Posted: May 23rd, 2015

Helping Homeless Veterans in America

Helping Homeless Veterans in America

Selection of civic project

Many people in the United States of America are homeless. Amazingly, thousands of American homeless people are war veterans who have served the nation in Vietnam wars and other wars across the world (Dillon, 2009). Homeless veterans across the United States of America live in the streets struggling to pay rent (Dillon, 2009). Though most of the veterans can afford to pay house rent, a number of them struggle to settle the house rents. These are the main causes of veteran homeliness (Dillon, 2009).

The figures of the homeless people living in the Unites States of America are alarming. The bulk of homeless veterans living in the United States today consists of war veterans who fought in the Vietnam War and the most recent Iraq and Afghanistan military missions (Cortes n.d.). The living conditions that veterans are exposed to after many years of dedicated service to the nation are disheartening and disturbing (Cortes, n.d.). A majority of the war veterans do not access proper medical care, decent housing, and food. Over the years, homeless shelters, hospitals and habitat for human centers have reported an increased number of veterans from Iraq and Afghanistan seeking their services (Cortes n.d.). Although elderly veterans have received government attention, the number of younger veterans may increase if the government fails to intervene with it.

Homeless veterans suffer from psychiatric and other mental illnesses due to the trauma of the wars (McNamara, 2008). According to McNamara, this problem commonly affects veterans who sustain brain injuries during the war. Life is hard for veterans who have no trade training because they cannot secure any job after their service. With no income of their own, they have to rely on relatives and friends, and homeless support organizations for self and family upkeep (Sam, 2009).

In his experience with homeless veterans, Sam presents a case of his in-law who served in the military for 2 years and has trade training in carpentry and electricity. His in-law cannot find a job and rely on relatives, for support is insufficient. The family has sought external support for him but all in vain. Ironically, before joining the military, Sam’s in-law had been assured of the support by the military and government (Sam, 2009).

On a positive note, the government has instituted various strategies to address veteran homelessness. These measures have been fueled by the recognition that the homelessness issue can be solved (Sam, 2009). Sam (2009) presents a case where former military officer explains governments care for the war veterans during and after their services. Over the years, the federal government has drawn frameworks to assist in tackling veterans’ homelessness (McNamara, 2008). According to McNamara, federal investments have been designed for short and long term address of veteran homelessness.

Civil project objectives

American families have experienced a variety of changes. The family structures have significantly changed from traditional nuclear family composed of a household head, a spouse and siblings to a more often single parent with one or two children (Coleman & Ganong, 2004). According to Coleman and Ganong, this change has impacted on social architecture that should now accommodate different mixes of families. Social amenities have changed to conform to different family mixes that demand the amenities (Coleman & Ganong, 2004.).

With the recent rise in education demand, some American families are experiencing financial burdens to access quality private school education. This has been brought about by a change in family structure with many American families consisting of single parents who are disadvantaged by expensive private education (Coleman & Ganong, 2004.). Coleman and Ganong (2004) emphasize that today most of the families are composed of adults who work full time. Most of the time, children are left alone during holiday, and these contribute to an increase in crime rate in some areas. Further, it has a negative impact on the culture because of the pressure on available social amenities (Coleman & Ganong, 2004).

Families are units that are expected to carry traditional and cultural values from one generation to another (Fraser, 1989). The family is charged with the responsibility to provide food, shelter, intimacy, and other requirements to its members. The American families are slowly loosing their touch with the traditional culture and values, hence not fully meeting family member’s expectations.

The changes in family structures have a far reaching impact on the issue of veteran homelessness. On returning back home, the heroes find it difficult to have their way back in the society. They lack close family members to cater for their shelter, food and medical needs since the family structures have changed significantly. For those who have families, they lack adults to take care of their needs. Education is expensive for those who wish to go back to school for job trainings (Cortes, n.d.).

Voluntarism, as a civic responsibility, involves citizens participating in individual or group programs to foster community development and individual welfare (Burt, 2001). According to Burt (2001), voluntarism is a responsibility taken by an individual or groups of individuals to work without expectation of compensation. Through volunteering, citizens share their skills and talents and also learn new skills (Burt, 2001). Voluntarism serves to make citizen responsive and participate in fostering social cohesion and social sustainability (Burt, 2001).

Any citizen, in his or her own capacity, has a crucial part to play by volunteering to help the homeless veterans in the neighborhood. Citizens should realize that veterans are men and women who have served their country honorably and deserve help from them. This will help them realize their full potentials and have a sense of acceptance in the society (Ambrosino, 2012).

The citizens can form volunteer groups and organizations that institute programs to help rehabilitate homeless American heroes. The programs should target to address housing and employment demands of homeless veterans. With the help of such programs, they can go on and solicit funds from the government and other corporations to support their efforts. Then these grants can be used to create employment and provide decent housing to the homeless veterans in their locality (Ambrosino, 2012.)

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A majority of the homeless veterans in the United States are male (Ambrosino, 2012). Most veterans are single without families and suffer from mental disorders and hallucination. Some of them have served in numerous United States military incursions in different parts of the world. For instance, the elderly of them have served in Vietnam, Korean, Lebanon, Panama, and Grenada Wars. Young veterans have mainly served in Afghanistan and Iraq Freedom operations for many years. Ambrosino goes further and points out that most veterans have served the country for a period ranging from three to thirty-three years. Ambrosino finds out that more than fifty percent of the homeless veterans are African or Hispanic, despite the fact that they (Africans and Hispanic) account for less than thirty percent of the total U.S. population.

The causes of homelessness among the veterans are varied (Ambrosino, 2012). Traumatic stress disorder and substance abuse contribute to homelessness substantially. Many veterans lack families that can take care of them under these conditions. Their sources of income are slim and cannot sustain their basic requirements. The situation is worsened by lack of enough housing apartments, hence high rent that they cannot comfortably afford. Besides, lack of education is thought to contribute to high levels of homelessness. The officers who have no trade training tend to be homeless (Ambrosino, 2012). The military policy that officers should serve for more than twenty years for them to benefit from the government scheme of military retirees is blamed by veterans for their miseries. The officers who serve for less than twenty years and take vacation are not eligible to benefit (Sam, 2009).

The number of homeless women veterans is small compared to their male counterparts. This is attributed to the fact that many women veterans get married and do not suffer severely from mental illnesses (McNamara, 2008). It is then clear that more men veterans are at risk of becoming homeless compared to women veterans.

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On their return, veterans meet parades and lots of cheering from the citizenry but never come to terms with the life they are going to live thereafter (Rosenheck, Bassuk & Salomon, n.d.). After all, the excitement generated by their return, they are faced by lots of challenges that go unnoticed by the communities they live in and the government they served diligently for years. Veterans have to struggle with mental illnesses caused by stress and the great depression (Rosenheck, Bassuk & Salomon, n.d.). Less than a half of the veterans who suffer from these disorders seek medical treatment. Negligence and lack of access to quality healthcare result in the increased number of homeless veterans (Rosenheck, Bassuk & Salomon, n.d.).

The current housing crisis presents another challenge to the veterans on their return. The economic downturn has increased rent presenting difficult housing conditions for war veterans. Much of their family income is dedicated to renting payment, and this places a heavy burden on their income. Lack of finance places them at a great risk of becoming homeless and spending nights on the streets (Ambrosino, 2012).

During their service for the nation, many veterans are injured in the battle field and on return they have to deal with disability issues. Though the government has a clear scheme to take care of veteran disability, veterans have to deal with a disability every day. This change in their physical condition renders them unproductive; thus they cannot participate in productive activities. It is at this time that a strong family is required to support them to deal with their physical condition (Coleman & Ganong, 2004).

Employment for the veteran after service is an issue of considerable importance in addressing the problem of homelessness (Ambrosino, 2012). Veterans without job trainings find it difficult to secure jobs in public and private sectors. They have to rely on well wishers for financial support rendering them vulnerable to homelessness.

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To deal with this problem, the Federal government has crafted various programs to address the issue. The Federal government, with the help of the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), designs programs aimed at improving the well being of the veterans (Cortes, n.d.). The Department of Veterans Affairs is obliged to run these programs in transparent and sustainable ways.

The Department of Housing Affairs program, together with Housing and urban development department, has a crafted program that offers housing solutions to homeless veterans (Cortes, n.d.). The process is done in a way that makes sure only eligible homeless veterans benefit. Community-based agencies receive funds from the Veteran Affairs department to support voluntary, community initiatives that undertake projects targeting the homeless veterans (Cortes, n.d.).

Healthcare for homeless veterans program in its mandate identifies deserving homeless veterans and designs appropriate medical care services to be offered. Veterans are offered community-based mental treatment by appointed health practitioners. Many homeless are reached through outreach programs that are designed to fight trauma and depression (Cortes, n.d.).

Lack of jobs for homeless veterans is blamed on substance abuse. However, this is not particularly true since there are a number of cases that contradict this notion (DIANE Publishing Company 1994). Unemployment among homeless veterans is blamed on lack job training by homeless veterans. This is not true since statistics reveal a reasonable number of homeless men and women leaving their civil jobs when deployed to work in different parts of the world (DIANE Publishing Company, 1994).

The events that happened in the field contribute a lot to the mental illnesses of the veterans. Most of them seem haunted by what they have done, and the things they have seen (DIANE Publishing Company, 1994). Atrocities the veteran commits in the deserts and jungles during the nation service abroad tend to torment them. They struggle to live positively afterwards (DIANE Publishing Company, 1994).

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The service of the veterans is not only limited to serving the nation but also serving the community. After long service in the forces, veterans contribute a lot to the community. Veterans are respected in the society for the service they render to the community (DIANE Publishing Company 1994).

Observing what homeless people go through in the society is enough to change the attitude of the fortunate in the society. Volunteering and working for the homeless are vital in encouraging them to be positive and optimistic in their life (Monshipouri, 2003). Volunteers in the society should work towards establishing social connections and work to get the homeless back to the society. Individuals, through community and other organizations, should work in shelters and rehabilitation centers to help ease the pressure that social workers go through while attending to homeless people. They should discover that the homeless are found in homeless shelters, hospitals, churches, and human habitats (Monshipouri, 2003).

Today many people in the society face hunger and starvation. Furthermore, unemployment, health issues, torture, and armed conflicts are causing immense human suffering. These events have resulted in displacements of population and immense human suffering in the world. People have become vulnerable, hence there is need for voluntarism to help take care of the victims of the above humanitarian crisis. The numbers in refugee camps are swelling up eliciting urgent measures to curb human suffering (Beigbeder, 1991).

Volunteerism is essential to contribute to peace and development in the society. Citizens’ participation in voluntary activities to help the vulnerable groups in the society impacts on strengthening trust of volunteers and weak people. This in turn helps transforming many societies (Musick & Wilson, 2007). Visiting the homeless in hospitals and shelters and rising awareness about the suffering they are going through are an essential reciprocator responsibility of the citizen for homeless veterans in the United States of America (Ambrosino, 2012).

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Citizens expect that the government will protect their rights. Protection of civil right is crucial in securing lives, liberties, and property of citizens (Boaz, 1997). According to Boaz, individuals need to have a sense of connectedness, love, and friendship to feel happy in the society. People need association for them to feel appreciated in the society. These associations require families and the community to be actualized (Boaz, 1997). Churches, schools, societies, and social groups form a part of the facilities that guarantee association of individuals in the society. These associations serve different purposes for the fulfillment of human rights (Boaz, 1997).

Individuals in the society voluntarily choose to participate in these activities, and the obligation of the government is to guarantee these rights (Boaz, 1997). The associations are tasked to perform purposes. For example, an association may be tasked to provide shelter to the homeless in the society. In such a way, homeless people are integrated in the community, hence feel a part of the society (Boaz, 1997).

According to Boaz, voluntary associations create a free society where individuals enjoy their rights through community association. No individual can work alone; to fulfill individual needs, individuals have to work together. It should be understood that communities are made up of individuals; thus individual associations are inevitable in the satisfaction of human needs (Boaz 1997). A majority of human sufferings are solvable. The society has a responsibility to coordinate the identification of vulnerable individuals and groups that require attention and help (Ambrosino, 2012). Their needs, once identified, become easier to draw a sustainable framework that addresses it conclusively.

The civil needs are essential to address the plight of the homeless veterans. Public participation in the homeless volunteer activities is crucial to eradicate obstacles that prevent the veterans from having a decent life after their service in the military. Local communities and charities should provide collective participation of the individuals in services for homeless veterans (Burt, 2001).

Conclusion

Vietnam War veterans have lived in abject poverty for long periods of time since they arrived from war decades ago. Though the number of homeless people is on decline, measures to address and assist veterans who are mostly elderly should be of top agenda in society and the government cycles. As economic conditions worsen, more veterans find it hard to survive. Proper structures should be instituted to enable homeless veterans to recover and not to feel alienated from the community. Just like other vulnerable groups, homeless veterans require recognition from the government and the communities. Homeless veterans are plagued by many challenges. The housing of the veterans is made difficult by high apartment rates that they cannot afford. Most of them have limited access to affordable health care. Employment is a problem for veterans who try to cope up with the civil life after their military duties. Meeting personal difficulties and dealing with these problems may increase the number of homeless veterans in the long run. The challenges facing the veterans should serve as a sensitizer to individuals, communities, and government to participate more in the fight homelessness. Community and federal strategies to prevent homelessness are essential to deal with persistent homelessness in each state in the country. From the analysis above, I have identified that addressing the issue of veteran homelessness is a complex issue that should be crafted carefully to address it totally. It is my recommendation that the policies developed must address the current homelessness problems; at the same time they must address any future occurrence of the same. In addition, it is my opinion that the government and the community must work to ensure stability in the housing sector and job creation. If we adopt these strategies, self- sufficiency and independence among the vulnerable people will be achieved. Hence the strategy will help eliminate chances of more people becoming homeless in future. The problem of homelessness in our society is a problem that can be solved by the community. I recommend that the community should be in the front line to help the homeless people acquire self sufficiency. The individuals may carry out charity work in homeless shelters and help to identify homeless people on streets in their neighborhoods. The homeless in the shelters can then be trained on different job skills. The job training also serves the purpose of empowering the homeless who later on can address their needs independently.