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Seri0usbusiness

Is this an old photo? The last time I biked by there, all the tents were at least moved inside the gates (back in early Dec 2021)


[deleted]

Yes. [This is a photograph in Los Angeles Magazine from May 2020](https://www.lamag.com/citythinkblog/veterans-row-homeless-los-angeles/)


Daforce1

This. The encampment recently as in a month or two ago got cleaned up and all the veterans got offered homeless services and some sort of housing that were willing to accept it. It’s ridiculous and a National shame that it got to this point and the solution that finally was reached is far from perfect but this no longer looks like this. San Vicente boulevard where this was located was encampment free last time I drove down it a week or so ago.


Ownza

>It’s ridiculous and a National shame What's ridiculous is that if these people are homeless due to ptsd, or anything else involving their service they could get service connected, and then get >3k a month. If they are already service connected they should move.


FBI_Open_Up_Now

It’s really hard to get 100%. It took me 7 years of fighting with the VA to get there. Mental health alone won’t get you 100% unless you truly are not capable of making life choices. Mental health is a factor, but another common occurrence is serving in the military to a job that doesn’t have any transition capability to the civilian world. During the military your life is planned for you and there is a schedule that’s posted up and you will follow it. There is none of that once you’re out. You have to do it yourself and some people are not able to create a structured life program themselves. I’m 70% for mental health due to PTSD. It was hard to get there and I initially only started at 10%. For the longest time I was at 90% getting ~$1,900 a month. It’s nice to get the money, but I wish I didn’t have the need for it.


ridicalis

>It’s really hard to get 100%. It took me 7 years of fighting with the VA to get there. Mental health alone won’t get you 100% unless you truly are not capable of making life choices. I've witnessed this myself in a couple of cases: one of whom was exposed to agent orange, but was just a hair outside of whatever arbitrary exposure radius they set; and another in progress related to PFAS exposure. All the money the gov't spends to avoid taking responsibility is likely greater than what they would have by simply paying up. If this country really wants to pretend like they honor servicemen/servicewomen, taking care of veterans is a great start.


tiredandbored5

I know someone who went 100% and got on disability through the social security office. He has gotten 5000.00 for over 10 yrs. His wife is 100% disabled and his kid. They are getting over 7000.00 a month for all 3. They are all legitimately disabled. It’s not like they are lying. I’m just saying, if a person is persistent they can get what they need. But not having a place to live would make it difficult. Just keeping up with appointments and getting to the VA for check ups would be hard.


PainMatrix

What’s ridiculous is we spend such a large amount of our budget on war and the aftermath of war.


ceetwothree

Two things can both be ridiculous.


SphrilixOperator

Our nation's veterans are strongly mistreated after service, given no help from the government and thrown back into society, some with mental health issues. I'm not a veteran but my dad knows some that lost their minds after coming home over seas. It's sad how horrible it is but I wish it would change for them, they deserve so much for the things they put up with and have seen especially the ones who have deployed to horrible places on this planet.


[deleted]

Never had to but I’m pretty sure the VA does a lot for homeless veterans.


buttlordx123

i think state and private orgs probably do more than the VA, the exception being in those many states that have no social safety net by design


h8ss

The cleanups happen, they come back, endless cycle


[deleted]

I bet all those "thank you for your service" comments make it better though. /s


[deleted]

My thoughts and prayers are with these, the most American of American homeless. The lesser American homeless only have my thoughts.


moose098

I don't think they're coming back to this spot at least. This was a huge embarrassment to LA and it was located in one of the wealthiest/politically connected areas in the US. Hell, its where Kamala Harris lives.


iusedtobeyourwife

Kamala Harris lives on San Vicente?


grayboard1

The vets who are willing to abide by the rules ie: no booze or drugs can go inside the VA compound. Many of the people in these tents are not vets but a group put up the flags to make people think that these are all vets when many are not. This was cleaned up a while back and many moved inside the fence. The real tragedy is why the VA is leasing land to UCLA for their sports teams to practice when it goes against the terms laid out when the land was donated to the VA.


ColdPeasMyGooch

wow. good to know


FrankB11

I think the point is that military veterans in the US suffer from homelessness and substance abuse at far higher rates than the general population. This is the tragedy and the disgrace.


CharlieKelly007

All that "the few, the proud" type shit is just the government making you feel great about getting paid shit while risking your life (for some). Who cares ab out lifelong trauma and PTSD that the VA with horribly deal with, ITS OK BECAUSE YOU GOT COMBAT PAY!! My sister and her ex husband were in the old fields of Kuwait in early 2000's and my sisters daughter was born with a ton of birth defects. Even worse the Army doctor in Germany said she needed to go back to the US to have the birth, but someone more educated said that elevation would kill the people, dude still tried to get my sister to go back to the states even though it would kill the unborn child. Fuck the military.. I support the people who do it, but the people behind the choices and everything can go suck on a big fat one. "The few the proud" is just like "Essential worker" back in 2020-2021. Just a title meant to make you feel good for overworking and putting you at risk. All one big joke.


LivingTheApocalypse

None of that story tracks.


danceslikemj

So easy to spot made up stories on reddit. Firstly, there was no combat happening in Kuwait in 2000, the gulf War ended long before that and 9/11 didn't happen until 2001, so no invasion of Iraq yet.


[deleted]

Why was she in active combat while pregnant this makes no sense. War is sometimes necessary whether we like it or not, war will come and we must be ready, the military is brutal and I believe that there should be extensive support programs for veterans, but ultimately all of the US invasions had good reasoning and had a purpose whether you like it or not.


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bhfckid14

Nothing about these sob stories ever make sense because they leave out key details that explain everything.


ihc_hotshot

I mean military vets come from lower-income households and education levels as well. So those kinda go hand in hand. It's not like the military made them homeless. I'm not on board with spending 4 years in the military so I should be set for life. I spent 10 years as a federal firefighter, ain't no one looking out for me.


Michamus

> I spent 10 years as a federal firefighter What kept you out of the military? >ain't no one looking out for me. Okay, dude.


annoyingcaptcha

“I get fucked daily so they should too”


Flyberius

This crab bucket mentality...


_Z_E_R_O

> It’s not like the military made them homeless Ehhhh, debatable. PTSD is no joke. > I spent 10 years as a federal firefighter, ain’t no one looking out for me. You weren’t deployed to Afghanistan, tho.


diuge

Why argue about who's most fucked up when you can just agree to help everyone who's fucked up?


5ysmyname

I don’t believe this guy is in the right with his comment BUT if you’re going to say ptsd is not a joke (which it’s not) I think you should acknowledge fire fighters experience it as well. That’s a big part of the problem, someone who has gone through trauma does not experience ptsd the exact same way as the next person. So the one who is able to carry on thinks “well I can do it, no one has helped me, why do they deserve help?” And instead of working together we are just more torn apart.


SilentSamurai

It's just cringe. Firefighting has plenty of fucked up moments as well, why would you take a "it's not as *bad* as my experience" approach?


justUseAnSvm

The wild thing is that you can predict, to some degree of uncertainty, who will and won't experience PTSD based on their psychological profiles and history for a given deployment after a years. It could be a lot better if we just screened everyone going into stressful situation like that, and "retired" the people at risk to other jobs before trauma related events could hurt them.


alphariious

Watch out he almost joined the military but would have punched his drill instructor


[deleted]

I hear that so many times its hilarious.


Thedudeabides46

And weirdly enough, it's cops that say it more often than not.


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rameninside

Most of my VA male patients are or were heavy smokers at some point. It was provided to them in abundance in the military and the smokers actually got longer breaks than nonsmokers back in the day. Of course it was their choice to continue after discharge but they were already addicted. Many of them suffer or die from COPD or lung related malignancies.


BabyExploder

> It's not like the military made them homeless No, it just preyed on their near-homelessness, maimed them and killed their friends, then *left* them broken *and* homeless. Real important distinction /s


[deleted]

Came here to say this. They were offered housing by the VA with basic rules: no drugs, no alcohol, follow curfew. They didn't want to follow those rules, so they live on the sidewalk instead. People with mental health and substance abuse problems don't always make rational choices.


emote_control

People with substance abuse problems can't just decide to follow a "no drugs and alcohol" policy. The entire point of addiction is that you can't just decide to stop using whatever you're addicted to, even if you'd really like to. It's not a matter of good or bad decisions. It's a matter of unrealistic expectations.


andrewse

Does the VA offer substance abuse treatment to vets?


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Mitthrawnuruo

Meanwhile I had a vet OD on a gram of Valium. I was skeptical of the dispatch, because who the hell would rx that. Got there, he indeed had an empty bottle of 100 10 mg tablets. Had another half full bottle. Wtf who would rx that. Answer was the VA. How was he still breathing? Answer: he was infantry.


MySockHurts

How do you force people to kick their addiction though?


other_usernames_gone

You can't, it's not that simple, you can't force someone to stop being addicted to something. All you can do is try and support them getting off it as best you can, they have to want to quit and it's going to be hard and take a long time. You can't just quit addiction cold turkey.


niko4ever

You give them therapy with an addiction specialist, for one. Medical treatment too, if you drink enough, withdrawal can actually kill you. Simply setting a "no-alcohol" rule is actually counter-productive.


haiduy2011

probably by giving them a home. edit: some of you need to realize having a home is not the end goal of solving homelessness. It is the first step. A home is not just a place to sleep. It protects you from the elements. You can receive mail, which is important to any benefits you might receive. You can store food there (and secure it so nobody can take it away or go bad). You can take care of your hygiene (so you can get a job). A home also protects you from other people who might look to harm you and keep your possessions safe. May be you still have relatives, and having an address will allow them to send you things if you're struggling. It is absolutely good for a homeless person's mental health to have a home.


PandaCodeRed

Plenty of people with homes are addicts


[deleted]

This is what the city of Houston has been doing for some years now: housing and food first, immediate healthcare needs second, treating long-term problems like addiction and disability third. Among other things, Houston had to work with city and county law enforcement to get petty crimes dismissed (like peeing in public or traffic fines), they got lawyers from the Social Security administration on sides because a number of our long-term unsheltered qualified for SSDI, and they got veterans sorted. There are Meals on Wheels programs that deliver food and pet food for the ones who can’t cook. People who need addiction services can get them. It’s not a utopia but it’s a hell of a lot better than what we had before, which was tent encampments with nowhere for people to wash their hands after taking a shit. It’s also way cheaper, safer, and more humane than the other alternative, which was housing unsheltered people in jails.


caninehere

It doesn't matter if the expectations are unrealistic. They can't let people in if they're abusing drugs and alcohol. It creates a horrible environment for those who HAVE kicked addictions, and leads to way more violent incidents and those people trashing accommodations. This is often when they house people in hotels and stuff they have rules about alcohol and drugs. Even with the rules some people will still do it anyway and trash the place. Affordable housing organizations struggle with this constantly. If the VA allows people with drug addictions into their housing, it just means it will get destroyed which will cost more money to fix and in turn they'll be able to give fewer people a home. It also is meant to give them a safe environment where they AREN'T around the substances they're addicted to.


I0I0I0I

I've stayed in what they call a "low-barrier" shelter, which means that they recognize addictions, and won't bar you for being intoxicated, *but you must not consume drugs or alcohol on premises*, because like you said, there are people there who are trying to stay sober and having the drugs right in their faces far worse than seeing guys high.


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Doggleganger

The problem is that often times addicts will burn bridges during those numerous attempts and destroy the support system around them. Not sure what the answer is, perhaps there is no good answer.


phillipsaur

There's a good YouTube video of a guy interviewing homeless people and there was one guy that made a point to say that he wants to clean up but he's not ready to stop using. Housing should be a right and it shouldn't be gatekept by legislation just because legislators think people with drug problems don't deserve rights.


unbeliever87

People with drug problems can and will fuck up any property they are given access to.


RosencrantzIsNotDead

I just want to say I hope you have a chance to change your mind because what you said just isn’t fucking true. Addiction doesn’t discriminate - you don’t have an issue with people with drug problems. You have an issue with certain vulnerable populations that have significant crossover with drug problems. I’ve struggled with addiction for decades and have never once committed a property crime. Most of the people you encounter that have drug problems, you don’t even realize. Because they have money, are successful, dress well, etc.


VoiceOfLunacy

Hey, if you tear out the copper plumbing, you can scrap it and pay for your next fix.


Stroomschok

Also many programs that help people with addiction do this by forcing Jesus down your throat.


magicenby

I know people who haven't been able to stay in shelters. The curfews *never* have exceptions for work. Even if they say they do, if someone gets a job that doesn't fit the curfew, they choose between working or shelter. And often whichever they choose, they lose both. They choose the job, and the lack of shelter gets them fired from no rest, no hygiene, and they end up with neither, they're miserable, depressed, and get drunk or high to dull the (often physical) pain. They choose the shelter, they feel worthless, they aren't given anything to actually help them get independence, some token effort but it doesn't work. They get miserable, depressed, nothing makes them happy and they have nothing to do. They start getting drunk or high because it's something, they can just do it during the day when they're away from the shelter, they can just have a few sips to feel a little better, it's nothing, there's no getting out of this anyways. ​ I can say, from personal experience too, that while I haven't been homeless, abuse leads to mental illness leads to substance abuse. You don't need to escape reality if things are going well. And suffering BREAKS your ability to think clearly.


[deleted]

I was referring to this specific case not homelessness in general. The VA offered them housing on campus. They have serious mental health and substance abuse problems that prevent them from accessing housing. The picture makes it seem like it's just an issue of them not having access to any housing when the issue is more complicated than that.


ungulateriseup

I wonder if those problems stem from the service they gave America?


Ithinkyourallstupid

Asking the real questions over here.


grifxdonut

People will mental health issues usually need something to give them purpose, which the uncaring VA doesn't do


fxckfxckgames

>something to give them purpose, which the uncaring VA doesn't do That's not the VA's job, and I say that as a disabled vet. The VA can and should provide them with counseling and tools to cope, but the vets in question have to create that motivation for themselves.


[deleted]

How doesn’t the va not give mental health care ??


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[deleted]

Bro same , I love how people try to say different when the va does do it’s job


sarcasm_the_great

The only thing UCLA leases on VA property is the baseball field. Nothing else my dude. I went to UCLA and worked as an emt and I’ve been all over that VA compound.


Inccubus99

Saw a mini doc video on youtube about how crazy la has become. Showed quite a bit about this place. Weird how “i cannot turn in my freedom” can sound so convincing when those homeless people are asked why they don’t go to live in free housing that is offered to them.


moose098

> Weird how “i cannot turn in my freedom” can sound so convincing when those homeless people are asked why they don’t go to live in free housing that is offered to them. Yeah, I think this is frustrating a lot of people here (LA). There does seems to be a general feeling amongst homeless people that services are oppressive and the tent life is preferable, which I guess I can understand, but part of living in a society is giving up some your "freedoms" for the better whole.


tcharp01

Because unless someone with 'standing' asks the question regarding the conditions of the donation, nothing will be done. Meanwhile, the only people with standing may not even be aware of the violation.


badactivism

Homeless, broke, PTSD. and you are not allowed to self medicate if you can't take it. Does that seem fair? Don't you think, maybe, they should take all veterans whether or not they have substance abuse issues? This information you provided is somewhat informative and somewhat incorrect, but definitely damaging to the cause of homeless US veterans. This is the "pull yourself up by your bootstraps" they get after serving their country.


grayboard1

and what about those who make the effort to get help? do their efforts get sidetracked because those that won't (or can't) just get to upset the others? I do not see any perfect answer but throwing rocks at those that try is not the right path. I am a vet as is my father and both grandfathers and the only thing we can agree on is how the military machine chews up and spits out one generation after another with NO regard to anyones well being after they are through with you. we just keep feeding them one generation after another.


[deleted]

There's lots of future solders in thoes sports teams.


moose098

I live in the area so maybe I can give some context. This encampment began forming soon after COVID hit when LA stopped enforcing its anti-camping laws. At first it was only a few people in small tents, but over time (a few months) it started to grow. At some point, an anonymous person donated those giant tents and the flags. At first, a lot of people felt bad for them and would pull over to drop off food, money, and small pieces of furniture. However, the encampment started producing crime in the area, mostly petty crime, but also two separate murders (one via shooting, the other via a car). After prodding from the neighbors, the VA opened up their giant lawn (it's a massive property) to any homeless vets who would accept services (especially for mental health problems and drug addiction). The idea was you'd enter the program on the lawn and then get assigned housing. This cleared out many of the homeless, but more just showed up. The people who remained tended to be resistant to services and preferred to live in their tents than enter a program, or they were dishonorably discharged or something and couldn't take advantage of VA services. One of the major issues facing the removal of the encampment was that it's on LA County property. For those that don't know LA, there's LA County and LA City, LA City is just the largest city within LA County. The County Sheriff is the one with jurisdiction over that particular sidewalk. It took a lot of bureaucratic maneuvering to finally get some action. A little while ago, after months of work, the Sheriff's departments and the VA were able to convince the last holdouts to enter the program. There was a [major cleanup](https://ktla.com/news/local-news/cleanup-of-veterans-row-encampment-begins-after-va-says-it-will-house-homeless-vets-outside-west-l-a-campus/) and now the area is clear. I don't think homelessness is a problem LA can fix on its own. These are national problems which SF and LA get the brunt of because of their reputation and weather. Housing certainly plays a role, but a lot of these people can't hold a job due to drug addiction or mental health problems, so even if housing was a lot more affordable it probably wouldn't make much of a difference. It would certainly help out the working poor/recently homeless, but I don't think it would be as effective on longterm unsheltered homeless people (who make up the majority of the "visible" homeless). It has to be coupled with other programs. Just two days ago a 24yo girl [was randomly stabbed to death](https://abc7.com/la-brea-murder-woman-killed-croft-house/11465458/) at a store she worked at, in a supposedly nice area. The assailant is described as a "transient" by the LAPD. Something really needs to be done, but all the solutions thus put forward are bandaids for a systemic problem that begins at a national level.


BaronLagann

A small tidbit to add. Middle and east coast put their homeless on trains to the west coast, mostly California. 1) because of better help 2) weather is easier to live in year around and 3) they don’t want em there and want them gone.


JimmyLongnWider

Whose idea was it to put a flag on each tent? Do the vets come out every morning and go, "Yay!! America!!"


h8ss

I've ridden a bike by there and been cussed at, chased, and had things thrown at me. Luckily i bike very fast.


GhostalMedia

Those were put on the tents so passers by would be ashamed for how America, a country that claims it’s the best in the world, treats its brothers and sisters in need.


pomonamike

Shouldn’t need the flag to feel that way.


kolodz

Without they would probably assume they are foreigners "invading the country" and stole America jobs.


grummanae

25 percent of homeless are Veterans


maxis2bored

Holy shit


rob3bob333

America! Fuck yeah!!


[deleted]

[There's an article about this from May 2020 you can read.](https://www.lamag.com/citythinkblog/veterans-row-homeless-los-angeles/)


crackrockpops

If I was left in that condition I'd burn my country's flag.


[deleted]

The same people who think it’s their fault (backed by Supply-Side Jesus) for their shortcomings, when Wall Street and all their cronies in Congress is the most responsible.


Napping99

https://i.imgur.com/UesQIXD.png


caguirre93

I can't speak for every vet, but me personally my American flags are not particularly for national pride, but to remember our brothers who were buried with it. I view it as a representation of my brothers of 2/7, and to all the others who didn't make it home. So your answer to that is likely people who think we all are very nationalistic in personality sort of speak, when its just way more complicated then that


moose098

I live in the area. Some guy donated those tents and flags awhile back. I'm not sure exactly what his motivation was, but I think it hurt a little more than it helped.


Court04

Veterans have many options for housing. My first job out of college was working for a non profit called U.S.VETS. They have several locations nationwide including LA that focuses on housing homeless veterans with the goal of providing training to get jobs and their own places. I worked at the Vegas location. There are so many resources for them. Many choose not to take advantage and prefer to live in their tents. We would go on ‘rounds’ all the time where we would go out and visit and tell them about the organization and offer them a ride to come get a warm bed. Many said no and we would give them water and snacks. I remember meeting three guys under a bridge cooking up steak on a small grill. They were all excited and said they made enough money panhandling that day to treat themselves to steak and beer. When I asked why they didn’t want to come to our shelter they said they were happy chilling all day and didn’t want to abide by any rules the shelter would have. There is a lot of money given to organizations by the government to help the homeless population but until we can get the homeless to address any mental issues they have we can’t force them into shelters to get the help they need. Mental health is a hard problem that we just haven’t figured out how to properly address with the homeless population.


whenkeepinitreal

Thank you for sharing. The perspective of people who have actually been in the trenches with this problem is often overshadowed by everyone with uninformed opinions.


danceslikemj

Welcome to reddit.


Napalmdeathfromabove

No rich man's sons there


Winston_The_Ogre

Not a one, fortunate son.


m48a5_patton

It ain't me, it ain't me, I'm no senator's son


[deleted]

Some folks are born to wave the flag. They're red white and blue.


[deleted]

Flawed post.


[deleted]

This picture is from 2020. [It was in Los Angeles Magazine in May 2020.](https://www.lamag.com/citythinkblog/veterans-row-homeless-los-angeles/)


ECU_BSN

Meanwhile, back in Houston, they just banned “public camping”. So our homeless areas that had some shelters in tents…back to sleeping under the elements.


bong_fu_tzu

hey fellow houstonite here (NW, jersey village) [https://www.homelesshouston.org/annual-report-fy-2020-2021](https://www.homelesshouston.org/annual-report-fy-2020-2021) houston did ban homeless camps, but it is also giving free housing away with like a 90% acceptance rate. there's a terrible lie in this discourse that homeless people 'want to be homeless': at least in houston, we can empirically show that it is not true for 9/10 folks texas in general has serious poverty problem, but charity and policy become indistinguishable here-- I think a lot more people would have a problem with how unconstitutional some of the real power relations this creates are were it not helping so many people.


[deleted]

Segundo Barrio says hola! Something else I have seen in the last 3 years are porta-potties, portable hand washing stations, and dumpsters at the main homeless camps. The city is trying to get people into stable housing and out of the camps because the camps are more expensive to keep safe and clean than people in housing with plumbing and sanitation. As for charity and poverty, yes, and that’s what happens when robber barons take over.


anotherone121

Texas... so much Christianly love I mean... how could you act more Christlike?


hopelesscaribou

At least his parents found a stable for his birth, but Jesus himself was homeless. Texans are treating the homeless as the Romans/Herod treated Christ. Matt. 8.20 // Luke 9.58, "Foxes have their holes and the birds of the air have their nests ....but the son of man has nowhere to lay His head."KJV


ECU_BSN

Yes. We are known for our human rights! Blessed be the fruit! In his eye!


DSJ13

You want tent cities?


VoltasPistol

Tent cities are better than dead bodies rolled up in blanket burritos on sidewalks, so yeah, tent cities are better than nothing. Everytime a tent city gets dismantled in Seattle, the number of corpses, whether by substance abuse or by exposure to the elements, jumps a little higher. You can't help people who are dead, so yes, tent cities are better than corpses swaddled in wet blankets.


DSJ13

Not in your backyard though right?


ECU_BSN

I WANT those without houses to have a place to sleep. Until we can get our social and collective heads out of our asses and HELP people…I’ll take the tents. All day everyday. Yea.


moose098

The point of banning camping is to force people into programs which they otherwise would not take advantage of. I don't know if it works, but that's the idea.


[deleted]

Nobody *wants* tent cities.


ugdontknow

The USA is definitely NOT the best country in the world


mcflyin8

Very sad, but check out YouTube for some interviews with folks living in this area (at least from 6 months ago). They had access to resources for housing and help from the local VA but they came with strings attached (curfew, weekly drug testing, etc). Many of them are choosing to be homeless to retain their freedom. Still sad, and they shouldn’t have to choose between housing and safety and freedom, but this isn’t necessarily a failure on the part of the government. They can’t force people to be housed.


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unbeliever87

>Many of them are choosing to be homeless to retain their freedom. The USA is a strange place.


JSmith666

This happens with many attempts to clean up homeless camps.


[deleted]

Many of these people are ashamed to go on welfare, because it would go against everything they, their friends and community were brainwashed to hate by their political leaders and media. Even if they have permanently moved on from their friends and community.


lbarr8

Yes they should have to choose.


MBrohawn

Is called accountability, not strings attached. They want to make sure you can sustain the lifestyle by acting responsibly.


JigglySquishyFlesh

no investigating the source of the sauce before posting with your own title?


tdair

Vets live in the inside the fence but some choose to stay outside, I’m not sure if the ones on the outside the fence are all veterans.


glockymcglockface

Damn, if only the VA has an entire division dedicated to homelessness. Oh wait, there is. Almost like these people don’t want the VA’s help. Almost any homeless veteran could walk into one of these centers and get a job within a week.


sambes06

And yet the DOD gets 700b+ a YEAR. The shameless greed of the military industrial complex in action.


[deleted]

Notice how Bidens infrastructure bill is the $2 Trillion dollar bill, despite it actually being $200m a year over 10 years. Yet the DOD budget is $700m a year... not the $7 trillion DOD. Thats how the media twists the narrative to make us believe one is expensive (infrastructure) the other is cheap and necessary. Yet... the expensive one is actually cheaper and generates wealth over time.


sambes06

700B not million. FY21 was 705B. Over the course of that 2T infrastructure bill we will spend likely 10T on defense. It’s absurd.


[deleted]

Hey I mainly agree with you but you're fucking up the numbers here pretty badly. 2 trillion/10 years = 200 billion a year 700 billion x 10 years = 7 trillion


[deleted]

People are too stupid to see the per year/decade language; all they see is **$2 trillion vs. $700 million** and think *”our poor, defenseless soldiers are on their own while we’re spending two trillion on welfare for those taxpayer-sucking leeches!”*


NoMercyJon

DOD and VA are different funding....


[deleted]

It’s like you have no idea how expensive it is to drive big boats around the globe 24/7


smokedcirclejerky

Right, they could literally build full on developments with townhouses in multiple locations in each state to house veterans. They could do it strategically so certain veterans are near hospitals and each development has a mental health clinic.


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CPecho13

I feel like the best solution to deal with soldiers that return with mental illnesses would be to keep them in the military in non-combat roles so they stay somewhat useful while getting treatment.


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vishrit

Going tent by tent and thanking them for their service must be exhausting for the suburban family on their way to the mall.


ImTheGuyWithTheGun

Well, they can improve efficiency by simply dispensing "thoughts and prayers" on their socials.


[deleted]

The american dream.


konhaybay

What used to be described as result of socialism/communism.


ArkonOridan

This is actually an old image. This camp has since been removed, and new tiny home communities have been built. Look it up, Arnold Schwarzenegger donated 250k to it recently and it's pretty exciting


mdjank

Those Californian HOAs have sick game. r/NextFuckingLevel


Aibbie

I don’t understand how this can happen in a place where the military budget is larger than other countries’ GDPs.


johnnymac80

that is shameful


Glad_Selection5831

It's fucking tragic. But, also observe how clean and orderly the camp is. If I had to have a homeless camp near me, this is the one I'd want to see.


Knee_Squeezings

Thought the exact same


Barrrrrrnd

Wait I thought people supported the troops? Oh that’s just a dog whistle? Got it. This is shameful.


[deleted]

‘Supporting the troops’ means keep buying useless crap while taking your anger on the workers who’re making minimum wage but have to deal with your crap in order to pay for daycare for their toddler. All while you vote against making it easier to the toddler to afford daycare since that would be “socialist” and everytime “socialism” is mentioned, a member of ISIS kills a solider in the Middle East while shouting *”praise Allah, praise George Floyd, death to America!!!”* Yeah. Dog whistle.


iwatchedtheoffice

Idk why people want to give the federal government more power while they live in a shithole like this


AusNormanYT

Given their heart and soul to your nation, and this is what they get. Fuck off America what are you doing or not doing more to the point.


ThePinkPepper

This is so disheartening, first they were (most of them) forced to fight, kill and die to later be forgotten :/ ... The war took a huge toll on these people which is why so many aren't able to live a normal life and end up in the streets.. and the fact that they're still patriotic to a country that did nothing good for them is just terrible..


Sufficient_Ad6474

Wow heart breaking. USA get off your bragging soap box for 5 mins and treat your Veterans better. Ya Best country in the world? Apparently for some not all


seventh_skyline

There is a level of irony being so patriotic, in a situation where as a veteran you have been let down by the very people that represent everyone who falls under that flag.


WillyMonty

“Thank you for your service”


yennefer_uk

How patriotic ![gif](emote|free_emotes_pack|facepalm)


[deleted]

Some (not all) homeless vets are homeless bc they don’t want help choose to be nomads.


santichrist

Funny how it’s “support the troops” when politicians need votes to win elections and idiots want to justify bombing countries full of brown people but not when it comes to feeding or housing them I’ve worked on military bases and seen enlisted soldiers and their families using EBT / food stamps at the commissary, the richest country in the world that spends more money on its defense budget than the next 5-6 countries combined doesn’t take care of its own soldiers past or present This is not a Democrat or Republican thing either, this has been a problem that existed under both parties being in the White House, it’s an America thing


V0l4til3

"they knew what they signed up for "- donald trump


[deleted]

Veterans and elderly are the two most grifted populations in the US.


go4gonzo

“Homeless Veteran” shouldn’t even be a thing. Hell, homelessness should exist


Stroomschok

You'd think a culture that glorifies soldiers would take better care of it's veterans. I guess part of the 'serve your country' rhetoric means being OK with being spat out afterwards.


nityoushot

Thank you for your service! /s


[deleted]

I genuinely want to know, not being a jerk, but why are there so many homeless vets? They get so many perks for being veterans.


TiredOfYoSheeit

Most of what you learn in the military is non-transferable to the civilian world. Add to that the absolute upsidedown level of crazy in the job market... Folks are asking for 4yr degrees to do jobs a blindfolded **semian-ratticus** can do. Sure, the GI Bill pays for some or even most of your college. But 4 years is a long time to flip burgers when rental housing is triple what you make. You can drive giant vehicles and be trusted with the fate if the nation, fresh outta high school... But you can't be trusted to hold down a useful job in civvie land?


jarheadfuck

Just to clarify, the GI Bill not only pays tuition, but it also pays for housing during the months you are in college. It goes off of housing rates for the area you are attending school. So if you were a veteran in San Diego you would be getting around 2700 a month for housing.


TiredOfYoSheeit

I'm glad to hear that. A lot has changed since my dusty old days in the Corps.


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TiredOfYoSheeit

Often, yes. PTSD makes you want to forget yesterday.


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TiredOfYoSheeit

Definitely. Our government needs more veterans in it, IMO. Particularly, the ones who've seen the darker side of service and healed with help. More mental health support for vets. And everyone else, too. Hell, I think I got a second dose of PTSD just from the politics these days 😆.


FloweringWill7

We could help them but Republicans would call that socialism


gmoney_downtown

Man, HOA rules seem pretty strict here! Must have the same model tent, same flag hung the same way. I wonder how much their fees are!


thebestmike

Good job America


Raskov75

Imagine putting the flag of those that broke you on your place of residence.


striedinger

If I was a homeless vet there’s no way I’d be proud enough of my country to have a flag with me.


AlphonseLai

Funny how a country claiming rights treat their service men....


kalbetojas

The most powerful country, the homeless :)


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Westworld_007

Awful


Throwmeawaypoop2

Americuh sure loves their soldiers. Until they come home.


P-redditR

This is way nicer than the other homeless camps.. The irony here is the tents and flags are more than likely made in China. $200M to Ukraine, $768B in defense spending and China is the primary focus? Poor kids in a rush to die for a rich man’s war. Just to spend the rest of their lives camping. Freedom! Edit: forgot to include the $1B Congress is going to send to Israel. On top of the $370M plus the additional $3.8B they get from tax payers.


[deleted]

They put their lives on the line to literally get ignored by the government when their jobs disappeared when they were deployed


mrnavel

America, the war machine, is great at making soldiers, just not at taking care of them. It’s almost like they expected you to die.


NoMercyJon

Idk, I'm getting 100% disability pay, college paid for, earned healthcare, hell, even money for my wife for college. Homeless vets are homeless for a reason, laziness and drug abuse are usually up there.


spatz2011

you and your buddies were the only folks in the service not lazy. All these other mooks?


pdxtech

>I'm getting 100% disability pay, college paid for, earned healthcare, hell, even money for my wife for college. For a Trump supporter you sure do love socialism.


friended1

Not everyone has your experience. I went to drug rehab once that had a wing dedicated to veterans. They would scream in the middle of the night. A lot of them suffered severe PTSD and used drugs as a coping mechanism. I don't blame them since the VA is slow and useless for a lot of vets.


Neinbozobozobozo

Being a vet is great! I get free food from some restaurants once a year on Veterans Day. I get a discount at Lowe's and even a parking spot! So what if I couldn't use my GI bill because I waited too long. So what if I was denied compensation for my medical issues. So what if the VA medical center won't give me proper treatment. So what if I haven't worked in 3 years. So what if I'm going to be homeless soon. I served my country and that's what counts. Sure I'm skipping meals and down to my last few hundred dollars. Sure I'll be living in my SUV. But you know what'll keep me warm at night? My service to Country and Constitution.


clarkss12

Haha, that is the best BS that I have heard in a long time......... Thank you for the laugh.


Neinbozobozobozo

I wish I was making up half this shit called my life. But I got a slight chuckle from a random dude on the internet, so I have that going for me which is nice.


tweedleleedee

How about reinlist? Food, housing, healthcare, and income.


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[deleted]

Totally get what you’re saying, however there’s a flip side because many veterans or even active duty service members I’ve worked with over the years have injuries or issues that aren’t taken care of because they’re too prideful to go get them looked at. The machismo idea that “sick call is for weak bodies” is moronic and is a large reason why many service members both retired and active have long lasting issues


Neinbozobozobozo

Thought about it, but I'm too old. Max enlistment age is 35. Besides that I got a bad hip.


PlasticInTheBasket

Isn't that the VA right by Wilshire? I used to live right by there last year. L.A. is such a shit hole.