NYT - "Home from Iraq, and Without a Home"

[GCP]

"THIS is how Nicole Goodwin travels these days: with her 1-year-old daughter pressed to her chest in a Snugli, a heavy backpack strapped across her shoulders, and a baby stroller crammed with as many bags of clothes and diapers as it can hold. When you are a homeless young mother, these are the things you carry."

And tucked away somewhere are the documents attesting to Ms. Goodwin's recent honorable discharge from the United States Army, as well as Baghdad memories that are still fresh.

Two months ago, she returned to Bronx circumstances that were no less difficult than when she had left them three years earlier; no yellow ribbons greeted her. Now, every day, she soldiers on to find a residence where the rent is not covered by in-kind payments of late-night bus rides to shelters and early-morning rousting. All the while, she keeps in mind the acronym she learned in the Army: Leadership. L is for loyalty; D for duty; R for respect; S for selfless service; H for honor; P for personal courage. "And I is my favorite," she says. "It's integrity."

On Thursday morning, Ms. Goodwin wheeled her heavy-duty stroller into the Lower Manhattan office of the Coalition for the Homeless, a nonprofit organization that is trying to help her. For the last couple of nights it has put her and her nuzzling daughter, Shylah, up in a hotel.

More here http://www.nytimes.com/2004/04/24/nyregion/24about.html

This is shameful. Welcome home, now f**k off.

I hope she finds a home soon, that baby's too precious to be spoiled by homelessness.

[JanMichael]

1. Chin up. Bootstraps and such. Get along with your mother!

</conservative asshole>

Our homeless problem in this country is bad but this story is just terrible.

Post-Vietnam had an influx of mentally damaged vets dropped off on the streets too, thanks for your service to the Empire, now fuck off.

What's even more twisted is that this article will probably get her help but most people don't have that luxury...

[ikojo]

2. ALL babies are too precious to be soiled by homelessness

This baby is already one year old. She may be falling behind in many areas of her intellectual and emotional development. Thus continues the spiral.

I agree with the poster who said that Ms Godwin will probably get assistance as a result of the NYT article. It may help her but not the problem of working class soldiers returning to find that their situation has not changed one iota.