Group: ‘Alarming’ rise in homeless Iraq, Afghanistan veterans

By Bill Briggs / NBC News Posted on December 10, 2012

The latest report card on the Obama Administration’s push to end veteran homelessness by 2015 arrived Monday: the number of ex-service members sleeping in parks, under bridges or in public spaces declined by 7 percent this year, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) confirmed.

But other advocates — including a small cadre of soldiers who use their spare time and combat skills to track, clothe and house veterans forced to live outside on home soil — say they still are seeing an “alarming” rise in younger homeless veterans, many of whom fought in Iraq and Afghanistan.

HUD released Monday afternoon a full 2012 count of homeless Americans, including a fresh tally of homeless veterans: “On a single night in January 2012, 62,619 veterans were homeless,” the agency said. Veteran homelessness has now been reduced by 17.2 percent since January 2009, the agency said.

Read more about efforts to reduce the number of veterans who are homeless.

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  • austins

    I think it is despicable how the country that these men risked their lives for and that saw many of their friends die, are treated as throw away items by the a$$holes that sent them there in the first place. This is unacceptable at the very least. What is going to happen when no one enlists and when no one responds to the draft notices these chicken hawks send out? You can’t keep treating human beings like they are and lying like they do and expect soldiers to trust and believe. They have seen what a sham it is and now that they need help, their country turns their back on them. Sadly, this nation has become a pathetic group of people who know nothing and don’t seem to even care. Good luck.