Many cities across the country are pouring money, attention, and love into efforts to help get homeless veterans off the streets. Meanwhile, a number of tribes of Native Americans have similar problems in dealing with this issue, but a few in the American Southwest recently received some federal funds to help them address it.
The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, along with the VA, recently awarded some $6 million to 26 tribes and associated groups to help them tackle homelessness among veterans, according to a report from the Associated Press. That includes $1.1 million for tribes in Arizona and New Mexico alone.
The tribes in the Southwest that will be receiving a share of that money include the Navajo and Hopi in Arizona, as well as the San Carlos Apache and Tohono O'odham, the report said. The Zuni Pueblo in New Mexico also will get some of those funds.
In all, the above-mentioned tribes are expected to be able to help get 80 homeless vets off the streets with housing assistance and vouchers, as well as new support services, the report said. These grants were allowable under new changes to the law.
Fortunately, these kinds of efforts often go a long way toward helping veterans in need, and whether it's tribal governments, cities, or states, the impact of helping even 80 can be immeasurable. Veterans who are in need of some sort of assistance, whether it's related to housing or just getting through the day sometimes, may be able to reach out to a number of organizations in their areas, either governmental or private. There is almost always going to be someone who is able to lend a hand, and often all veterans have to do is ask.
Though their incarceration rate is lower than that of the civilian population, veterans struggling in their life after service sometimes wind up on the wrong side of the law. In the past, that's meant one thing – jail time. But in Johnson County, Kansas, an alternative has been introduced that could, with time, have ramifications nationwide.
According to The Kansas City Star, the first of its kind Veterans Treatment Court will supervise and support troubled veterans through a diversion program with the assistance of a court staff and mentors.
"The idea is to evaluate those people to try to identify those with needs, and what we are looking for is people with PTSD, traumatic brain injury, with depression, with substance abuse issues," Judge Timothy McCarthy told KSHB in Kansas City. "These aren't the most serious crimes, these are lower level felonies and misdemeanors."
McCarthy was primarily responsible for the court's creation. The Star reported that he researched what would be required to establish it, then organized it, and now, he will hear cases involving veterans every other Wednesday afternoon.
Two main goals motivated McCarthy – getting veterans the help they need, and reducing the number of people serving time for low-level offenses. To avoid a jail sentence, accused veterans must commit to a 12- to 18-month program filled with drug and alcohol testing, court appearances and case-specific treatments.
There have already been some success stories emerging from the courtroom. One of them comes from Joshua Boley, a former Marine who deployed three times in four years.
"It definitely saved me, and that's why I definitely believe it's going to save a lot of veterans' lives," Boley told KSHB. "I was in the regular court prior to this, and it didn't help me at all. I just kind of kept getting worse."
Now, surrounded by other veterans with experience undergoing the same trials, Boley and others like him have found a new path.
Just one year ago, Cynthia Dias was a homeless veteran struggling in her life after service in Las Vegas. On Tuesday night, she was a special guest of First Lady Michelle Obama at President Barack Obama's final Sate of the Union address.
"It was an outstanding speech," Dias told the Las Vegas Review-Journal.
Dias was reportedly captivated by what the President had to say regarding improvements made to veteran care over the last few years, and the long road still ahead.
Attending the speech wasn't Dias' only objective, however. She and Arnold Stalk, founder of Veterans Village – a non-profit former motel in Las Vegas with more than 120 housing units where, according to Huffington Post, Dias lives and works as a voluntary advocate for homeless veterans – both traveled to the White House to meet with Valerie Jarrett, Obama's senior adviser, and the first lady.
A nurse who served in the Vietnam War and who subsequently suffered from post-traumatic stress disorder, Dias is one of the many veterans who found long-term residences following the Mayor's Challenge, an effort spearheaded by Michelle Obama and Dr. Jill Biden to end veteran homelessness.
Dias and Stalk also met with Julian Castro, secretary of U.S. Housing and Urban Development, to discuss VASH vouchers – a joint program between HUD and the Department of Veterans Affairs. Stalk pointed to Dias as the embodiment of what the program can do to improve the fortunes of the chronically homeless.
"She was great backup for me today," Stalk relayed to the Review-Journal.
Working together, the two veterans advocates relayed the same message to lawmakers – with affordable, stable housing and access to health care, homeless veterans can turn their lives around and do incredible things. For evidence, look no further than Cynthia Dias.
Talking to family and friends about deployment, combat and post-traumatic stress disorder is one of the hardest things a veteran can do. The Tennessee State Council of Vietnam Veterans knows very well just how difficult it can be. That's why on Tuesday, Jan. 12 they held a "Victory Over PTSD" town hall meeting at the James H. Quillen VA Medical Center.
According to WCYB, a local news station, dozens of veterans and their families attended the meeting. Everything from PTSD indicators, coping methods, treatment providers and the high suicide rate among veterans was discussed openly and thoughtfully. There was a tone of encouragement and support among everyone present.
"We want you to live, we want you to succeed – we want you to have victory!" said Barry Rice, a Vietnam veteran and organizer of the town hall.
After his rotation to Vietnam was up, Rice returned to the states and served as a notification officer. Charged with the responsibility of informing spouses and parents that their husbands and sons had been killed took a significant toll on Rice, leading to a deep sense of survivor's guilt. Talking with fellow veterans about it helped Rice make it through.
Discussing the threat of PTSD – and ways of treating it – are arguably more important now than ever before.
"More American servicemembers, both veterans and active-duty, have committed suicide over the past decade – tragically it's 22-plus per day – than who made the supreme sacrifice in Iraq and Afghanistan combined," Rice said in a statement to The Greeneville Sun.
"Years ago, when called to duty, young men and women from across Tennessee answered. Now, as Vietnam veterans, we are answering the call for our brother and sister veterans, active-duty military and their families, to share our experiences with and recovery from PTSD, our strength and hope in their time of need," Rice continued.
Many cities across the country are now starting to figure out what they can do to help get homeless veterans off the streets and into permanent housing. The cities of Biloxi and Gulfport, Mississippi, are no exception.
Those two cities on Mississippi's Gulf Coast recently got word from the U.S. Department and Housing and Urban Development that they had effectively ended their veteran homelessness problem, but some local experts say there are at least a few more of these servicemembers still on the streets, according to a report from the Biloxi Sun Herald. While more than 240 of them were put into housing from January to November last year – nearly 20 per month – some believe that the problem lies in more veterans being on the streets than can be housed in a given month.
"But the services that are available now, I would say, are probably enough to where, if a veteran seriously seeks housing, there will be some avenue that he or she can pursue to receive housing," Everett Lewis, executive director of the Gulf Coast Housing Initiative at Back Bay Mission in Biloxi, told the newspaper.
Often, veterans who need help with something will just need to seek it out to find assistance from one organization or another.
Many veterans come home from service with injuries both apparent and invisible, and need a lot of help to deal with the rigors of everyday life as a result. Fortunately, there are organizations and volunteers who are there to help.
Indeed, a group of dozens of volunteers recently came together to create a new entrance to a Florida facility that helps veterans with severe brain injuries, so that the building could be wheelchair-accessible, according to a report from St. Petersburg television station Fox 13. At ABILHouse, veterans can learn to cook for themselves, use computers to search for jobs, and do other practical tasks that will help them in their daily lives.
"We have staff on site that can do counseling, help them with resume writing, career counseling, that kind of thing," said Diane Duncan, director of Service Source. "It's just a nice stepping stone. Instead of just going out and finding a job, they have more of a safety net here."
The more that veterans dealing with any number of difficulties in their lives can do to ensure they're in good shape and have the help they need, the better. There are, fortunately, many organizations that exist to help them on their journeys, and often all they have to do is reach out.
In a contentious decision, a federal appeals court on Monday threw out a case involving a veteran convicted for wearing military medals he hadn't earned, stating that doing so was a form of free speech protected by the Constitution. According to the Associated Press, an 11-judge panel of the 9th U.S. Circuit Court was specially convened for the occasion.
The Marine at the center of the case is Elven Joe Swisher of Idaho. In 2007, he was convicted for violating the Stolen Valor Act – a law signed by President George W. Bush in 2006 that made it a misdemeanor to falsify military achievements. In 2012, the Supreme Court ruled the act unconstitutional based on free speech violations. Congress passed a new law the following year, however, that made it a crime to make money from false claims of military service.
Court House News reported that, back in 2007, the Department of Veterans Affairs accused Swisher of making false statements, forging documents to obtain veterans benefits, stealing government funds and adorning himself with unauthorized military commendations.
Investigators first began to take a look at Swisher's military record after he testified in 2005 that another man had approached him to kill a federal judge. Swisher wore a Purple Heart in the court room and told stories of how he was severely injured in a fire fight while on a secret mission during the Korean War. Marine Corps officials later testified that such a mission never occurred.
Judge Sandra Ikuta, who wrote for the majority on Monday, noted that there is no evidence Swisher's deceitful behavior ever hurt someone or convinced them to pursue an action they wouldn't have taken otherwise.
"We see no basis for [concluding] that wearing a medal is more probative than speaking a lie," Ikuta said, according to Court House News.
Going to college isn't the same for veterans as it is for graduating high school students, who are often more worried about missing the next great frat party than actual responsibilities like working a full-time job or taking care of young children. That's why colleges tailored to helping veterans achieve academically are so vital to a life after service.
The Military Times put together a list of the best schools in the country for veterans. Their methodology included taking into account factors like whether veterans were charged at or below Post-9/11 limits, participation in the Yellow Ribbon program – under which the school and the VA partner to cover the difference between tuition and the GI Bill payment cap – extracurricular activities and national accreditation.
Here are their top five picks in each category:
Four-year schools
University of Nebraska at Omaha
Ranked as the best four-year institution in the nation for the second-consecutive year, this public university retains 72 percent of all veterans who attend. With top marks in nearly every category, and 94 percent of its students employed within six years of graduation, University of Nebraska at Omaha leads the field for a good reason.
University of South Florida
Close behind in second place, South Florida's public university also received top marks across nearly all categories.
Eastern Kentucky University
This university's commitment to veterans is evident from just a visit to their website, which provides extensive resources and guidance to students making the transition from military life.
D'Youville College
Located in Buffalo, New York, D'Youville is a private school of only a few thousand students – meaning veterans in attendance receive special attention.
Rutgers
In fifth place is Rutgers, the state university of New Jersey, which has long had a commitment to serving its veteran students.
Two-year schools
Central Community College – Nebraska
Evidently Nebraska does a great job of taking care of and educating its veterans. Ranked as the best community college in the country for veterans three years running, the school provides a staff of fellow veterans for academic tutoring and advising, mentoring and counseling, as well as social events around campus.
Georgia Perimeter College
Big as far as two-year institutions go, Perimeter College's 21,000 students have a small, tight-knit veteran community that receives plentiful support from the administration.
Inver Hills Community College
This small public college's veteran resource center provides educational veteran benefits, assistance with VA forms, a comfortable Veterans Lounge and much more.
Clackamas Community College
The only Oregon college to make the top of the list, Clackamas is open to every veteran seeking a certificate program, technical degree or two-year degree.
Northwestern Michigan College
Rounding out the top five two-year schools is another small public college that prides itself on providing a smooth transition into student life for returning veterans.
Online & non-traditional schools
ECPI University
Nationally ranked for five consecutive years now, ECPI has earned its place at the top of the Best for Vets list, as well as Top Military Friendly Colleges and Virginia Values Veterans. With plenty of special accommodations for the GI Bill and military scholarships, it is the perfect school for those with a hectic schedule.
Park University
Open since 1875, this non-profit, private post-secondary institution has enjoyed an educational partnership with the military for nearly a century.
Central Texas College
Specially designed for military students, veterans and their spouses, this college understands and adapts to the unique challenges of juggling a job, an education and a home life.
University of Maryland University College
With a rich history of educating military history, UMUC offers both hybrid and on-site classes, along with countless education benefits, financial aid options and other forms of assistance.
Liberty University
Proud of their service to those who served, Liberty ensures that earning your degree can be done with the utmost convenience and efficiency.
Staff Sgt. Spencer Stone – whose name emblazoned international headlines in August 2015 after he and two friends subdued an armed terrorist aboard a train bound for Paris – will join five other veterans in attending President Barack Obama's State of the Union address on Tuesday, Jan. 12.
According to the Military Times, this will be the third time in five months that Stone, now a medical technician at the 60th Medical Operations Squadron at California's Travis Air Force Base, has made an official visit to Washington, D.C.
For subduing the gunman – a heroic action which resulted in a severed thumb and a near-fatal stab wound – Stone earned the Purple Heart and Airman's Medal. He was awarded Belgium and France's top honors as well. On Oct. 31, he was promoted to airman first class. He has plans to leave the Air Force before his enlistment is up at the end of the year.
Stone is just one of the six veterans invited by First Lady Michelle Obama to Tuesday's address.
Maj. Lisa Jaster will be there as well. Jaster, a 37-year-old engineer, became the first female Army Reserve officer – and just the third woman overall – to graduate from Ranger School.
Earl Smith, an Army veteran of the Vietnam War, met Obama in an elevator before he became president. At the time, Smith presented him with his screaming eagle patch, first earned when he was a private, as good luck. Perhaps his presence in the crowd is the president's good luck charm.
The Military Times reported in a separate article that veterans will be a focal point of Obama's speech. While legislators are still upset over the stagnant reform situation at the Department of Veterans Affairs, Obama will point out the progress made in caring for veterans in their life after service, jobs programs and falling rates of veteran homelessness.
When winter weather arrives, many groups come together to help the less fortunate. This is also true of veterans, many of whom may be in difficult financial situations, but for whom many organizations exist to get them the help they may occasionally need.
With freezing temperatures finally descending on New England after the warmest December on record, demand for warm coats is on the rise, according to a report from Providence television station ABC 6. To that end, Operation Stand Down Rhode Island is ready to help, with more than 100 coats and other winter necessities – like gloves, hats, blankets, and more – to give away to both low-income and homeless veterans.
The giveaway will take place this week at the Providence VA Medical Center, the report said. This is actually the culmination of a similar coat drive in November; that time, the group gave away some 200 coats, but received so many donations that it was able to hold this giveaway as well.
Operation Stand Down Rhode Island has been in operation with the purpose of helping veterans in need for more than two decades, starting soon after the first Gulf War conflict in the early 1990s, the report said. It highlights the fact that the assistance it provides is "a hand up, not a handout," which is one reason many veterans may feel shy about seeking help, financial or otherwise.
When difficult times arise, veterans should know there are many organizations – both private and governmental – to which they can reach out for help in a number of areas. The trick, though, is that they will need to know which are best suited to help them, so doing a little research will often go a very long way.