The Ledger - Winter Haven Symposium Aims to Aid Homeless Veterans

News Article

By Bill Rufty

Consider that you have just left military service after four tours between Iraq and Afghanistan and, despite the traditional exit talk from the Army personnel office about the bright future, jobs never worked out.

You are living out of your car, and bill collectors are looking for you.

Or years ago you fought for you country and were hoping for a comfortable retirement, having faced danger in a foreign country and then worked for years as a civilian. But war demons kept coming up, and the alcohol to lose them also cost you a job, a wife and a home, and you find yourself going from homeless shelter to homeless shelter to survive.

Many veterans return from service with their lives in much better order, but some need help and don't find it.

The Homeless Veterans Summit, a symposium of professionals and volunteers who work with homeless veterans, starts at 9 a.m. Monday at American Legion Post 8, 300 Ave. M NW, Winter Haven.

Among the keynote speakers will be U.S. Rep. Daniel Webster, R-Winter Garden, who has been active in initiatives to help veterans with housing, such as Home at Last, a program that works with Habitat for Humanity to construct new homes for wounded soldiers.

"We owe a debt of gratitude to every individual who has served in our Armed Forces. Far too many returning veterans -- often suffering from the invisible wounds of combat -- do not know the dignity or security of a home," Webster said.

Representatives from several organizations will be at the symposium, including Clark's House Inc., a Lakeland organization that not only helps find living space but also provides personal help for veterans.

John Quirk, an outreach specialist at Clark's House, said he thinks some of the problems of veterans being left homeless or without help is that many people think they are paid even after they leave the service.

"The only ones who are paid are those who retire after a career in the service and receive a pension. That is a small group compared to young guys who join right out of high school and after deployment and four years in service get out and don't know what to do," he said.

"The military does try to help some, but often young veterans are returning with no job prospects and with a family to take care of."

Clark's House has had 194 clients since December, he said.

The causes of homelessness among veterans are likely combinations of personal problems, said Gary Clark, a retired Air Force colonel and chairman of the Polk County Veterans Council, one of the sponsors of the symposium.

"There are various reasons, such as post-traumatic syndrome, drug abuse and the like, that need attention," he said.

But problems with Veterans Affairs also contribute in many cases, he said.

"Big government and this big government agency are not doing the job," he said. "There is no accountability in the VA, as exampled by the recent scandals," including veterans struggling to get timely health care.

"What we are trying to do (through the symposium) is to go through the grass-roots to help our veterans. … This is a personal, one-on-one solution."

The symposium will include the guest speakers and panel discussions in the morning, and after lunch there will be sessions for strategic planning.

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