Reality check ... can this really be happening?

[geetrue]

I've been through it, Sailor Steve is going through it and thousands of Vietnam veterans are now being replaced by the new breed of homeless street people ... Iraq veterans are now going through it.

I wish I had some answers, but I don't ...

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/17315490/site/newsweek/


Feb. 24, 2007 - Kevin Felty came back from Iraq in 2003 with nowhere to stay, and not enough money to rent an apartment. He and his wife of four years moved in with his sister in Florida, but the couple quickly overstayed their welcome. Jobless and wrestling with what he later learned was posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), Felty suddenly found himself scrambling to find a place for himself and his wife, who was six-months pregnant. They found their way to a shelter for homeless veterans, which supported his wife during her pregnancy and helped Felty get counseling and find a job. A year later, he's finally thinking his future. "I don't want to say this is exactly where I want to be—it's really not," he says. "But it's what I can get at the moment."

[Kapitan_Phillips]

Thats disgusting :dead: You'd think we owe them at least that much

[Camaero]

I have never been impressed by how our country treats our veterans. I have read too many horror stories and it is just sad.

I really thank anyone who has served, you guys all rock.:rock:

[SUBMAN1]

Not to sound heartless, but the one question I have is suppose there was no war - would these same people have ended up on the street because that is the way they are? A certain percentage probably will - so is this within that percentage? Did they originally go into the military because they had no place to live and this provided them with food/shelter/ and a purpose in life? So are they just going back to the life they once led?

ANother thoguht, if this is the drugs doing this to them, then I have no feeling for them since they are doing it to themselves. People need to grow up in life, and some just never do - PTSD or not - take drugs - end up on the street. That is what happens and no one can stop this.

Just my thoughts on the subject.

-S

[geetrue]

That's one way to look at it SUBMAN1, but from my experience I can tell you that after your on the streets (no matter why) food becomes your number one drug of choice.

I remember walking a long and people yelling at me, "Get a job" ...

One car drove by and threw a cup of pepsi at me with the lid still on it full of ice. I went over and picked it up and it had a hole in it near the bottom ... as the iced cool liquid ran out down my arm I put my lips to the hole to save what was left.

True humility is when you enjoy being humbled ... :oops:

I went to sleep at a salvation army drop off station one time, you know a place with a box full of donated items. I went to sleep with my back pack as my pillow. It had everything I owned in it ... when I woke up the back pack was gone.

Starting all over again is a bitch ... :yep:

[PeriscopeDepth]

Not to sound heartless, but the one question I have is suppose there was no war - would these same people have ended up on the street because that is the way they are? A certain percentage probably will - so is this within that percentage? Did they originally go into the military because they had no place to live and this provided them with food/shelter/ and a purpose in life? So are they just going back to the life they once led?

ANother thoguht, if this is the drugs doing this to them, then I have no feeling for them since they are doing it to themselves. People need to grow up in life, and some just never do - PTSD or not - take drugs - end up on the street. That is what happens and no one can stop this.

Just my thoughts on the subject.

-S
Yup, the military tends to attract unmotivated drug addicts. After all, these people do best in high paced/stress combat environment. That's probably the most likely reason behind the problems many veterans face when transitioning to civillian life. :roll::down:

PD

[U-533]

It doesn't read anywhere that the choice is their own. It seems as if these men and women are being helped but they continue to go back into the drugs and other stuff that they feel helps them to cope with life.

Sad... it is really sad.

I think here in Jacksonville the First Baptist Church has a program to help Veterans, and from what I understand they have a 96% success rate... Before I say more let me check on that cause I could be wrong as to which Church it is.
The Government has no doings with it because it works and the choice is given to the individual to finish and stay straight. Obiviously a libreal government has no control there so why mess with it.:up:

Let me check on the program and where it is at I will post if allowed to.
:sunny: :sunny: :sunny:

[SUBMAN1]

That's one way to look at it SUBMAN1, but from my experience I can tell you that after your on the streets (no matter why) food becomes your number one drug of choice.

I remember walking a long and people yelling at me, "Get a job" ...

One car drove by and threw a cup of pepsi at me with the lid still on it full of ice. I went over and picked it up and it had a hole in it near the bottom ... as the iced cool liquid ran out down my arm I put my lips to the hole to save what was left.

True humility is when you enjoy being humbled ... :oops:

I went to sleep at a salvation army drop off station one time, you know a place with a box full of donated items. I went to sleep with my back pack as my pillow. It had everything I owned in it ... when I woke up the back pack was gone.

Starting all over again is a bitch ... :yep:

Thats pretty bad. Can't say I've been there myself, and I don't ever want to be in that position. I can say that I've come close - father came in the house one day many years ago and said 'I sold the house. You have 2 weeks to find a place to live' and then proceeded to walk out. I got a dose of reality that day. What may I ask got you into that situation?

Something tells me though that you're one of the few that rebounded back.

[SUBMAN1]

Not to sound heartless, but the one question I have is suppose there was no war - would these same people have ended up on the street because that is the way they are? A certain percentage probably will - so is this within that percentage? Did they originally go into the military because they had no place to live and this provided them with food/shelter/ and a purpose in life? So are they just going back to the life they once led?

ANother thoguht, if this is the drugs doing this to them, then I have no feeling for them since they are doing it to themselves. People need to grow up in life, and some just never do - PTSD or not - take drugs - end up on the street. That is what happens and no one can stop this.

Just my thoughts on the subject.

-S
Yup, the military tends to attract unmotivated drug addicts. After all, these people do best in high paced/stress combat environment. That's probably the most likely reason behind the problems many veterans face when transitioning to civillian life. :roll::down:

PD
I don't agree with you for the most part. Most of the military are just the opposite of what you describe. There is a small percentage though that will follow along the lines that you are describing.

-S

[baggygreen]

Yup, the military tends to attract unmotivated drug addicts. After all, these people do best in high paced/stress combat environment. That's probably the most likely reason behind the problems many veterans face when transitioning to civillian life. :roll::down:

PDNot quite sure how to take that... but im certainly not an unmotivated drug addict......:nope:

[geetrue]

Thats pretty bad. Can't say I've been there myself, and I don't ever want to be in that position. I can say that I've come close - father came in the house one day many years ago and said 'I sold the house. You have 2 weeks to find a place to live' and then proceeded to walk out. I got a dose of reality that day. What may I ask got you into that situation?

Something tells me though that you're one of the few that rebounded back.

Well, it's kind of a long story: http://www.subsim.com/radioroom/showthread.php?t=87423&page=16

I sort of forgot to learn a trade when I got of the Navy ... I put all of my trust into sales and when I hit bottom the want-ads couldn't help me. Finally the VA gave me a temporary job in medical records, pushing records around for a couple of months gave me enough for a car (1966 Chevy 4dr) and I never looked back after that. :up:

[PeriscopeDepth]

Not to sound heartless, but the one question I have is suppose there was no war - would these same people have ended up on the street because that is the way they are? A certain percentage probably will - so is this within that percentage? Did they originally go into the military because they had no place to live and this provided them with food/shelter/ and a purpose in life? So are they just going back to the life they once led?

ANother thoguht, if this is the drugs doing this to them, then I have no feeling for them since they are doing it to themselves. People need to grow up in life, and some just never do - PTSD or not - take drugs - end up on the street. That is what happens and no one can stop this.

Just my thoughts on the subject.

-S
Yup, the military tends to attract unmotivated drug addicts. After all, these people do best in high paced/stress combat environment. That's probably the most likely reason behind the problems many veterans face when transitioning to civillian life. :roll::down:

PD
I don't agree with you for the most part. Most of the military are just the opposite of what you describe. There is a small percentage though that will follow along the lines that you are describing.

-S

The above was me being sarcastic. For the record, I have the utmost respect for our men and women in uniform.

Most of the military are just the opposite of what you describe.

That's the point I was trying to make. I was saying that this:

Not to sound heartless, but the one question I have is suppose there was no war - would these same people have ended up on the street because that is the way they are? A certain percentage probably will - so is this within that percentage? Did they originally go into the military because they had no place to live and this provided them with food/shelter/ and a purpose in life? So are they just going back to the life they once led?

Sounds utterly ridiculous to me. I would say drugs are at the bottom of the list for the vast majority of homeless people. Sure, there are some people like you described. But I think that when people equate homelessness with drugs they are just trying to dodge the issue of poverty in the USA. Especially when you throw our veterans into the mix. Our veterans are one of, if not THE most underappreciated groups of Americans today. Living in a large military city myself, I have to say it's sad that I see many reenlisting just to escape poverty. You'd think employers would value the skills learned by veterans in the military. Especially in combat. I would think these are some very reliable people, yet many just can't seem to make it outside of the service.

I apologize if I offended any with my sarcasm, I was just trying to prove a point.

PD

T

[Sailor Steve]

Not to sound heartless, but the one question I have is suppose there was no war - would these same people have ended up on the street because that is the way they are?
I ask myself that question all the time, and I don't have an answer. I think I've suffered from depression since long before I went in; I just never knew what it was. At least having been in gives me access to all the available benefits, including VA medical. Of course I'd rather have any other medical.:rotfl: :dead:

In my case it's been so long since I got out that I really can't blame war or anything else, though there are VA people who think otherwise.

I feel the worst for folks like the ones in the article: young marrieds, pregnant. They need help a lot more than the rest of us.

[Bort]

The military is woefully unprepared to aid veterans with PTSD and other mental health problems.
Check this Frontline out, it covers the issue really well.
The Soldier's Heart (http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/shows/heart/view/)
Its shameful our veterans don't get the help they need.:nope: