Veterans Affairs Moves to Renovate Buildings in Los Angeles for Homeless Vets

vienna · 06-21-11, 07:22 PM

http://www.bakersfieldnow.com/news/local/124320934.html

Something that was long overdue...

I had a grandfather who served in the Navy in WW1 and when his wife passed away in the late 1950's, he opted to live in the Veterans Home in Yountville, Caliifornia. We visited him there and were amazed at how well cared for the vets were and at the beauty of the grounds and facilities provided for the vets. When I moved to Los Angeles, I couldn't believe how shabby by comparison were the Veterans faclities on the Westside adjacent to UCLA. Wilshire Boulevard, a main East-West route through the city passes by the Veterans facility; I have often taken the city bus on Wilshire Blvd. from downtown to the Westside and have seen many men who were obviously down on their luck board the bus downtown from the homeless areas and travel to the VA facility. The juxtaposition of the shattered men shambling off the bus to seek some sort of help in the midst of one of the most well-off areas of the city is jarring. One can say what they will about the ACLU, but, in this case, I applaud their effort.

BTW, if you want to see what the Yountville facility is like, click
on this link:

http://www.cdva.ca.gov/homes/Yountville.aspx

The Los Angeles facilities are nowhere near as good...

Jimbuna · 06-21-11, 08:09 PM

They should certainly be given the best when you consider they gave of their best for their country

Sailor Steve · 06-21-11, 10:52 PM

WOW!

Beats the place I'm living at, which is an old motel. Still, I can't complain. It's pretty nice here, and I'm leaving soon anyway.

geetrue · 06-22-11, 04:24 PM

I was a homeless vet 25 years ago that is ...

Still feel the street everyday even though I have a roof over my head now.

Still get in long lines just to see what everyone is waiting for (just kidding)

They deserve the best treatment just to make up for what they went through.

The health care system is just that a system and if you fall into the cracks then that is just tough titty says the kitty.

A nice place to spend their last days is a honorable thing to do ...

Unfortunately Uncle Sam can't tell them to stop drinking, smoking and doing drugs to solve their health problems.

Mental health is what they really need, but what the hey they knew we were crazy when we signed up for submarines, right?

vienna · 06-23-11, 01:56 PM

geetrue, I'm glad you got your life together. You're right it is all just a system, but systems can be changed. If you read the article, you'll note that the VA spokesman said the renovations had been planned for quite some time. I'll bet no one in the VA bureaucracy was speeding the work along until the ACLU filed their lawsuit. The veterans deserve much more than they're receiving and it's a pity that it takes an organization more associated with left-wing/liberal cause to put a fire under the VA. It makes you wonder how much effort on behalf of veterans is being exerted by the right-wingers who are there when the fight starts but seem oddly absent afterwards. Maybe some of the fat cat defense industries and business interests might want to do something to say thanks for the profits...

06-21-11, 07:22 PM	#1
vienna Navy Seal Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: Anywhere but the here & now... Posts: 7,711 Downloads: 85 Uploads: 0	Veterans Affairs Moves to Renovate Buildings in Los Angeles for Homeless Vets http://www.bakersfieldnow.com/news/local/124320934.html Something that was long overdue... I had a grandfather who served in the Navy in WW1 and when his wife passed away in the late 1950's, he opted to live in the Veterans Home in Yountville, Caliifornia. We visited him there and were amazed at how well cared for the vets were and at the beauty of the grounds and facilities provided for the vets. When I moved to Los Angeles, I couldn't believe how shabby by comparison were the Veterans faclities on the Westside adjacent to UCLA. Wilshire Boulevard, a main East-West route through the city passes by the Veterans facility; I have often taken the city bus on Wilshire Blvd. from downtown to the Westside and have seen many men who were obviously down on their luck board the bus downtown from the homeless areas and travel to the VA facility. The juxtaposition of the shattered men shambling off the bus to seek some sort of help in the midst of one of the most well-off areas of the city is jarring. One can say what they will about the ACLU, but, in this case, I applaud their effort. BTW, if you want to see what the Yountville facility is like, click on this link: http://www.cdva.ca.gov/homes/Yountville.aspx The Los Angeles facilities are nowhere near as good...

06-21-11, 08:09 PM	#2
Jimbuna Chief of the Boat Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: 250 metres below the surface Posts: 190,461 Downloads: 63 Uploads: 13	They should certainly be given the best when you consider they gave of their best for their country __________________ Wise men speak because they have something to say; Fools because they have to say something. Oh my God, not again!!

06-21-11, 10:52 PM	#3
Sailor Steve Eternal Patrol Join Date: Nov 2002 Location: High in the mountains of Utah Posts: 50,369 Downloads: 745 Uploads: 249	WOW! Beats the place I'm living at, which is an old motel. Still, I can't complain. It's pretty nice here, and I'm leaving soon anyway. __________________ “Never do anything you can't take back.” —Rocky Russo

06-22-11, 04:24 PM	#4
geetrue Cold War Boomer Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: Walla Walla Posts: 2,837 Downloads: 5 Uploads: 0	I was a homeless vet 25 years ago that is ... Still feel the street everyday even though I have a roof over my head now. Still get in long lines just to see what everyone is waiting for (just kidding) They deserve the best treatment just to make up for what they went through. The health care system is just that a system and if you fall into the cracks then that is just tough titty says the kitty. A nice place to spend their last days is a honorable thing to do ... Unfortunately Uncle Sam can't tell them to stop drinking, smoking and doing drugs to solve their health problems. Mental health is what they really need, but what the hey they knew we were crazy when we signed up for submarines, right? __________________

06-23-11, 01:56 PM	#5
vienna Navy Seal Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: Anywhere but the here & now... Posts: 7,711 Downloads: 85 Uploads: 0	geetrue, I'm glad you got your life together. You're right it is all just a system, but systems can be changed. If you read the article, you'll note that the VA spokesman said the renovations had been planned for quite some time. I'll bet no one in the VA bureaucracy was speeding the work along until the ACLU filed their lawsuit. The veterans deserve much more than they're receiving and it's a pity that it takes an organization more associated with left-wing/liberal cause to put a fire under the VA. It makes you wonder how much effort on behalf of veterans is being exerted by the right-wingers who are there when the fight starts but seem oddly absent afterwards. Maybe some of the fat cat defense industries and business interests might want to do something to say thanks for the profits...