Honor the Loss of Our Troops by Helping Those Who Return Home

As the sad news of the loss of 30 Americans in Afghanistan was broadcast over the news Saturday, my heart went out to their loved ones, most of whom had been anxiously waiting for their return.

The day is now infamously etched in the minds of their families, as well as our country, as the number of lives taken was the most in a single day since the war began over a decade ago. When the news was released, I thought about the families, but I was also reminded of the soldiers who return to America after their service ends only to become homeless.

As we mourn these brave men, perhaps we should also think about our veterans who have survived, only to end up on the road to becoming homeless. Saturday, I read a comment that was posted on an article about a foundation that will be built by the father of Amy Winehouse in an effort to help those who struggle with substance abuse. The comment said something to the effect of, "How dare you write about this when 30 veterans have been killed."

How about all of the veterans that become drug and/or alcohol addicts to ease their emotional and physical pain that often accompanies deployment in wartime?

Honoring the memory of these soldiers by supporting our veterans who return home, is the best possible way to remember them.

Did you know that as of May, there are 10,000 veterans from the Iraq and Afghanistan wars who are homeless? This figure doesn't include the homeless veterans from our previous wars, dating back to Vietnam. Approximately 1/3 of all homeless people are veterans.

The unemployment rate for veterans is double that of a civilian, at 20 percent. Many veterans return home with scars, and not just from physical injuries. They come home with mental illness related to the stress of combat.

If a soldier has a family to come home too, often times, compromised mental health plays a part in separating the veteran from his support system. Marriages end in divorce, and often times, the veteran turns to alcohol or drugs in an effort to relieve the pain. Ultimately, many soldiers end up losing everything they have.

Women now make up 13 percent of homeless veterans, and most are desperate for help with addiction in addition to finding a place to live. Female soldiers are also four times as likely to become homeless over their male counterparts.

Melissa Tyner is an attorney in Los Angeles who helps to provide free legal representation to homeless veterans. She says, "It's shameful. Veterans coming back with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) are one of the reasons why we see a huge number of veterans who are homeless."

And with all of the troops that will be returning home from the Middle East in large numbers, the situation will continue to get worse.

It will take individual communities to make a difference in these distressing numbers. The best way to honor the brave men and women who fight for our country, is to become directly involved in a community effort to help rebuild their lives.