I doubt anyone takes the trouble to find out how many died in the cold winter this year. It is less likely here where winters are usually milder, but this one was exceptional. The veterans often have ID and are identifiable, not that anyone checks. The bodies show up at various county morgues as they thaw.
It is what leads up to it that is better hidden. When a veteran is identified as 'homeless' he is put in the 'homeless veteran program.' Sounds impressive, like someone is doing something. In this program many of them get a 'non-service connected pension, just over $1000 a month. So far, so good. Then the 'social workers' 'place' them. This means they are lied to about a motel room that is '$800 a month.' Ok, really it is $200 a week. Still thinking? Every second or third month they have to pay a fifth time, or the whole money they get. The 'social workers' tell them a lot of guys are making that work, then tell them they have not managed their money right. What were they supposed to eat? It is across the river. How are they supposed to manage the bus ride and still have food, much less most months, but on the $1000 months?
After ending up on the street again they get told they have mismanaged their money and get into a different program. This time it is an apartment for $675 a month, with utilities in the summer of about another $100. Not quite $800, but a guarantee they can not have a phone, a monthly bus pass, and still have anything to eat. They are told they can get food stamps. Ya, all $15 worth of food stamps. Like that changes the problem.
When I was in the program I was counseled that I had abused the program because I paid my insurance and child support and had not saved what they thought was enough money. So the program is to put the veteran in a place he can not afford, with a pile of bills waiting to fall on him, and tell him he is not managing his money effectively.
Like me, most of them drop out after a while and just do without. I will not tell you which garage, but living in a garage it about works.
This is bad enough, but what happens under the "health care" is a lot worse. I have medical evidence I have been misdiagnosed, and as is customary, they stopped one view short of enough to properly diagnose my problem. I learned from other veterans that the only way I will get past this is to get outside diagnostics and a letter from my senator. Evidently. I have gone as far up the administrative chain as I know how, and people have just shuffled some paperwork and laughed. I have been refused diagnosis on serious things like heart disease, as they refused to so much as test, and had them perform the steps they did do, wrong to prevent further effort. I have found doctors that refuse to use existing diagnostics they have done to diagnose properly, and refuse further effort.
If I did not have internet access this article could not have happened. Those living behind dumpsters and in the woods behind parks just give up and stop. Eventually they freeze or otherwise die.
I have made my best effort to stop young men from serving, trying to explain to them that this is how they get treated when they come home. When I got out I was told I didn't learn anything serving that anyone could use, and I could flip burgers for minimum wage. The "educational resources" were engineered to create debts I would never be able to repay. I ended up doing construction until I got too crippled to be able to do the work any more, and when I finally went to veterans 'services' I found out what a joke that is.
They will tell you they are trying, bringing up programs like Cedarwood. What they don't tell you is that program was full with a year waiting list when it opened. It was never intended to meet more than 5% of the need. They will tell you they "place" most of their veterans within two months. What they don't tell you is that most of them crash financially within a couple of months, and get abused for failing in programs that are certain to fail. They park veterans more than 50 miles from their medical help, and leave them to walk to get help.
I would not wish this on the enemies I fought. I am a bit confused at why a government asks us to serve, then throws us away like yesterday's trash when we return. I have said a country that treats it's warriors like this does not deserve freedom.
One parting shot. Our senators and congressmen like to roar in front of the news, but in session, they regularly defund veterans programs, and deny more than 90% of requests for veterans funding. I really don't need to hear more lies from people that never put their money where their mouth is.
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