Each Veterans Day, Americans unite to honor the men and women who have selflessly risked their lives for our country. While we may host parades, deliver speeches and share messages of gratitude across social media– a deep and troubling contradiction lies behind this fanfare. In 2023, a sickening 7.4% increase in veteran homelessness was reported by VA News.
It is important to discuss how and why American veterans are experiencing homelessness in the first place– especially as these are men and women who willingly sacrificed their well-being in service of our nation’s ideals. The struggles of these individuals to find shelter, health care and necessities are both a tragedy and a betrayal of the promises made to them.
There is a complete lack of accommodations for veterans adapting to civilian life. Veterans face many barriers that prevent them from seeking employment or limit their ability to work. Many often return from service bearing invisible wounds: post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), depression and other mental health issues that can make it difficult to reintegrate into civilian life. Likewise, many suffer from physical injuries that limit their ability to work, while others battle addiction, often as a result of untreated trauma or pain.
The question remains of who needs to address this issue. The responsibility to address this crisis lies with the U.S. government and military. The government has a moral and ethical obligation to fulfill the promises made to every service member when they enlist: a promise to safeguard their health, their safety and their dignity.
This obligation is not just a matter of honor but a reflection of the core values we hold as a nation. To ignore the suffering of those who served is to diminish the ideals they fought to defend. There is an overwhelming number of obvious supports that can be upgraded for veterans. Mental health services, rehabilitation facilities and counseling programs are necessary for those who have served in the armed forces to return to their normal lives. These solutions are entirely within reach. The U.S. spends billions on defense each year; surely, we can allocate a fraction of that to defend the well-being of veterans who are no longer on the front lines but are struggling with their own battles here at home.
Our veterans deserve a life of dignity and respect, not the uncertainty and suffering that too many now face. It is just as much the government’s responsibility to nurture and protect veterans after they have served as it is for them to recruit and send them into our defense. How can someone be expected to protect and serve with no guarantee of their protection after the fact?
Donations can to United States veterans can be made at voa.org.
