Homeless Veterans... A Hypothesis.

[caerbannogbunny]

One of the anti-recruitment kicking points is the high percentage of homeless people who are veterans. I am of the opinion, they are drawing the wrong conclusion from this correlation. Let me tell you why and ask your opinions on the issue

Comments

[iluvrob20]

it most often has to do with a lack of social support, mental health and substance abuse issues, inability to translate their military MOS to a civilian job, or legal or financial issues surrounding their separation from the military or shortly thereafter.

I think it has very little to do with the military propensity to take baby wipe showers during deployments. I think that the survival skills that are learned in the military help them to be fairly self sufficient during their time on the streets more then the average homeless person, but i wouldn't put causation to the correlation.

[caerbannogbunny]

Exactly what I'm talking about!

The correlation isn't the cause and much more so for veterans. I'm suggesting the survival skills/mentality/experience makes the consequences--as seen by some veterans--of homelessness less costly than trying to comply with the social expectations... Whether it's an inability/lack of desire to transition military MOS to civilian job*, legal or financial issues, etc.

* - Something I totally disagree with--in concept--after working with many, many vets and vets not working "in their MOS". Most of them got hired--often by other vets--and kept based on a shared work ethic and discipline. Still, that's only my experience.

[caerbannogbunny]

Um... not to put too fine of a point on it, but are you a homeless veteran or a veteran in a really bad social situation?

[caerbannogbunny]

Also a good question. Something to define. What sort of condition would push someone into being homeless?

I mean, the point is, what you think might change based on your experiences and your situation. For example, I have friends that see someone bleeding and freak out over it. Don't even know what to start with. It doesn't bother me. I start looking for a way to dress the injury, treat for shock as appropriate, and get help moving if need be.

My experiences and their experiences impact our reactions in the same situation to make for different ways of thinking.

See?

[caerbannogbunny]

IF I or my friend ever get to run this, I've learned a number of things to consider I hadn't come up with yet.

So far, so good.