Why Does Johnny Come Marching Homeless?

[Richard Tafoya]

AP:
http://www.abcnews.go.com/US/wireStory?id=4159240

Peter Mohan traces the path from the Iraqi battlefield to this lifeless conference room, where he sits in a kilt and a Camp Kill Yourself T-shirt and calmly describes how he became a sad cliche: a homeless veteran.


There was a happy homecoming, but then an accident car crash, broken collarbone. And then a move east, close to his wife's new job but away from his best friends.

And then self-destruction: He would gun his motorcycle to 100 mph and try to stand on the seat. He would wait for his wife to leave in the morning, draw the blinds and open up whatever bottle of booze was closest.

He would pull out his gun, a .45-caliber, semiautomatic pistol. He would lovingly clean it, or just look at it and put it away. Sometimes place it in his mouth.

"I don't know what to do anymore," his wife, Anna, told him one day. "You can't be here anymore."

...


This is not a new story in America: A young veteran back from war whose struggle to rejoin society has failed, at least for the moment, fighting demons and left homeless.


But it is happening to a new generation. As the war in Afghanistan plods on in its seventh year, and the war in Iraq in its fifth, a new cadre of homeless veterans is taking shape.

[DoubleEdgeSword]

I'm so digusted with the V.A. I could just throw up. Here's the real life V.A. for ya':

Last night, my patient in the ER, a Vietnam Vet. Shattered his tib/fib so badly that his entire lower leg was so unstable that above the ankle, it was just flopping around. No insurance other than the V.A. He needed surgery. Called the V.A. to have him transferred. Here's what they told me, "He's not a priority veteran." He could walk in to thier ER on Monday and "wait his turn." Our doc explained that by then he would most likely have the circulation in his leg compromised. They still said no. We admitted him, of course. He'll now have a debt of at least $30,000, but he won't lose his leg.

If that's not enough, we also see recent vets, returning Iraq/Afghanistan vets, whose benefits haven't "kicked in" yet, as long as 9 months after discharge. Not just medical benefits, but all benefits.

Our government shoud be ashamed of the (non)treatment provided to these soldiers.

[pinky]

And yet "Support Our Troops" is a rallying cry. :greyno:

One more reason for this admnistration to be ashamed.