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When Johnny and Jane come marching home again
United States prepares for new generation of war veterans




By Greg Goodsell, Bakotopia.com Contributor

The hot summer months usually see the American flag waving proudly as the public takes time to remember U.S. veterans and our war dead.

Since March of 2003, these holidays have taken on a new significance. The American military is in Iraq and elsewhere, and casualty lists of fighting men and women are a fact of life with daily newscasts.

No matter what our political affiliation, we all wish American servicemen a quick return to our friendly shores.

For many, however, that will just be the beginning of a new set of problems as they re-enter civilian life. A common sight is the homeless vagrant with a sandwich board proclaiming him a U.S. veteran. One wonders how these former soldiers, who have placed themselves in harms way for our nation’s benefit are reduced to such circumstances.

One such agency designed to help former military personnel find their way back to civilian life is the California Veterans Assistance Foundation. Vietnam veteran Robert Piaro is president and CEO of the organization that runs the program.

“I’ve been involved with Veterans Assistance since 1994, in one way or another around the United States,” said Piaro. “We came to Bakersfield about 1999, and started the rant process to the United States Office of Veterans Affairs. We provide transitional housing for homeless veterans and those at risk.”

Relying on the community for help, Piaro explained the process of keeping such an important organization alive.

“Everything you see here is donated. The only thing they have to come in with this their clothes. Everything else is provided, food and everything. We’re subsidized 100 percent by the federal government. We get no city or county tax. We function off private contributions and money from the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs.”

The reasons veterans fall into homelessness and vagrancy are very complex, Piaro went onto discuss.

“There’s no kidding that the biggest percent is alcoholism and drugs. You have young men and women serving their country that see things that you haven’t seen over there.

Like people being wounded very badly, people being blown up. Everyone reacts to that different. And they medicate themselves with alcohol and drugs. More often than not, they don’t get the help they need,” he said.

Piaro added that attitudes about substance abuse have begun to change for treatment.

“Now, they’re providing a lot more to the military. Men and women coming back can get some kind of counseling. Our biggest problem is alcohol and drugs, mental health issues. A person can’t come into our program if they’re actively abusing, they will be discharged from the program. They sign contracts to come in here. When they sign the contract, they sign the right that we do random breathalyzer and drug testing. We’ve had people who have had to leave - three or four people in one week. It’s the way the grant is written. You can’t be an abuser and be here. We have people here who are trying to make changes to their lives,” he said.

The question many people have is with so many government programs available, “Why such a large number of veterans in need?”

“A lot of people do assume that if you’re a veteran, the VA takes care of you,” explained Piaro. “It’s true and it’s not true. You have to be eligible for the VA. In the population that we’re working with - homeless and at risk of being homeless - 2 to 5 percent of the homeless population are veterans, which is about 500,000. Less than 2 to 5 percent the VA takes care of. The VA does a lot, but it’s such a massive problem that it’s hard to get a handle on. The VA gives you a certain allotment to the veteran’s state homes in California you get so much a month from the federal government per person.”

Piaro went onto say that some veteran were substance abusers prior to active military service.|

“A lot of people have a history of dug and alcohol abuse before active duty, and they return to it. I’ve got a couple clients here who served in the Persian Gulf War, the Afghan War, different kinds of scenarios,” he said.

Another sad factor in veteran homelessness is the case of the wandering spouse or loved on when “either a man or woman has had an extended stay for a year. They’re away from their family or husband and wife, then that spouse back home finds someone else in that absence. The veteran comes home - and their home and family is gone,” said Piaro. “I’ve seen it happen with both sexes. It’s not just a male thing or a female thing. The absence has made the lady or guy lonely.”

Piaro is happy to report that this setback is usually very brief.

“What is nice about helping any veteran, people who have that kind of experience, they’re traumatized because they think they’re coming home to a great thing, and wham! It blew up in their face,” he said. “The maximum length that we can keep anybody is up to two years. People who come back right now - they usually get over it in three months.

They just need a place to stay for awhile.”

Employment is an important building block to recovery once they return.

“Most of the businesses keep their jobs for them, but that usually doesn’t provide enough money to pay the rent,” said Piaro. “Where does he go for the first month or two, until he gets enough money for a vehicle, apartment, and get his family back?”

America continues to look forward to the day that Johnny and Jane come marching home. Thanks to people like Piaro and organizations like Veterans Assistance, they will have a place to rest and recover.

California Veterans Assistance, Bakersfield office
2215 Buena Vista St. No. 1
Bakersfield, CA 93304
324-2001
www.cavaf.org

Also printed in Bakotopia magazine, issue 32, 7-10-08