Melton made Apr 3 at 2018 11:57 AM

SPC Brent Melton — Tue, 03 Apr 2018 11:57:25 -0400

They should take a bigger and better role for preparing ETSing members for reentry in to the civilian world. That alone would help a lot. It is such a vast change going from people who care about you, to people who couldn't care less about you.

Response by SGT Tony Clifford made Apr 3 at 2018 12:04 PM

SGT Tony Clifford — Tue, 03 Apr 2018 12:04:47 -0400

Here's my problem with this. Funding will not fix the problem. A significant portion of the homeless population refuse assistance. This is largely due to extreme mental illness or in the case of drug addicts, an unwillingness to suspend drug usage within housing provided to them. Throwing more money at the problem will only help marginally. Add to that the fact that veteran homeless is a smaller problem than people tend to believe, and you can see that a new charity is foolish. Based of the numbers you provided of 40,000 homeless veterans and a population of 21,000,000 veterans within the US it comes out to .19% of the veteran population becoming homeless that's compared 560,000 or .17% of the general population that become homeless. Thus allocating funds specifically for one group of people is pointless.

Response by SSG Private RallyPoint Member made Apr 3 at 2018 2:27 PM

SSG Private RallyPoint Member — Tue, 03 Apr 2018 14:27:36 -0400

The VA was created specifically for this problem

Response by COL Private RallyPoint Member made Apr 3 at 2018 3:29 PM

COL Private RallyPoint Member — Tue, 03 Apr 2018 15:29:54 -0400

Really? The military gets their cut of money for national defense. Operations funding, current sustainment, training, and equipment to name a few. I don’t know why there is a homeless Vet issue. Did they not get paid enough during the three or four years they served in the military? Did you become disabled to the point they can’t work and the $3,000/month not enough? Is there retirement check not enough? Why are there people homeless? And different reason then a non-vet? Is it because of poor choices? Or just bad luck? Why don’t we just take all on DOD funding and put it to end homelessness? Maybe because we have a responsibility to the country just like each of us have a responsibility to ourselves and our family. DOD can’t be responsible for the actions of everyone who ever served in the military.

Response by PO3 Joe Landis made Dec 1 at 2020 6:06 AM

PO3 Joe Landis — Tue, 01 Dec 2020 06:06:34 -0500

The experience is totally different as a homeless vet. If your new to the system you can be treated quite well. If your a struggling vet in and out of treatments, we are often treated incredibly bad...making it hard for anyone to go back to the people that have looked down upon us and even refused to do their job and help when we need it most. I feel the VA has classified certain veterans and we just don't receive a level of care that is useful. We are essentially pushed out of the system. We lose faith in people and spiral downward with no real help. Leadership is poor to say the least. None of the Social Workers have any idea how to address most of us. If you have never been homeless you can never know. I would love to be employed by the VA to help other veterans overcome their housing problems. There is a huge community action barrier with my treatment team. I feel they are getting paid but don't earn any of their paycheck. They probably feel I dont do anything to help myself so they in turn dont put any effort in. It's incredibly difficult to get out of the gutter when you have been in one.