Tampa's Homeless veterans (2014, hotels, new home)

[TampaKaren]

This just breaks my heart

Number of homeless veterans in the area spikes

[BucFan]

Originally Posted by TampaKaren

This just breaks my heart

Number of homeless veterans in the area spikes

It's only going to get worse, imo.

Can you imagine the next 25-50 yrs when these 20 yr olds who fought in Iraq and Afghanistan become oldtimers. We're going to have a major crises for their well being including health care. The current VA mess in Phoenix might be the tip of the iceberg. And the cost to the country to care from these vets will be enormous and a serious drain.

[Christinerica]

This very sad that in the richness of America, especially in a military town. How soon we forget those that stood up for us.

[jambo101]

I dont know why people sign up for the military as you put your life on the line for your country and what do you get in return? a lousy pay, a VA that ignores you and for some reason a large number of service personel take their own lives and your country will do next to nothing if you become homeless

[BucFan]

Originally Posted by jambo101

I dont know why people sign up for the military as you put your life on the line for your country and what do you get in return? a lousy pay, a VA that ignores you and for some reason a large number of service personel take their own lives and your country will do next to nothing if you become homeless

A lot if not most of what you posted is inaccurate. There are millions and millions of well adjusted ex-military who have absolutely no residual effects from being in a combat zone (Vietnam, Afghanistan, Iraq, Balkans, WWII, Korea). I know many of them who've been able to continue on afterwards in the military or civilian jobs without problems whatsoever. I think the majority of Service Members do okay. Pay isn't lousy if you look at the combined benefits (housing, subsistence, clothing, basic pay). The retirement system is very good (pay and health care). The educational benefits, if you use them appropriately, are very good.

I found that many of the people who left the military and had problems should never have been allowed to be in the military due to a variety of personal issues - and these issues become pronounced/magnified after being under the stress of being in the military.

There are a lot of resources in place for military members - they have to take advantage of them and have a post-military plan. Some/many leave the military without a clue and suffer the consequences through being homeless.

The VA Hospital System might be the largest single health care system in the world (I'd have to research this - but I bet I'm not far from accurate). The issues that have surfaced in Phoenix really do a disservice to all the great care that has been provided by VA clinics and hospitals around the country.

[BucFan]

The military says that its suicide rate remains lower than that of America's civilian population. The AP cites the Pentagon as saying "the civilian suicide rate for males aged 17-60 was 25 per 100,000 in 2010, the latest year for which such statistics are available. That compares with the military's rate in 2012 of 17.5 per 100,000."

U.S. Military's Suicide Rate Surpassed Combat Deaths In 2012 : The Two-Way : NPR

[jambo101]

Originally Posted by Matt518

You're a "$500 Winner" and you make ignorant posts like that?

Just going by what i read and watch on media,, Seems pay is so low that many of the enlisted have to apply for food stamps.
Suicide rates are high and many returning soldiers return home have difficulty finding jobs and many become homeless, not much of a payback for your service IMO

http://www.cnn.com/2013/09/21/us/22-...uicides-a-day/

http://thinkprogress.org/economy/201...amps-military/

http://www.nationalhomeless.org/fact.../veterans.html

[BucFan]

Having lived the military life for 20+ yrs, I witnessed so many members of the military living well beyond their means. They're buying new BMWs, large $30-40k SUVs, buying new homes when knowing they're going to move in 2-3 years and have to sell them. I could go on. Many have large families when their finances can't support that. Members get use financial reimbursement for travel - when the gov't moves a family they pay for household goods, vehicle and temporary hotels. If I looked into the budgets of family members on food stamps, I bet I could find a huge number of unnecessary purchases (big screen TV, cars, vacations). Also, some Soldiers enter the military with huge families because they couldn't find work in the private sector - the military pay at lower enlisted level (ie private in the Army) may have a hard time supporting a family of five or six. Most privates in the Army are 18-20 yr olds without kids. In all my time in the Army, I never had a problem with what I was getting paid - of course I managed my money pretty well, too.

I refuse to depend on Fox, CNN, MSNBC for my news. I try to listen to a combination of several sources. I find all of them sensationalize their news a bit to attract viewers.

[BucFan]

Originally Posted by Matt518

You're a "$500 Winner" and you make ignorant posts like that?

Disagree - poster is one of the best on CDF.

[todd00]

Originally Posted by jambo101

I dont know why people sign up for the military as you put your life on the line for your country and what do you get in return? a lousy pay, a VA that ignores you and for some reason a large number of service personel take their own lives and your country will do next to nothing if you become homeless

Ask yourself why young people go into the military? They can't afford the high costs and increases of college tuition and through the military can continue school. They can get some experience, on the job training that will be useful after they get out. Those are two of the main reasons people sign up. That doesn't make sense to you? Maybe it would if you were in a position where you may have no other way to continue school and see training and experience in a particular position as useful down the road. Some sign up with the idea of making it a career, going in as a young person and retiring in 20 years, some have second careers after that. You do realize that not everyone that signs up is in a combat position don't you? There are people in admin support positions, folks that work in the hospitals, folks that work in tech positions. You don't really know much about this subject at all.

Should we be surprised by the number of homeless vets given the majority of new jobs are low end types and better jobs disappearing and being outsourced overseas. This has been the trend for many years now and as the middle class and working poor continue to be squeezed, I don't expect things to get better. We are moving toward a rich or poor type of country.