This is Why Veterans Are Homeless

Serving our country is no walk in the park and the hardships that come after aren’t any easier.

Homelessness has become a really big problem and it raises one really important question.

“Why are Veterans homeless?”

You can come up with many different answers but we all know that there is not just one of them.

Without stereotyping, judging, or attacking one issue, I want to give you my perspective from an actual Veteran’s point of view.

I was not living on the streets and I never held a sign due to desperate times but I did end up living back at my mom’s place.

There are many factors that contributed to that situation and it is the same when it comes to other Veterans who have gone through the same hard times.

So if you are wondering why Military Veterans are typically the best candidates for being homeless, I would like to share my two cents.

Table of Contents

Why Veterans Are Homeless

No one really knows what veterans go through unless, of course, you are one.

There are so many specialists that try to help but there is only so much that they can do.

Call us stubborn or whatever you want to call it, veterans are definitely different.

Not in a good or bad way but in a way that only we can understand.

So Why are veterans homeless?

Let me go over some of the reasons why our brothers and sisters that have served go through such a thing.

Financial Struggles

Finances are the more obvious reason why veterans are homeless.

It is almost common sense but it’s something beyond our control.

Although we knew that our income will change and/or stop, there are other things we worried about, especially after a deployment.

Income change is a big one and finding a job is not usually the first thing we think about when we end our term of service.

Thankfully there are some states that offer unemployment, so you might want to check out some of the benefits that come with that.

Some veterans aren’t so lucky and their state/territory might not offer such a thing.

This of course will lead to financial struggles right off the bat.

Job Issues

Working with others is a serious problem I have and it is also why I started an affiliate marketing business instead.

I never noticed how I acted and I would have never did if I never got the proper help.

For 5 years I worked at a job that I absolutely loved.

There was one problem though.

I was getting into problems with my co-workers.

Not just co-workers but those of the opposite gender.

Not because that’s how it is but because my job consisted of a lot more females than males.

These co-workers tried to control what I did (even if they weren’t my boss) and I could not handle it.

Arguments ensued and the anger held in eventually came out.

Things ended with my co-workers crying and me looking like an a-hole.

I’m sure other vets deal with the same nonsense and this is just another reason why there is a lot of homelessness when it comes to veterans.

This is bound to happen and it is something we can’t really control.

I ended up quitting after just 5 years but someone had to do something about the issues in the workplace.

Integration Issues

Getting a job is one thing but being able to get back into civilian life is a completely different animal.

Sometimes a job can be the right fit and you can get with other people that understand the type of person you have become.

Now having to deal with other “normal” people is quite the challenge.

Some of us think that everyone is crazy and it’s them.

Whatever the case may be or whoever the problem is, something is not right.

Things aren’t “gelling” and more conflict arises.

I found this to be a huge problem when I got out of the military and other vets have experienced the same.

Not being able to integrate will cause a lot of problems and homelessness is definitely one of them.

Mental Health Issues

Every single thing mentioned above can contribute to one’s mental health.

Veterans deal with this a lot more than any other profession, even if we don’t like to hear it.

Not going to cover much on this one, as I also don’t like to talk about it.

Just know that there are many mental issues that veterans have to deal with and this is probably the biggest contributing factor as to why veterans are homeless.

Conclusion – Understand and Help

Veterans have issues but some will not reach out for help.

Even if there are many services that cater to veterans, some will not utilize them and some flat-out know nothing about them.

So if you know a vet (especially if they are homeless), please let them know that there is help out there.

A lot of it.

You can start by checking out the Homeless Veterans Assistance Center for issues regarding employment, healthcare, and mental issues.

If you are about to become homeless, check out this link today.

There are also other programs that offer help with getting furniture, assistance with vehicle repair, and a bunch of other things that are completely free to veterans.

I never knew about them until I decided to seek help for my mental state.

If you still have your pride in your back pocket, today will be a great day to head to your nearest vet center.

Take advantage of what is offered and let’s help stop/prevent homelessness among veterans.