WELCOME

 

Veteran's Day Special for Miller's Vets

On November 11, in commemoration of Veteran's Day, the Miller's Vets drill team was a part of several area events: The first took place at the American Legion Post 50 on Bendix Drive. Miller's Vets Posted the Colors, and addressed the audience with a short presentation. Later, the men and women of Miller's Vets joined students, faculty and guests of the Granger Christian Church in a special ceremony honoring our nation's vets. Finally, there was a very moving presentation at Healthwin Nursing Center with Judge Robert L. Miller, Sr., coordinator of the Center's Miller's Vets program. Judge Miller discussed his experiences on the USS Essex. This concluded with Miller's Vets presenting ceremonial military honors for a recently deceased World War II veterans.

National Statistics on Homeless Veterans

Nationally, the statistics are sobering. Current population estimates suggest that about 131,000 veterans (male and female) are homeless on any given night and perhaps twice as many experience homelessness at some point during the course of a year. Many other veterans are considered near homeless or at risk because of their poverty, lack of support from family and friends, and dismal living conditions in cheap hotels or in overcrowded or substandard housing. The population at the Center for the Homeless mirrors these national statistics.

At the Center, approximately one quarter of our population was active in the Armed Forces. We see vets from every segment of our Armed Forces and from every war and occupation on which the United States has been a part.

Right now, the number of homeless male and female Vietnam era veterans is greater than the number of service persons who died during that war -- and a small number of Desert Storm veterans are also appearing in the homeless population. Epidemiologic studies do not suggest that there is a causal connection between military service, service in Vietnam, or exposure to combat and homelessness among veterans. Family background, access to support from family and friends, and various personal characteristics (rather than military service) seem to be the stronger indicators of risk of homelessness.

Almost all homeless veterans are male (about ten percent are women), the vast majority are single, and most come from poor, disadvantaged backgrounds. Homeless veterans tend to be older and more educated than homeless non-veterans. But similar to the general population of homeless adult males, about 45% of homeless veterans suffer from mental illness and (with considerable overlap) slightly more than 70% suffer from alcohol or other drug abuse problems. Roughly 56% are African American or Hispanic.

If you would like to speak to us about homeless veterans, or any of the activities surrounding this important day, please contact Steve Camilleri, executive director, at 282-8700 x 309.

For further resources on homeless veterans, visit http://www1.va.gov/homeless/

For more info, visit www.millersvets.com