Another way troops end up homeless

If you cannot understand why there are so many more veterans ending up homeless, here is another reason, aside from wounds, aside from PTSD. This is just one more reason. National Guardsmen being taken away from their jobs and businesses over and over again. Who is paying their bills? Look at the difference in the income this National Guardsman has to deal with in order to serve this nation.

Beard recounted several nightmares: a veteran whose mortgages on three properties have doubled to $8,800 a month; a National Guardsman and father of three facing foreclosure on his home after his $60,000 income dropped to $20,000 while he deployed for a third tour; a military wife who hadn’t yet broken the news to her husband in Iraq that their $1,200 monthly mortgage just doubled to $2,500.

Mortgage crisis hits home for troops, vets

By Gidget Fuentes - Staff writer
Posted : Thursday Nov 29, 2007 20:12:40 EST

CHULA VISTA, Calif. — Air Force veteran Nellie Cooper thought she was following good advice when she refinanced her home’s mortgage with an adjustable-rate loan. For the self-employed real estate agent, it seemed smart.

But her mortgage payments ballooned while local property values dropped, sinking her prospects of refinancing into a more secure, fixed-rate loan. With lenders nationwide tightening eligibility rules, Cooper is finding few that are willing to refinance or rework the loan into something financially manageable for her.

“Nobody will finance 92 percent value of a house, and I am getting more in arrears,” Cooper, who is juggling three part-time jobs to keep her home, told a Nov. 27 public forum led by Rep. Bob Filner, D-Calif. “I’m still … trying to see if I can do something with the lender.”

Cooper, who lives in Oceanside, Calif., found no help from the Department of Veterans Affairs: Except in very rare cases, VA does not refinance mortgages it didn’t sell. She didn’t buy the house through VA because she was told repeatedly she didn’t qualify and the paperwork was “too cumbersome.”

“I was dissuaded by many to take the conventional way” with bank-backed loans, she said.

Filner, who chairs the House Veterans’ Affairs Committee, planned the field hearing on the sub-prime market and its effects on veterans.

“Home ownership is one of the great aims of the American dream,” Filner told a crowd of about 75 in Chula Vista, a suburb south of San Diego.

“We also know this dream can become a nightmare, especially for our veterans who are on deployments,” Filner added.
go here for the rest

http://www.armytimes.com/news/2007/11/military_subprime_071129w/

Support the troops? Then listen to them and take care of them

I would really like to know who the "pro-war" people are really being active for? It certainly isn't the majority of the troops in Iraq. I even doubt it is for the troops in Afghanistan considering they probably wouldn't be there either had Iraq not been invaded. I have never once read anything they had to say about what is happening to the troops and to the wounded, the way the DOD treats them, the way the VA tortures them until their claim is approved. If they really supported the troops, they would be fighting for them, spending the time they take to reinforce their ideology to help them.

This stopped being about Republican or Democrat a long time ago. This is about continuing to do the wrong thing or beginning to do the right thing. This is about them, what they need, what they earned and what they deserve from us. We fail them when they serve and we fail them after. Can't this country get one thing right for their sake? The least we can do is hear them. We can't even do that right.

VoteVets.orgNov 29 2007
Contact: Moira Mack, moira@hildebrandtewes.com
Troops Blast Rep. Duncan Hunter for Debate Remarks

***Watch It***

In last night's Republican presidential debate U.S. Representative Duncan Hunter outlandishly claimed that most U.S. soldiers are conservatives.

Jon Soltz, chairman of VoteVets.org, an organization representing thousands of veterans of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, lashed out at the congressman for making false claims about the troops just to support his own political views.

"I was appalled by Rep. Hunter's attempt to score cheap political points by falsely labeling the views of the brave men and women in uniform. It is beyond disrespectful to me and smacks of desperation on the congressman's part," said Soltz. "The reality is that the troops and their families reflect the nation as a whole – and the majority of this country and our troops oppose Hunter and Bush's defeatist policies, and their obsession with keeping our troops in Iraq’s civil war. Last night Rep. Hunter proved himself to be out of touch with the military, and with the country."

ZOGBY POLL OF TROOPS - Nearly three in four troops (73%) say they are personally comfortable in the presence of gays and lesbians.

NEW YORK TIMES / CBS POLL OF TROOPS – Two-thirds of troops and their families think things are going badly in Iraq. This represents a dramatic increase from just a year prior.

MILITARY TIMES POLL OF TROOPS – Only a third of troops approve of the President's handling of the war in Iraq, which represents crumbling support from past polls. Nearly 75 percent say the military has been stretched too thin by President Bush. Those troops who think there can be a military success in Iraq has plunged by 30 percent.

ZOGBY POLL OF TROOPS – A Zogby International Poll found that 72 percent of troops on the ground in Iraq thought the US should get out within a year, in 2006.

VoteVets.org is a pro-military organization committed to the destruction of terror networks around the world, with force when necessary. It represents the Voice of America's 21 Century Patriots - those who fought in Iraq and Afghanistan. It primarily focuses on nonpartisan education and advocacy on behalf of troops, veterans and their families.
Paid for by VoteVets Action Fund, http://www.democracyinaction.com/dia/track.jsp?key=-1&url_num=1&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.votevets.org%2F

Can you hear them now?

PTSD Clinic For Female Veterans

PTSD Clinic For Female Veterans

More women are part of the U.S. military and seeing combat in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Some return with the same psychological problems their male counterparts faced for years, post traumatic stress disorder.


Local 12's Jeff Hirsh reports that the Tri-State is one of the few regions in the nation with a PTSD clinic, just for women.


From the horrors of war can come wounds of the body and wounds of the mind.


"I carried a rifle with me for a year," said Danielle Sosin, Iraq War veteran. "I saw a lot, and now I can't go to Target. Who is this person?"


Who is this person? A different female veteran, not traumatized by combat, but by another form of brutal violence. She was raped by her Army drill sergeant. More than 20 years later, the panic remains:


"When it first starts, almost like you're having a heart attack," said Michelle Covert, sexual trauma victim. "Your heart starts beating really fast, pain starts shooting down your left arm and as it progresses, I will literally stop breathing and pass out."


Now, these two veterans sit side-by-side, getting help.
click post title for the rest

The 121,000 Missing Veteran Cover Up

83.The 121,000 Missing Veteran Cover Up
November 29, 2007 by wanderingvet

In 2004 the Veterans Administration dramatically reduced the number of homeless veterans it was counting from 313,000 to a lowly 194,000 in a report in front of then Chairman of the Veterans Affairs Committee Congressman Steve Buyer just said “OK”.
In article 79. I showed that the VA currently has over 144,000 beds for homeless veterans available that are ALL FULL with none available and yet the streets are over flowing with homeless veterans still. Why would this be? Could it be there are more homeless veterans than the Veterans Administration is willing or wanting to report?
It should also be known, that the number of homeless veterans has not changed since 2005 either. I guess the VA has just quit counting or just really does not want to know. I have volunteered to be counted and made sure personally that my VA records denote that I am homeless so the records should at least be showing now 194,001.
When it comes to homeless veterans we have allowed this issue to go too far for far too many years. This issue has been out there since the 1970’s. It was not until 1987 that the VA instituted a program for Homeless Veterans. In 2004 the number was 313,000 veterans. The number was climbing higher for Homeless Veterans and not dropping! The Program was failing! The number was lowered because Congress told the VA to lower that number by 2009 (in other words get it together over there). So what did the VA do? They lowered it on paper by typing in a new lower number. And then justified it by saying that the number was from HUD. I wonder why some congressional staffer never checked that number because it does not exist at all over at HUD. I wished life was just that easy. Oh by the way I guess a few VA careers were saved too! How did we get so lucky.
click above for the rest

This is from last year

9-20-06 updated.
I don't know when the figures changed by here they are from the Coalition site.
If you are not truly appalled you have not been paying attention.

NATIONAL COALITION FOR HOMELESS
VETERANS
STATE FUNDED HOMELESS
BEDS VETERANS

AK 0,,, 450
AL 42,,, 816
AR 40,,, 1,350
AZ 199,,, 3,637
CA 1,875,,, 49,546
CO 102,,, 3,895
CT 103,,, 4,675
DC 43,,, 2400
DE 15,,, 500
FL 430,,, 19,394
GA 165,,, 5,715
HI 118,,, 800
IA 56,,, 615
ID 10,,,350
IL 158,,, 19,943
IN 136,,, 2,243
KS 47,,, 620
KY 115,,, 963
LA 150 10,897
MA 378,,, 1,680
MD 241,,, 3,100
ME 0,,, 1,136
MI 17,,, 247
MN 23,,, 493
MO 82,,, 4,800
MS 60,,, 1,136
MT 17,,, 247
NC 182,,, 1,601
ND 0,,, 1,000
NE 12,,, 460
NH 36,,, 350
NJ 142,,, 6,500
NM 30,,, 902
NV 201,,, 4,600
NY 274,,, 12,700
OH 261,,, 1,898
OK 27,,, 770
OR 159,,, 6,940
PA 332,,, 2,691
RI 23,,, 175
SC 110,,, 1,375
SD 42,,, 165
TN 241,,, 2,500
TX 233,,, 15,424
UT 145,,, 585
VA 86,,, 911
VT 10,,, 20
WA 167,,, 6,567
WI 209,,, 915
WV 41,,, 357
WY 31,,, 111
PR 0,,, 75

7,688 194,254
(2006)


Doesn’t the Department of Veterans
Affairs take
care of homeless veterans?

To a certain degree, yes. According to the VA,
in the years since it "began responding to the
special needs of homeless veterans, its homeless
treatment and assistance network has developed
into the nation’s largest provider of homeless
services, serving more than 100,000 veterans
annually."

With an estimated 500,000 veterans homeless at
some time during the year, the VA reaches 20%
of those in need ... leaving 400,000 veterans
without supportive services.

Since 1987, VA’s programs for homeless veterans
have emphasized collaboration with community
service providers to help expand services to
more homeless veterans. For more information
about VA homeless veteran programs, go to
www.va.gov/homeless/.

What services do veterans need?

Veterans need a coordinated effort that provides
secure housing and nutritional meals; essential
physical health care, substance abuse aftercare
and mental health counseling; and personal
development and empowerment.
Veterans also need job assessment, training
and placement assistance.

NCHV strongly believes that all programs to
assist homeless veterans must focus on helping
veterans reach the point where they can obtain
and sustain employment.

What seems to work best?

The most effective programs for homeless and
at-risk veterans are community-based, nonprofit,
"veterans helping veterans" groups.
Programs that seem to work best feature
transitional housing with the camaraderie of
living in structured, substance-free environments
with fellow veterans who are succeeding at
bettering themselves. Because government money
for homeless veterans is currently limited and
serves only one in 10 of those in need, it is
critical that community groups reach out to help
provide the support, resources and opportunities
most Americans take for granted: housing,
employment and health care.

There are about 200 community-based veteran
organizations across the country that have
demonstrated impressive success reaching
homeless veterans. These groups are most
successful when they work in collaboration
with Federal, State, and local government
agencies, other homeless providers, and
veteran service organizations. Veterans who
participate in these programs have a higher
chance of becoming tax-paying, productive
citizens again.

What can you do?

Determine the need in your community.
Visit with homeless veteran providers.
Contact your local mayor’s office for a list
of providers.
Involve others. If you are not already part
of an organization, pull together a few people
who might be interested in attacking this issue.
Participate in local homeless coalitions.
Chances are there is one in your community.
If not, this may be the time to start bringing
people together around this critical need.
Send a financial donation to your local homeless
veteran provider.
Contact your elected officials, and discuss
what is being done in your community for homeless veterans.


http://www.nchv.org/background.cfm

But this proves what he is saying
NATIONAL COALITION FOR HOMELESS
VETERANS
STATE FUNDED HOMELESS
BEDS VETERANS

AK 7,,, 350
AL 27,,, 5,275
AR 80,,, 4,389
AZ 219,,, 6,190
CA 2,713,,, 49,250
CO 72,,, 3,457
CT 137,,,2,900
DC 175,,, 9,403
DE 15,,, 600
FL 492,,, 19,231
GA 81,,, 9,852
HI 118,,, 3,000
IA 17,,, 1,600
ID 10,,, 400
IL 158,,, 19,943
IN 138,,, 1,600
KS 27,,, 1,259
KY 153,,, 2,100
LA 186,,, 4,620
MA 477,,, 2,700
MD 126,,, 2,800
ME 3,,, 1,000
MI 69,,, 5,171
MN 42,,, 1,961
MO 96,,, 13,549
MS 40,,,1,400
MT 17,,, 320
NC 247,,, 6,805
ND 48,,, 1,100
NE 12,,, 560
NH 72,,, 437
NJ 193,,, 8,300
NM 26,,, 3,600
NV 219,,, 5,500
NY 354,,, 44,700
OH 258,,, 9,697
OK 42,,, 1,750
OR 143,,, 8,450
PA 206,,, 10,166
RI 23,,,400
SC 50,,,,850
SD 16,,, 430
TN 230,,, 2,972
TX 256,,, 19,640
UT 114,,, 575
VA 98,,, 2,450
VT 10,,, 1,200
WA 167,,, 6,850
WI 209,,, 1,132
WV 52,,, 531
WY 31,,, 1,175
PR 0,,, 50
total 8771 316640

http://hometown.aol.com/namguardianangel/KathieCostosindex.html
This was from 12-13-04

It is a page I used to use on AOL. Haven't been doing much with it since I created the Namguardianangel.org web page. When you think that over 100,000 veterans left the street in two years, that would have been plastered all over the news. The other thought is that while a lot of our homeless veterans died, un-noticed, it is not feasible.

Considering what happened to the people after Katrina hit, I really doubt this government managed to find housing for that many veterans. There are still too many left homeless in the states hit by Katrina's winds and flood. kc

10th Mountain Soldier survived Iraq, died at home

Soldier on leave from Iraq found dead

Staff report
Posted : Wednesday Nov 28, 2007 17:08:41 EST

A 10th Mountain Division Soldier home on leave from Iraq was found dead Nov. 21 in an apartment in Racine, Wis., according to a press release from Fort Drum, N.Y.

Pvt. Tue M. Tran, 20, was an infantryman assigned to 2nd Battalion, 22nd Infantry Regiment, 1st Brigade Combat Team. The 10th Mountain’s 1st BCT deployed to the Kirkuk region in northern Iraq in September.

Tran was born in Vietnam. He immigrated to Wisconsin and joined the Army in January. He completed basic and advanced individual training at Fort Benning, Ga., before he was assigned to 1st BCT at Fort Drum in August.

Law enforcement officials in Wisconsin are investigating Tran’s death. He is survived by his daughter, parents and sister, all of whom live in Racine.
http://www.armytimes.com/news/2007/11/army_soldier_death_071128w/

New PTSD group at YouTube

Speaking out on PTSD
PTSD is a wound. No one would be ashamed of a bullet wound. Why be ashamed of this wound? End the silence and break the stigma. More than you know suffer from this wound. Trauma is Greek for wound.
Tags:
ptsd post traumatic stress combat wound soldiers veteran Created: November 27, 2007Videos: 8 Members: 1 Discussions: 0 You are the owner of this group. Member since November 27, 2007

I set up this group for people to share PTSD videos (not just mine but I am pushing mine since I spend a couple of weeks just putting them together) because the more we focus on PTSD, share, learn from each other, the weaker the stigma gets. It is to support each other. If you plan on going in there and attacking anyone, I zap you out of the group faster than you can remember your password. This group is for us, the families and for the veterans, or anyone who has PTSD. It is to learn and support. Feel free to pass this on. All are welcome as long as you can remember compassion.

Homeless veteran joins protest ahead of CNN GOP YouTube debate

November 27, 2007
Homeless protest continues amid calm
ST. PETERSBURG -- About 25 homeless people and their advocates remained across the street from the Mahaffey Theater this morning in preparation for Wednesday's GOP presidential debate.

The men and women, with their blankets and sleeping bags spread across the sidewalk near First Street and Fourth Avenue S, said Monday's tensions with the city had mostly evaporated. They began their day eating donated Dunkin Donuts and Starbucks coffee outside the Hilton's Spa Olimpia.

"Things are going well,'' said Eric Rubin, an advocate for the homeless.

On Sunday, demonstrators set up outside the theater, the site of the CNN/YouTube Republican presidential debate for a four-day protest. They plan to stay through Thursday morning.

Many of the demonstrators believe the city's rules toward the homeless are too harsh and are upset about a new tent city set to open next weekend far from downtown, at 49th Street N and 126th Avenue.

click post title for the rest

Pathways provides a place to call home

Tuesday, November 27, 2007

Pathways sweeps homeless clients into an apartment within two weeks. And it never threatens to take that home away.
Honestly, it was hard to reconcile this with my own idea that nothing comes free and working hard and making something of oneself is completely the individual's responsibility, but I have become a firm believer in this approach for at least two reasons that leap immediately to mind. First, the financial impact to society overall is less when all things are considered in the costs associated with the Homeless who are on the street full time, since these folks traditionally use a disproportionate amount of expensive services for things regular folk are able to address in conventional and far less costly ways. Second, and perhaps most importantly, until one has shelter, all other things take a back seat, regardless of whether one must have those "other things" in order to find shelter in the first place.


By Steve(Steve) Street wants Andre to participate in an all-day counseling and activity program for homeless veterans. "I want to see you in that program every day," he says. "It will give you something to do, and keep you out of trouble. ...Stone Soup Station - http://stonesoupstation.blogspot.com/

Mark Beatty, a 56-year-old homeless veteran, body identified

Body found near giraffe figurine identified

Corrinne Hess Daily Herald
Tuesday, November 27, 2007
Remains found earlier this month in a Lake County forest preserve have been identified as those of Mark Beatty, a 56-year-old homeless veteran.

The body found near this figurine has been identified as a homeless veteran.
Lake County Coroner Richard Keller said while DNA comparisons are still pending, he is confident the body is Beatty's.

"A large number of people have come forward, to the point where we are assured the guy who was living in that area was indeed Mark Beatty," Keller said.

Keller believes Beatty died about a month before his body was discovered Nov. 18 in the Greenbelt preserve near Park City.

"I don't know for sure what the cause of death was, but he was recently diagnosed with terminal (lung) cancer," Keller said. "It certainly could have been natural causes."

The body was found near a brown and tan giraffe figurine, clothing and remnants of a tent, Keller said.

The 14-inch figurine was one of the clues that led family members to contact the coroner's office.

Members of the Beatty's Arizona family knew he purchased the figure at a thrift store and planned to give it to his mother, Keller said.
http://www.beepcentral.com/story.aspx?story=20306

Iraq duty haunts West grad

Iraq duty haunts West grad
Ex-Marine deals with brain injury, stress disorder
BY MIKE FITZGERALD
News-Democrat
BELLEVILLE --In a sense, the first chapter of James Sperry's return home for good is set to begin this afternoon.
That's when Sperry, 22, plans to drive south from his parents' west Belleville house to the Jefferson Barracks V.A. Medical Center in south St. Louis County.
There, on the hospital's sprawling campus overlooking the Mississippi River, he will walk into a plain, three-story structure known as Building No. 50.
On the second-floor, the ex-Marine lance corporal will have his first meeting with counselors at the hospital's newly opened clinic for Iraq War veterans with post-traumatic stress disorder, or PTSD.
go here for the rest
http://www.bnd.com/homepage/story/189506.html