Why Our Veterans Are Still Left Behind and How Housing Can Save Lives
Trigger Warning: This article contains graphic depictions of war and the aftermath of war, including violence, disabilities, homelessness, and suicide. Please proceed with this thought in mind and contact your local crisis center if you are experiencing emotional trauma.
While significant progress has been made in addressing veteran homelessness, the recent surge that has led to a 12-year high is a cause for immediate concern. The question that looms large is whether we will prioritize housing solutions or continue to allocate resources to weapons and temporary fixes.
The Perilous State of Modern Warfare
High-tech lasers traverse the skies. Warheads pierce the open seas. Unmanned drones flock over city streets and hospitals like vultures swarming in anticipation of mass death. Such is the prospect of modern wars waged by an elite system that seems to value power over people in every way. But what of the soldiers on the battlefield? Are they merely cannon fodder, strategically placed to absorb the aftershocks, serving as sponges to soak up the radiation?
Sophisticated weaponry was presented, at least initially, as a solution to the sheer brutality of armed combat, a way of reducing the bloodshed. Yet, studies show that US military soldiers who enlisted on or after 2001 are much more likely to be permanently injured and left disabled in the wake of this so-called sophistication.
According to data gathered by the Veterans Benefits Administration, it isn’t just the number of veteran disabilities that has skyrocketed in the past 20+ years, but also the severity of military injuries.
Modern US vets who were members of active military service after September 2001 exhibited cumulative disability ratings of 60% or higher at rates that nearly doubled the rates of soldiers from the recent past. They’ve seen a drastic drop in financial security combined with a surge in veteran unemployment. All of these factors filter in to exacerbate veteran homelessness.
The numbers are in. We are not winning the battle. We are not winning the war. Veteran homelessness is at a 12-year high.
Vets Are at a Higher Risk of Homelessness Than People Who Never Served in the Militia
It’s a stark reality that while US military veterans make up only 6% of the general population, they account for 7% of the homeless population. This overrepresentation is a clear sign of the need for more equitable solutions.
It’s important to note that even within homelessness, the veteran’s struggle differs from that of other subpopulations in the demographic. Veterans are more likely to suffer from physical and mental disabilities. They are more likely to be unsheltered and lack the necessary identifying documents to access aid. Even veterans who do have access to aid are likely to wait longer for it and ultimately be denied potentially life-saving medications.
A lot of this stems from the fact that US veterans are more likely to be living unsheltered in spaces unfit for human habitation. As the push to criminalize homeless people increases, they become disproportionately more likely to lose their identifying documents and prescription medications in homeless encampment sweeps. This increases the likelihood that they will remain on the streets even longer – a lifetime of agony awaiting.
Boston University School of Social Work associate professor Thomas Byrne found a potential correlation between poverty and military service dating back to when the militia switched from mandatory service to active volunteerism.
There is some evidence implying that post 9-11, enlistment in the military was an act of desperation for impoverished youths, meaning the individuals who signed up at that time were already more likely to become homeless due to their socioeconomic status. They wrongly asserted that joining the armed forces would reduce their risk of poverty and homelessness because that was the case for previous generations of soldiers.
However, this strategy backfired because enlistment only increased those unfavorable odds. This understanding could explain why younger veterans are more likely to exit war and go directly into homelessness rather than spiraling into the unhoused community years or even decades after service, as had been the national trend.
“We’re definitely witnessing an influx of homeless veterans at the crisis center,” said Clinical Supervisor Bruce Lockett, who oversees a Philadelphia-based mobile crisis unit that operates around the clock providing mental health services. “You can see the frustration in their eyes.”
“They feel let down by the system, and rightly so,” he continued. “They are waiting months, sometimes years, for their needs to be addressed. This can lead to all sorts of adverse effects, including mental breakdowns, attempts at self-medication, or even suicide ideation.”
For context, people enduring homelessness are 16 times more likely to die suddenly and nine times more likely to commit suicide than members of the general population.
Experts Say Affordable Housing Could Drastically Reduce Veteran Homelessness
Although veteran homelessness presents different obstacles than other subtypes, experts claim affordable housing is the most effective resolution for this population, as well as the general population. For all homeless people, providing affordable housing is the best option.
Given the financial insecurity and lack of employment younger veterans face, researchers claim that affordable housing combined with temporary financial assistance could simultaneously improve housing and health outcomes, a prospect that could benefit us all on a national level.
Talk to Your Legislators About the Human Right to Housing
Ask them why it has yet to be legislated. Affordable housing is the key to the homeless crisis, yet it is the only fix rarely presented in legislative policy. Talk to your representatives about drafting laws that make housing a human right for former soldiers and for all.
