ISSUE ONE / March 2011

CONTENTS
Help for the forgotten Introduction Consider Homeless Veterans Recent History More difficulties Time Travel Multiple Deployments 97% are disconnected Can a shelter help? Back to Homeless Veterans A New Approach! House the Homeless Help house the Homeless Will you help?

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Help for the Forgotten
I spent much of my life ignoring the plight of the Homeless Veteran. I was concerned with no one but myself, just like so many of us. In 2010 their plight struck me like a bolt of lightning! Now, even though I was homeless myself for a short while, I cant get the sight of a Veterans Camp outside of Chapel Hill out of my mind, and the Veterans who have been abandoned by all of us. I wrote this paper in the hope that it will reach deep into your heart and help you remember our Homeless Veterans. THIS IS NOT A SOLICITATION OF FUNDS! It is a hope that perhaps you can find a way to help us develop and plan this Pride in Self Program.

Homeless Veterans in North Carolina Need our help!

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Introduction
I am writing this as a non-professional. No degree in Mental Health, Social Services, Psychology or any other discipline. In fact, no degree of any kind! I am simply a Viet Nam Era combat Veteran suffering from PTSD and having lived for a short time in an abandoned building without heat, water, lights, toilet, etc. One last comment. I am a brat, and so I have perhaps a wider perspective on the difficulties of the service man or woman. Lets consider the Homeless Veteran, understanding the statements in this document are mine alone, and in no way a reflection of any other individual or agency. Respectfully, Pat Lloyd www.nc-vets.org Pat@nc-vets.org 919-559-1057

Consider Homeless Veterans

Theyve lost their spouse, children and sense of purpose! Leading to a Loss of Pride and Sense of Self! Veterans joined the military for a variety of reasons; a sense of duty; to follow in the footsteps of fathers or uncles; to earn money for college; and often as a career choice. These young men and performing their duties as a women experienced a growing sense of pride and after months of training gained their initial proficiency in an assigned MOS (Military Occupational Specialty). Equally important, they had grown in maturity and were capable of member of the armed forces.

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Recent History
Since the Vietnam Conflict, there has been a change in the perspective of our service men and women! In the conflicts of the early 20th Century, our entire and committed to a successful conclusion of any military conflict. Beginning with Vietnam, only a small percentage (3%?) of the populace was involved and committed to its successful conclusion. President Nixon made the decision to end the draft and replace the Citizen Military with a professional military of volunteers. This action was directed at placating the populaces concern their children might be called upon to serve in future conflicts. President Nixons action unanticipated consequences. created two as US Forces evolved into a . Approval of Congress appears to be no longer required as our military metamorphosed into police and our presidents became a police chief and in more direct command of our military. consider Vietnam 1965-75, Grenada - 1983, Panama - 1989, Iraq - 1990, Somalia - 1992, Bosnia - 1995 , Afghanistan 2001 and finally Iraq - 2003. Hope I didnt miss any! But Im confident therell be more to come in the future! The important aspect of these actions by a succession of Presidents is the impact these decisions had on the 3% of the population serving as the as well as the general population of the country, the remaining 97%. Intentionally or not, the actions of our leaders beginning with President Richard Nixon which has not been addressed and is one of the major causes of many of the current social conditions within the country and especially in the negative impacts upon our military service men and women.

First, the general population was no longer called upon to participate in military actions of our country in any capacity, civilian or military. National sacrifice was no longer required of the remaining 97%. For the 97% life continued as usual. Second, our government began to use our military as a rather than a defense force for National conflicts only. Federal laws established in the beginning of our nation were circumvented

But my concern for now is for the Homeless Veteran!

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More Difficulties
The greatest difficulties for members of our military and our veterans are fourfold: The passage of time has reduced members of Congress and the Senate with active duty service in our Military and those who witnessed the rigors of combat and its physical and mental impact on military personnel; than by a yellow ribbon decal declaring We support the troops or by cheering a flight of jets over a football field. Sadly, our citizens no longer relate without a son or daughter serving in our Military and there is no sign of future change. Members of the military and our veterans no longer feel as if they belong to mainstream society(?). It becomes more difficult to relate to life long friends and relatives who do not have shared experiences. As active duty personnel rotate into retirement or as veterans return to civilian life, recognition of the differences become more pronounced and the societal schism grows ever wider. One can point to this as a contributing factor as a cause of homelessness among some veterans.

Time, economics and governmental policies have divorced our citizens ( ) from our Military personnel and the experiences of Service. Many military age citizens are children of men and women who never expected to participate in Military Service. Few had stood in the rain, waiting to enjoy a meal as cold and wet as the rain! Men and women serving in our Military are often ignored by our citizens other

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Elliott Abrams - Think Tank Graduate

Paul Wolfowitz - Think Tank Graduate

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Time Travel!
I grew up in the Army, son of a combat veteran of WWII and Korea. When he returned from Korea, it was for he and his shipmates to reach the west coast. from combat and staying alive to home, family, jobs and civilian life and to their ! The return to civilian life was not as stressful as today as they on board ship to talk themselves back to a degree of normalcy by sharing experiences of WWII and Korea and sharing their dreams of the future back home stateside. I remember my return from Vietnam. I left from a hilltop in northwestern South Vietnam. In approximately 3-4 days I went from a combat area to quiet and peaceful Raleigh, NC. The first thing I noticed was everyone was busy with their lives and not concerned with service men returning home from Vietnam. Its impossible in three short days to move from a dangerous combat zone to a family setting. And it begins with I Thus began a 40+ year solitary journey through PTSD destroying my life, my family, and my future all at the same time. I didnt know that I was not alone, as thousands of other veterans were experiencing similar life issues. The biggest lesson? The other 97% had no idea of what we experienced and were unable to relate to our difficulties. Consider returning Veterans of Iraq and Afghanistan! They experience the same rapid transition from a combat area to peaceful America where everyone seems busy with their lives and not overly concerned with returning MEMBERS OF THE WORLD POLICE FORCE. It has no outward impact on our fellow citizens world. But in 12 months or less, Veterans are expected to return to Iraq or Afghanistan with each tour strengthening the dangers of PTSD and its vicious effect on lives and families. There is no real need to explore why todays servicemen and women must be subjected to multiple deployments as we all understand the impact of the lack of a draft on the nation as a whole.

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Multiple Deployments!
Servicemen and women have no time to adjust to the return to the world of the other 97% who are not involved and have no stake in the Police Action. At the same time, preparations begin for the next deployment, you must worry about your family and yourself. Will you come home this time? Maybe, but youre going again in 12 months or less! Is this not similar to Water Torture? A form of torture that on the body of the victim. Sounds like PTSD! How about a death sentence as torture? The victim is strapped onto the gurney, the needles are hooked up and then a stay is granted and the victim is returned to the cell only to repeat the process sometime in the future, over and over! Sounds like PTSD! Time + Multiple Deployments = Stress My guess is that I would have preferred to stay until it was over rather than put myself and my family through the agony of multiple deployments, No Treatment = PTSD!

In WWII, servicemen and women were sent to Europe or the Pacific for the duration unless a million dollar wound or death stepped in the way. In Vietnam, military personnel served for 12-13 months and then returned to the US. This was possible because of the Military Draft and the fact that new draftees were graduating from high school each year. Once the pipeline was filled, there was a steady supply of replacements. Today, with a Professional Force of limited size and the absence of a draft, !

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97% are Disconnected!
begins at the bottom of the ramp. The first look around and the newly returned servicemen and women are immediately enveloped in a The thrill of seeing loved ones, will overpower the sense of disconnect, at least for a few days. The service men and women returning from exposure to heat and cold, to enemy fire, to roadside bombs, quickly discover to this world! They recognize they dont fit! They want to go back! The only place they feel they belong is with other Veterans who have experienced and are experiencing the hazards of life on deployment. We see Veterans who have suffered severe wounds being interviewed by reporters as many remark they want to get back to their unit! The reporters remark on the bravery and convictions of these wounded men and women. They fail to look past the heroic comments to learn the truth about why the want to go back to their unit. Simply to get away from the 97% who have no connections with our servicemen and women. So the Veteran wants to get back in their comfort zone with their own kind. But what about the wives and mothers who are left behind and must assume the role of mother and father, keep the family together regardless of the circumstances. Talking about circumstances, the Defense Commissary Agency reports that last year service families were redeeming food stamps at nearly twice the rate of the other 97%! Dependent wives and children share their spouses disconnect from the 97%. The service men or women are back with their units but must be concerned with their families back home. Children of servicemen and women become known as Military Brats and to varying degrees suffer similarly to their parents. Brats are shaped by moves, a culture of resilience, loss of friendships, never having a hometown, absence of a parent due to deployments, strong patriarchal authority, threat of parental loss in war, stresses associated with the psychological aftermath of war (living with war-affected returning veteran parents).

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A Vets Last Straw!
responsibility and the whole country depending upon them. Once more, lets talk about Homeless Veterans. Theyve lost spouse, children and their sense of purpose leading to a Loss of Pride and a sense of self! The question remains, how can a man or woman move from being a capable and proud member of the armed forces to living under a bridge or in a camp in the woods? How does a veteran find employment and support the family? The truth is few if any Veterans understand the process of Human Resource recruitment and hiring . The shock comes in the realization that the 97% (non-military) are not impressed by their duties in the service and they have no idea what a Military Occupational Specialty means. Imagine a Gunny Sargent (Platoon Sargent) who is responsible for training their platoon leader and caring for the welfare and lives of the 40 members of their platoon. A communication specialist; a veteran proficient in linguistics; a medic capable of unbelievable medical acts in the middle of a fire fight. An the list goes on! It doesnt seem to matter! All important positions requiring training, Two more important factors in Not service education, but college education. Age works both ways. The Veteran is too young or too old. How can a 50 year old man respond to a supervisor 20 years his junior? All these factors may determine what jobs Veterans, at least those in combat arms or service positions, medics, firemen, riflemen, etc, tend to prefer. Many seem to lean toward a job in a service position, i.e. Police, fire, EMT, etc. Having to accept a position a Veteran considers below his or her abilities is another step on the way to extreme depression. I knew an infantry company commander who was trying to sell sheet rock. He continued to remark that somehow sheet rock just did not seem that important, not after his role and responsibilities in the service. But whats he or she to do?

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Can a shelter help?
How can a provide assistance to a Homeless Veterans when shelter rules only permit overnight emergency shelter. What kind of requires that a man or woman to be out of the shelter by 8:30AM except for weekends? Yes, there are often long term dormitories providing 6 months to a number of Veterans willing to participate in a program intended to lead service men and women to self sufficiency. How can anyone lead a Veteran suffering from PTSD to self sufficiency in only 6 months? Ive been struggling with it for more than 20 years and Im still not self sufficient. Look at these shelters and place ourselves in the position of a homeless Veteran. If were lucky well get a cot to sleep on but we must be out by 8:30AM and we cant get back in until 5:30PM when we must compete for another cot for the night! Our first thought is what will we do with our stuff during the day? If we can get a back pack, we can put a minimum of our stuff in it because we must spend the day walking the streets with our pack on our back. Spending day after day like this, how will we protect our meager valuables? No, we dont mean jewelry....rather warm clothes that must be protected from younger and stronger fellow homeless men and women! Oh yes, we know that we must attend classes to move toward self-sufficiency. The problem? We sleep in one shelter and the classes are 2 miles away at another shelter so we walk back and forth all day! Finally we return to our home base hoping we can get a cot and a meal. Personally, I would prefer living in a camp in the woods and beg for food than be forced to live in a homeless shelter. My next choice would be jail. 3 hots and a cot and a place for my stuff! Homeless shelters have high sounding mission statements. Programs are intended to rekindle a desire to return to a meaningful and productive life. Yet the only mention of a Homeless Veteran is to comment that about 20% of the shelter population are Veterans. There doesnt seem to be any programs intended to address difficulties identified with Homeless Veterans specifically. One thing I do know!

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A New Approach!
The Pride in Self Program
The name of a non-profit 501c(3) is not important. Lets just call it No Name 501c(3). What is important is to address the difficulties for the Homeless Veterans present in todays service delivery. Priorities should be reviewed and edited eliminating some features and adding others, all intended to bring the 97% and the 3% back under one roof. 3. 4. 5. 6. Shelter Security Pride in Self (Self Esteem) Gainful Employment

The Mission
The mission of the No Name 501c(3) is to first and foremost return Pride in Self to the men and women of the Armed Forces who have experienced personal difficulties on their return to a peace-time environment here in North Carolina. This should be accomplished with our support and our respect for their sacrifice and those of their families! The Recovery Cycle shall entail a training and readjustment period of 24 months for each Veteran entering the Pride in Self Program, whose objectives are basic: Provide Veterans in the Research Triangle Area with: 1. Food 2. Clothing

Help Veterans regain their individual selfesteem including: 1. Regain their self-respect 2. Accept responsibility for actions 3. Regain their integrity 4. Regain pride in accomplishments 5. Become self motivated once again 6. Willing to take risks 7. Capable of receiving criticism 8. Loving and lovable 9 Take command and control of their lives. 10 Build a network of local and national veterans and corporations to support the effort: Larry Stogner - WTVD Jim Goodman - WRAL Smedes York - York Properties Hugh Little - Capital Associates Hugh Shelton - General (Retired) Chuck Hagel - Retired Senator Jim Webb - US Senator John D. Imus Jr. - Radio Person Eric K. Shinseki - Secretary VA Richard Eubank - VFW

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House the Homeless
The only way to successfully move the Homeless Veteran out from under bridges and out of the woods is to invite these Veterans to live in an area that offers attractive permanent housing (two years), adequate food and clothing, security from personal invasion, respect for their service, advocate their needs with outside agencies of the government (local, state and federal), and re-awaken their sense of responsibilities. Meeting these needs will give the Homeless Veteran a sense of shared responsibilities between the Veteran and the No Name 501c(3) and is known as the Pride in Self Program. For discussion lets return to the Army Unit Structure of WWII, Korea and Viet Nam. I.E. Each infantry company had its own company area, barracks, mess hall, orderly room and supply. Rather than 4 barracks with open bays, we suggest 4 dormitories. Two for single men housed in furnished rooms (similar to dormitory rooms) with bathrooms and lounge centered on each floor. One dormitory for single women with a shared bathroom between each room for 4 ladies. Finally, a dormitory for women and children. Each apartment will contain 2 bedroom apartments with a bathroom and kitchenette. Outside the women and childrens building will be a playground area for the children. Fronting the dormitories will be a dining hall (single story) as well as office and supply area (again, single story). The exact size and layout of each building will be determined by the 501c(3) Board of Directors and the architect selected to design the Pride in Self Campus. Because these facilities are attractive when compared to bridge supports, camps in the woods, or transitional shelters, all residents must within a designated period of time be free from alcohol and/or drug addiction. Pride in Self The first objective is to return Veterans to an organization in which each individual participant develops a sense of belonging thereby accelerating the return to Pride in Self. Responsibility The second objective is to re-introduce Veterans to Responsibility. To themselves, fellow residents, family and the general public. Veterans are required to participate in the management and maintenance of the facility.

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Help House the Homeless
Participation Veterans are required to participate in the management and maintenance of the facility. Ultimately, each Veteran will serve as advocates to program participants and develop training guides for each advocate position. Veterans serving as advocates with assist program participants with any state or federal agency tasked with providing services to veterans. Why inaction to now? Any sensible person would raise the question. Why wasnt this addressed by the Military Service while the Veteran was still on active duty? There seem to be many reasons: 1. Lack of funds 2. Lack of adequate services by the VA and other government agencies; 3. Lack of Leadership 4. Lack of commitment to the Homeless Veteran and Veterans in general; 5. No recognition of the immensity of the problems, and 6. Inability to relate, many of our leaders have never served. 7. Out of sight.......Out of mind! So who fills the gap? 1. Veteran organizations with good intentions as long as someone else acts first? 2. Local governmental agencies? 3. Hundreds of 501c(3) with good intentions but no plans! 4. Lack of military experience therefore inability to relate to Homeless Veterans. We must change the approach or the situation will never be eliminated! Such well publicized programs as the government goal of eliminating Homeless Veterans within five years will never happen, not in five or ten or even twenty! There is so much to be done!

Will you help?

Thank you for your interest.

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For Federal Medical Benefits from VA Hospitals, prior to Sept. 7, 1980 the Veteran must have served at least 180 days of active duty. After the above mentioned date, the Veteran must have served at least 24 months.

An individual who lacks a fixed, regular, and adequate night-time residence, or an individual who has a primary night time residence that is a supervised publicly or privately operated shelter designed to provide temporary living accommodations.

8004 Belgium Drive, Raleigh, NC 27606 Ph: (919) 926-0386 Fax (919) 439-5252 www.nc-vets.org

A person exposed to a traumatic event in which the person experienced, witnessed, or was confronted with an event or events that involved actual or threatened death or serious injury, or a threat to the physical integrity of self (I.e. Combat, friendly fire, being mortared or rocketed, wounded, captured, driving a truck on a mined road, flying in a helicopter that was shot at, jumping out of a helicopter into a hot LZ) or others.

11.2% (792,646) adults are Veterans of the Armed Services 35% of the NC population are active duty military, Veteran, Spouse, parent or dependent Estimates of homeless Veterans range from 1,589 to 6,000 111,000 of our Veterans receive disability benefits

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