Can We End Veterans Homelessness?

I was talking to Gerard last week about veteran’s homelessness. Gerard was tasked to create a plan for the homeless veteran’s population in our state and he was seeking input. He was using his extensive veterans network to gather the needed information and ideas from people who work with veterans. We discussed various reasons veterans are homeless and why living quarters offered didn’t work for some. There are multiple reasons some veterans live in homelessness. Some just want to be left alone, some don’t want any responsibility, some don’t want to give up their pets, and some have mental health issues. For most veterans there are options for them to get out of homelessness if they want, but some veterans choose to be homeless.

There are veterans who want to be homeless. They don’t want the responsibility of taking care of others, house payment, rent, car payments, electrical bills, etc. Without these bills they often feel safe and free of societal pressures, they can live their lives on their terms. Many veterans have seen that it’s possible to live happily without material things. Traveling the world and seeing how it is possible to not have the responsibility or stress can look appealing. There are those veterans who find a way to be alone and happy.

When I was in Alaska there were a lot of Vietnam Veterans who lived in the “bush” not wanting to live in society. Many of these veterans decided to live on their own in Alaska’s wilderness without the pressures of normal life. They built their cabins and live a substance lifestyle; their only need is taking care of themselves. All they had to do was come out of the woods two to three times a year to get supplies and their mail and go back into the wilderness. They chose to be away from the pressures of society, usually because of their PTSD. This lifestyle is normal in Alaska, they were not considered homeless by Alaskans, they were like so many others who came to Alaska, they just wanted to be left alone. With Alaska’s vastness an individual can live in the woods without the law or landowners bothering them, many homesteaded the land, giving them the right to live there. There are very few places in the lower 48 where a person can go into the wilderness and be left alone, so unlike Alaska, they end up on the streets. But one of the biggest issues for homeless veterans is their mental health, many suffer from Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) and have nowhere to go because of their PTSD.

One of the constant battles we face when dealing with homeless veterans are mental health issues and drug use. Many veterans who have PTSD and suffer from addiction have burned their bridges with their family, friends, and society, leaving them little option but to be homeless. Often homeless veterans housing options are limited, especially for those who have addiction and PTSD. Those housing options that are available refused services to some because they have a history of being unable to control their PTSD symptoms or drug use, they become too much or a liability to others in the home. As a society we don’t have an easy way to help our veterans with mental disorders, particularly PTSD. Often veterans use alcohol or drugs to numb their pain and deal with their PTSD, creating a bigger issue. Their PTSD is why they refuse to give up their animals and move into a shelter, the animals are their safety blanket.

To the homeless their dog is their safety. Their dog allows them to sleep at night because they are their guard. Their dog’s acute hearing and smell keep them safe by staying alert while they are asleep. Their dog is like their security guard, so they can sleep and not have to fear being attacked while they are asleep, because the dog will wake them up. The unwillingness to give up their animals limit their options when it comes to finding a place to live.

For most veterans they have shelter options, there are always places veterans can go if their willing. So often the available housing options are not feasible for them and they choose to be homeless. Setting a goal of not having homeless veterans is unrealistic. Some veterans choose to be homeless, whether it is because they want to be alone, don’t want responsibility, don’t want to quit their drug addiction, or don’t want to give up their dogs, either way they are choosing to be homeless. We can’t help someone who does not want to be helped, all we can do is keep offering until they accept or pass.

For questions or comments, I can be reached at bo@afterdutyvets.com or visit our website at afterdutyvets.com.