Home from America's wars, yet homeless in its suburbs

[Ian David]

By Connie Paige, Globe Correspondent | August 12, 2007

BEDFORD -- John McCarthy hails from a proud military family. He was named after a great-uncle gassed by the Germans in World War I. Both his grandfather and father fought in World War II.

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"I'm trying to get totally back on my feet and back into the swing of things -- which is easier said than done when you're starting from scratch and have no resources," said McCarthy, when he was enrolled last month in a 40-bed shelter for homeless veterans at the Edith Nourse Rogers Memorial Veterans Hospital in Bedford.

McCarthy is one of a significant number of homeless veterans living in the shadows in the suburbs, perpetually navigating a revolving door between shelters, temporary homes, and the street. Some veterans advocates say the ranks of homeless vets may soon be joined by a flood of troops returning from Iraq and Afghanistan suffering from serious health and mental health problems needing care not now available.

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Federal government surveys show that one-third of adult homeless men and nearly one-quarter of all homeless adults across the country have served in the armed forces. The ratio of veterans among the homeless is the same in Massachusetts, according to research by the joint legislative committee. The Bedford center is one of only two in the state run by the federal government for veterans; the other is in Brockton. Other homeless shelters -- some exclusively for veterans, others not -- are run privately or by the state.

More:
http://www.boston.com/news/local/articles/2007/08/12/home_from_americas_wars_yet_homeless_in_its_suburbs/?rss_id=Boston+Globe+--+City%2FRegion+News

[SpiralHawk]

1. "They should go AWOL. Republicon chickenhawks have great houses. Smirk." - Commander AWOL

"Too bad about the grunts. My heart is, ummm, a, (smirk) bleeding for them (smirk). They should try becoming republicon chickenhawk Homelanders, because we always get the fat (smirk). You should see where VP Dickie "Five Military Deferments" Cheney, Rush "Anal Pimple Exemption" Limbaugh, and Sean "Gucci loafers" Hannity live. Smirk, smirk, smirk."

- Commander AWOL, from his mansion in Maine