Thank You to our Veterans

In November 1919, President Woodrow Wilson proclaimed November 11 as the first commemoration of Armistice Day with the following words:

"To us in America, the reflections of Armistice Day will be filled with solemn pride in the heroism of those who died in the country’s service and with gratitude for the victory, both because of the thing from which it has freed us and because of the opportunity it has given America to show her sympathy with peace and justice in the councils of the nations…"

One of the reasons I can type this blog is because I live in a nation valuing my right to speak and write freely. I am afforded this immeasurable right because so many people have sacrificed to provide me with this opportunity. At Samaritan House, we understand the importance our US Veterans play in our daily lives. We would like to take this chance to honor them for their commitment to this country, as well as Montana.

In 2009, the federal government committed to ending veteran homelessness in the U.S. by the end of 2015. Since 2010, there has been a 33 percent decrease in the number of homeless veterans. According to data collected during the 2014 Point-in-Time Count, 49,933 veterans experienced homelessness on a single night in January 2014. That estimate represents a 14 percent decline compared to the Department of Housing and Urban Development's 2013 estimate, and a 33 percent decline compared to its 2010 estimate.

The veteran homelessness population is made up of veterans who served in several different conflicts, ranging from World War II to the recent conflicts. Though research indicates that veterans who served in the late Vietnam and post-Vietnam era are at greatest risk of homelessness, veterans returning from the recent conflicts in Afghanistan and Iraq often have severe disabilities, including traumatic brain injuries (TBIs) and Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) that are known to be correlated with homelessness. And as the military evolves, so too do the challenges. Homeless women veterans, for instance, are far more common now than in any other time in the past.

On this day, we humbly ask that you not only take time to honor those who served our country, but that you would also ask yourself how you can play a role in helping those who return home and find themselves homeless.

Extra information courtesy of the National Alliance to End Homelessness