Everyday America asks men and women to stand up to protect and serve our great nation. These men and women do this by joining one of the four armed forces. Whether it was voluntary or involuntary these men and women have risked there lives for the United States of America. I have chosen to write about the veterans for this reason. Millions of Americans are putting their lives on the line to protect each and every one of us Americans. Reports show that there is an estimated 300,000 veterans in our country that are suffering from homelessness; a half a million experience homelessness at one point or another during the year (Stewart, 2004). In my opinion, that is very unfair to the people who risk their lives for us.
When those who have dedicated their lives to the armed forces become homeless, there is a big problem with our country’s government. It is guaranteed that there will be healthcare available for war veterans but this guaranteed healthcare is very limited. In Florida alone there are only six VA medical centers. In a state with an estimated population of 83,391 homeless people, one third of those people are veterans; there isn’t nearly enough health care for our veterans (Homeless coalition). If a person is homeless it usually means they are lacking of money, so how exactly are they supposed to get there. Never mind the money, they probably don’t have a car, and if they do have a car, they might not have money to fill it up with gas.
In an article from September in 2005 it stated that of the 200,000 veterans more than 40,000 receive benefits annually. (Stewart, 2004) The real question is what about the other 160,000? It is absurd when examine the whole picture; there is a large population of young Americans who gave their time and health to fight for our country and see any of them on the streets, seemingly helpless. “Nearly 40 percent have both psychiatric and substance abuse disorders” (U.S. Department of Affairs, 2006). That means 80,000 veterans are suffering from a disorder, probably one that they received from going to war. In the book Beside the Golden Door, the author talks about how it is very rare in this country that a community has sufficient services for the mentally ill. There are two theories when it comes to homelessness. Either you are “homeless by choice” or there are “inadequate services” (Devine, Rubin, Wright, 1998). If the services aren’t available how can someone help themselves? There are those people who think it will be fun or a new change of pace and choose homelessness, but veterans don’t choose this as a way of life. Many Americans go to war and come back with metal disabilities and then our government repays them with what? Homelessness or Mental Illness, highly doubtful.
“June 30, 2003 Bush administration cuts $1.5 billion dollars from Military family housing”(AWOL). This cut was made even though there were over one hundred thousand family housing units that were below living standards. In 2004, the Bush Administration made tax cuts which reduced veteran health care. There is no man, woman, or child that deserves to be homeless. There are many causes and obstacles that come with the issue of homelessness, most of which are very unfair, but if there is one group of people that deserve to live a wonderful life it’s those who have risked their lives for each and every one of us.
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It is unconscionable that there are so many homeless vets. Everything they went through in the name of our country, all the training, all the danger, all the misguided orders that they followed because it is their job...they do not deserve to be abandoned upon their return to regular society.
http://www.progressiveu.org/blog/ediblewoman