VA Homeless Programs
Message from Monica Diaz, Executive Director, VHA Homeless Programs Office
November 2022
With a fulfilling and stable civilian life, Billy Truesdell did not consider being a Veteran to be an integral part of his identity. But when the Navy Veteran unexpectedly found himself without a place to live, a job, or a support system, he reassessed.
“I had no pride. I had nothing,” he recalls.
Even when it felt like he had nothing else, Billy still knew he had something valuable: he was a Veteran.
“Now, I owe that title,” he recently told us.
Just as Billy had protected his country in 1986, he learned that VA was standing by, ready to protect him from the challenges he faced nearly 4 decades later.
Today, Billy is thriving—and he’s committed to helping other Veterans do the same as a peer support specialist with VA Tennessee Valley Healthcare System.
I think about Billy’s words, “I owe that title,” often.
The title “Veteran” distinguishes the individuals who have raised their hand and taken the oath to defend our nation. Through decades of war and peace, these oaths have echoed across recruitment offices from all corners of the country, and they have been heard around the world. I believe these words—taken today entirely voluntarily—are quite literally the sound of freedom ringing.
The title “Veteran” distinguishes the individuals who have promised to put the life of their country above their own life. Those who have earned this title know what it means to be truly selfless, to know and witness things most Americans could never imagine, and to ask nothing in return.
The title “Veteran” distinguishes the 19 million individuals in our nation. It has 19 million meanings—everyone who has served has their own unique identity and relationship to the word.
I believe it is our responsibility to ensure the title “Veteran” is distinguished by one universal promise: if an individual has the title “Veteran,” we have their back.
VA Homeless Programs and our partners are upholding this promise every day. According to the preliminary results of the most recent Point-in-Time Count—the annual effort to assess of the state of homelessness in America—Veteran homelessness in America has declined by 55.3% since 2010. Since January 2020, the last year a full PIT Count was conducted, Veteran homelessness has decreased by 11%.
United States Interagency Council on Homelessness executive director Jeff Olivet is correct in saying, “This proves that, even under the most difficult circumstances, we can take care of each other and address homelessness.” I encourage you to read more about the PIT Count results here.
Remarkably, this PIT Count data does not include our efforts from this calendar year, in which we have achieved nearly 31,000 permanent housing placements for Veterans experiencing homelessness. This represents more than 81% of Secretary McDonough’s goal to achieve 38,000 permanent housing placements by December 31, 2022—putting VA on track to meet, or even exceed, our goal by the end of the year.
And we still have work to do. Because even one Veteran without a home is too many.
On Veteran’s Day, our country paid tribute to those who have served with patriotic parades, ceremonies, and even discounts offered to Veterans. Our Veterans deserve this support and celebration—but they also deserve more.
Our Veterans deserve to know that no matter what they are going through, where they are, or who they contact, they can count on this same enthusiasm every day of the year. They deserve our full attention and energy, our creative ideas, and our willingness to dismantle the systems that lead to homelessness. Most of all, they deserve our promise that the title “Veteran” will always be there for them, because we will always be there for them.
Thank you for helping to fulfill this promise every day. I wish everyone a happy and healthy Thanksgiving.
