VA Homeless Programs
Message from Monica Diaz, Executive Director, VHA Homeless Programs Office
July 2023
Went down to see my V.A. man,
He said, “Son, don’t you understand”
Do you recognize this song?
If not by these lyrics, you may know it by the chorus:
“Born in the U.S.A. I was born in the U.S.A”
When Bruce Springsteen wrote “Born in the U.S.A.” he did not intend for the song to become an anthem of American patriotism. Instead, the singer-songwriter was trying to tell a more painful story of the American experience.
In the song, we are introduced to a Vietnam Veteran returning home to a country largely unable to help him find the resources he needs to transition to civilian life — including his “V.A. man.”
The song was released in 1984, two years before the first VA homeless program debuted.
While the Veteran depicted by Springsteen is fictional, I am confident that if he wrote the song today, his character would have a vastly different experience when visiting their local VA.
Instead of being met with deferral, the Veteran would receive the help they needed. They would be introduced to compassionate caseworkers committed to helping them find housing and employment. They would receive guidance on how to enroll in VA benefits and health care. No matter the Veteran’s situation, they would not be turned away.
I am proud of the progress VA’s homeless programs have made to make the previously described scenario a reality for Veterans and their families, and I am proud of every Veteran who has placed their trust in us along the way.
However, as a country, we must adjust the tune of another narrative highlighted in the song. Springsteen’s depiction of a Veteran seeking employment, only to find there is no longer a place for him in the country he served, is gut-wrenching. It’s wrong. It’s unfair. And unfortunately, in 2023, it’s still too common.
Although Veterans can offer employers rare and valuable skills, too many employers may be hesitant to hire someone without prior experience in their field. Even worse, some employers may have long-held stereotypes about Veterans that prevent them from hiring them.
On July 25, we observe National Hire a Veteran Day, an opportunity to encourage all employers to make the smart decision of hiring Veterans. Together, we can ensure that every Veteran who wore this country’s uniform has the chance to find their next opportunity.
Veteran employment is a critical piece of the foundation we are building to prevent and end Veteran homelessness — including protecting Veterans from returning to homelessness.
On this month’s episode of the Ending Veteran Homelessness podcast, host Shawn Liu examines how income, employment, and other factors can cause Veterans return to homelessness in an important conversation with Dr. Jack Tsai, research director for VA’s National Center on Homelessness among Veterans, Dr. Thomas Byrne, an investigator with the VA National Center on Homelessness among Veterans and the Center for Healthcare Outcomes and Implementation Research at the VA Bedford Healthcare System, and Ken Mueller, VA Homeless Programs Office’s senior business operations specialist.
As the episode explains, in VA’s goal to provide permanent housing solutions for all Veterans, the term “permanent” does not translate to the Veteran living in one location for the entirety of their life. Instead, “permanent housing” describes a type of safe, stable, housing where Veterans can stay without a time limit.
Yet, housing can be lost, as Dr. Byrne reminds us, “through no fault of a Veteran themselves.” For example, if a landlord increases rent, a Veteran may be priced out of the apartment they rent. With a lack of other affordable options, the Veteran may have no choice but to return to homelessness.
The story of Army Veteran Robert Wooding illustrates how the altruism inherent in the character of our Veterans can lead them to put the needs of others before themselves — even if it means sacrificing their housing in the process.
During National Minority Mental Health Awareness Month, we recognize the unique struggles racial and ethnic minority Veterans also face, including those that may contribute to homelessness and returns to homelessness. VA data from 2018 to 2022 reveals that compared to Veterans who did not return to homelessness, Veterans who returned to homelessness were 38% more likely to have a diagnosis of drug use disorder, 18% more likely to be Black, and more likely to be less engaged in VA outpatient care.
By taking time to examine the patterns among those Veterans who return to homelessness, we can act accordingly. We can adjust the services we provide to our Veterans to prevent these stressful and dangerous situations. We can ensure that once housed, our Veterans never need to worry about the harms of homelessness again.
Most importantly, we can prove what it really means to be “Born in the U.S.A.” when we say to every Veteran who comes through VA’s doors, “We are going to help you with whatever you are going through, no matter what.”
To me, that is the most patriotic song of all.
