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America’s Homeless Veterans 41

America's Homeless

Veterans

After years of waging war overseas,
US veterans returning to civilian life
struggle with PTSD, homelessness,
addiction.

Roger Schultz served as a cannoneer sergeant in
the US Marine Corps. He liked serving, because
"I learned how to be a Marine and nothing else.
You always had somebody on your side."
Eventually he quit the Marin Corps to be
back with his family, but his wife left him the
following year and his life spiralled out of
control. Schultz ended up living out of his truck,
barely getting by.
In search of a place to stay, he finally
checked into a Veterans Resource Center (VRC)
In the United States, 22 million military
in California, which provides housing and group Christmas Ha-Ha’s!
veterans account for 7 percent of the population.
therapy for former members of the military.
But veterans make up about 12 percent of the
"This is my readjustment therapy... The What happens to elves when they behave
adult homeless population, according to the
way of life I learned in the Marines, it just National Coalition for Homeless Veterans. naughty? Santa gives them the sack.
doesn't mix in society. So we're learning how to
Black and Hispanic veterans are three times as
adjust that, so I can maybe have a relationship What do zombies eat with their Christmas
likely to be homeless as veterans in general.
with my children, my ex-wife, and next dinner? Grave-y.
According to the Department of Veterans
employer that doesn't turn destructive," says
Affairs, 9 out of 10 homeless veterans are male.
Schultz. Who delivers presents to baby sharks at
A majority are single, live in urban areas and
Scarred by war, many returning soldiers Christmas? Santa Jaws!
suffer from mental illness, physical disability or
struggle with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder
substance abuse. About half have served during
(PTSD). Their inability to adjust from combat What did one snowman say to the other
the Vietnam era.
life to civilian life often leads to substance abuse "There seems to be a large percentage of snowman? Can you smell carrot?
and addiction, thus, finding support for healing
veterans that do come out a little broken, and for
and recovery is a constant challenge. Whats the best Christmas Present? A broken
everybody, really, it's a life-changing
The VRC and its counselors help drum - you can't beat it.
experience," says Jason Henry, a Navy veteran
returning veterans find jobs and sort out
and regional director at the VRC. "That's what
supplemental government income, healthcare Which of Santa's reindeer has bad manners?
boot camp is all about. They take away your
needs and their housing situation. Rude-alph!
individualism, and they train all that stuff out of
"[The purpose of] A 30-bed transitional
you so you follow orders."
programme for homeless veterans... is [to have] Why did Santa put a clock in his sleigh? He
But, he continues, "There's no out-
self-sufficient income, so we help them apply training. They're being trained to such a high wanted to see time fly!
for benefits, we help them go back to school or
degree to go over and fight ... then they're out
get employment," explains Kendra Barter, What does Santa suffer from if he gets stuck
one day. How is someone supposed to flip that
VRC's clinical director. in a chimney? Claustrophobia!
switch? It doesn't happen."
"Each veteran is different, their needs are
During group therapy, folksinger David
different and so we're able to treat them to the Why does Santa have three gardens? So he
Morris, who performs melancholic music
root issues, whether it's addiction, whether it's can ho, ho, ho.
addressing veteran themes, tells a story of how
mental health," says Barter.
he tried to save a colleague on the battlefield but
As the veterans come together in the What do you get if you combine Santa and a
was torn "to pieces" once he realised nothing
VRC, they reveal the scars that the brutality of duck? A Christmas Quacker!
could be done.
war have left behind and the importance of
"In order to function in combat, a
human connection in the face of a life-long What do snowmen eat for lunch? Iceburgers!
rational response would be to get the hell out of
emotional and psychological battle.
there," he said. "But we cannot be rational, so
"Part of the pathology of trauma in a Why are Christmas trees so bad at sewing?
we have to set aside the human response ... You
veteran is them wanting to isolate from society, They always drop their needles!
numb yourself to it because if you don't, you'll
from each other; you just want to be left alone
start screaming one day and never stop," says
and that's our biggest challenge," says Marc What happened to the thief who stole a
Morris, who also suffers from PTSD.
Deal, VRC's executive director. Christmas Advent Calendar? He got 25 days!
Despite the quiet victories emerging
"We fight desperately to get them out of
from group therapy at VRC, countless veterans
their comfort zones and get them back together What is a skunks favorite Christmas song?
are unable to overcome their demons. The
and get them to sit at a table, to make friends, Jingle smells!
organisation tries to keep in touch with everyone
you know, to do things that people in normal
who goes through its programme, but some
society do." What is Santa's dogs name? Santa Paws!
graduates have been lost to suicide.
Based in Santa Rosa, California, the
"These guys are heroes, they deserve the
nonprofit VRC was launched in 1980 by What falls at the North Pole but never gets
best of what we've got. We made a promise to
Vietnam veteran Peter Cameron to help hurt? Snow.
these people and we need to keep it for once. We
returning members of the military find homes,
make a lot of promises, Americans, that we don't
jobs and healthy relationships. Funded mostly What never eats at Christmas dinner? The
keep, but this is one promise they need to keep.
by federal grants, it has served over 13,000 turkey – it’s stuffed.
They need to take care of these people better,"
veterans, with 13 branches in California, Nevada
says Deal.[]20 Ideas For Serving Others as a
and Arizona. (Continued on Page 42)
Family This Christmas