By Calleigh Hoffman
Last year, my youth group and I met with the residents of North Point Veterans Home here in Hagerstown, Maryland. The facility is run by Sheppard Pratt, its services including residential housing and treatment. There, the veterans of Hagerstown get help with employment, medical care, and developing skills that can make life after their service easier. My group and I sat and talked to the residents of North Point for quite a while, expressing interest in each other's stories. It was there that the age-old question popped into my head: “Why is it that veterans are more susceptible to homelessness?”.
The Department of Veteran Affairs estimates that a little over 100,000 vets are homeless on any given day. Even more so are at risk for being homeless, around 1.5 million current vets being in risk of poverty and dismal living conditions. But why? Well, there are a multitude of reasons/theories experts have contemplated being the cause of homelessness in the veteran population. Firstly, some veterans that exit the military homeless entered the military with housing insecurity. Some enlist for a warm bed, a guaranteed meal, and easy education. What they don't account for is the insecurity they must face when trying to integrate back into society. Also, military training and occupations taught while in service don't always carry into the civilian workforce. It is also difficult for some to integrate into social support networks, as relationships are strained over the course of a vets service. This may be a result of deteriorating physical and mental health– PTSD, chronic injuries– that cause a rift between vets and their family/friends. Some join the military due to their lack of connections, so one can only imagine how hard it is to find references and a couch to sleep on once arriving home.
With meniscal relations, uneasy living and employment situations, and the lingering pain they’ve sustained while serving– it makes morbid sense why a percentage of them suffer from drug abuse. Two thirds of the homeless veterans in the US suffer from substance abuse, most having co-occurring mental illness.
So, what can we, as civilians and students, do to help homeless veterans?
Educate ourselves. Understand the causes of homelessness, and how our military complex and government put veterans at a disadvantage when entering the civilian workforce and housing market.
Be aware of the people in need around our community. It's completely understandable if you don't have the resources to give to North Point or other organizations contributing to homeless relief– we just ask that you be aware and conscious of the people in need around you.
Advocate. Look into supporting motions that may elevate the needs of the homeless. Share resources with those around you, and advocate for affordable housing and more accessible means of employment.
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