Homeless Veterans Essay

To see a man on the street corner holding a cardboard with the words “Homeless veteran, please help” is a common sight. There are veterans who have no help and are alone. People often wonder what causes veterans to become homeless. Was it the lack of support? Was it substance abuse? Every veteran who becomes homeless has a different story, but the outcome is there are too many homeless veterans in America “In 2010, the Department of Veteran Affairs estimated that on any given night there were 76,000 homeless veterans sleeping on American streets” ("Veteran Homelessness Facts"). There are far too many veterans for a given night who have to sleep on the streets. Also to include, “Veterans make up 12% of the adult homeless population” (“11 Facts about Veterans”). What causes a veteran to become homeless? The causes for homeless veterans are the lack of support, lack of income, physical and mental health issues, and substance abuse. …show more content…
This may be from the lack of support from family or friends. When veterans return home they have to adjust back to civilian life. Sometimes it is hard because the world they once knew has changed forever. “Research shows that the greatest risk factors for homelessness are lack of support and social isolation after discharge” ("Vital Mission: Ending...”). It is hard for veterans to return back to civilian life because they have to get back into daily routines, identify any disabilities, and most importantly, look for employment. Without support from family and friends, veterans are lost and disconnected socially. To help veterans connect socially is a group effort that friends and family can provide. Surrounding the veteran with their friends and family is a simple way to help them ease back into social relations. But without support, veterans are likely to become