The Invisible Ones: Homeless Combat Veterans
hTwenty years ago, what has become an annual San Diego event known as ‘Stand Down' was staged for the first time. The impetus? The realization, way back then, that an inordinate number of men taking advantage of veterans' programs had no place of residence. That's right—homeless. And it's not just the veterans themselves; it's the families, too, living on the streets or in their cars. It appears that there are a lot more veterans living on the streets than most people know about.
The Invisible Ones is a 42-minute documentary about the more than 2,000 homeless American combat veterans living in San Diego County. Nationwide there are approximately 200,000. Close to forty percent of the homeless now are veterans, we are told, and the numbers are growing. And yet the country has not taken the steps needed to provide the assistance they need.
Many of these vets fought in Viet Nam or Korea, but there are homeless World War II vets on the streets as well. And now, soldiers discharged after coming back from Iraq and Afghanistan are finding themselves without the resources required to keep a job.
Living on the streets is tough. Living in your car is no picnic, either. You get harassed, thrown in jail, ignored. No one wants to see your plight. Polite society has a hard time accepting the fact that many individuals and families have ended up this way through no fault of their own—or maybe it's that we can't face the idea that there but for the grace of God go we?
Who are these scraggly men, women and children who have no place to go? No, they're not all mentally ill—but it doesn't take long to become deranged when you live as an outcast. A significant percentage are victims of post-traumatic stress disorder. They need help.
Stand Down brings in homeless veterans off the street for three days for showers, haircuts, food, clothing, shelter, and legal, dental and medical assistance. For three days, the veterans can relax in the company of their comrades, away from the combative life of the streets.
Obviously, three days a year is not enough. Veterans' Village of San Diego is working very hard to provide service to San Diego veterans, inviting them to live in “veterans' villages” where they can receive the services they need and improve job opportunities. Unlike many communities throughout the nation, San Diego has the resources to accomplish this—if we can help the homeless veterans get over their fear of coming in to take part in the programs.
A big part of the problem, it seems, is that so many homeless veterans are either too fearful or proud to ask for help. They don't walk into centers and request aid. Many don't believe they can be helped. But statistics show that they can.
Although the public is reluctant to do much to help the homeless in general, there does seem to be greater sympathy for homeless veterans. This DVD details their plight through individual interviews with ex-soldiers who don't know where to turn for help and the need for outreach programs. If you know a homeless veteran who needs help, encourage them to check out Veterans' Villages of San Diego. If you don't know anyone in that position today, you may tomorrow, for an onslaught of homeless Iraq and Afghanistan veterans is coming. To make a tax-deductible contribution or to volunteer, go to: www.theinvisibleones.org
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