Please eval my latest editorial on homeless female veterans

[w8liftinglady]

for spelling,punctuation and content.As always,thanks


As the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan enter a new decade, a group of veterans is growing.Of the 140,000 veterans that are homeless on any given night, 6,500 veterans are female. If we are to support our troops and veterans, we must educate ourselves on those who have sacrificed for our nation, including the female troops.

“The number of female veterans has doubled in the last decade,” says Tammy Duckworth, assistant secretary for public and intergovernmental affairs in the United States Department of Veterans Affairs.Research has been done over the last 20 years that has confirmed the fact that female veterans are twice as likely as male veterans to become homeless. We hear nothing about this in the mainstream media.

The Veterans Adminstration, due to the composition of previous war veterans, has been slow in keeping up with the number of female veterans and their needs. Many female homeless veterans have the additional burden of child care, substance abuse and sexual abuse concerns.

My friend Larry Scott of VA Watchdog has issued articles with excellent resources for homeless female veterans and their families.
http://www.vawatchdog.org/10/nf10/nffeb10/nf020110-3.htm

As the November elections approach, we must remember to support the candidates with a track record for supporting the homeless and the veterans, as these individuals fall into both categories.It is inconceivable that a nation that "supports the troops" would allow this to occur and perpetuate.

[pacalo]

1. Absolutely perfect!

:thumbsup:

[WinkyDink]

2. I think it is excellent, and I learned some sad truths. I knew we had a high % of homeless as

Vets, but I never made the connection to FEMALE Vets.

[bobbolink]

5. Yes, that is so important! PLUS... more homeless women die on the streets than homeless men.

:cry:

[w8liftinglady]

17. since women aren't technically "combat",people assume they don't suffer,too.

[bobbolink]

3. Damn, you're guuuud! ^_^

Personally, I would like some more facts, but what you have is great.

Also, this time I only see 3 missing spaces after periods.

Could you give a link to finding what candidates are "good" on homeless and veterans issues?

Thanks!

[w8liftinglady]

8. this is a good resource for those reps already in Congress/state gov

http://www.votesmart.org/index.htm

[maryf]

4. K&R

rec 5

[spanone]

6. k&r

[pinboy3niner]

7. Excellent! K&R

[bobbolink]

9. Some facts. Read 'em and weep. LITERALLY... weep....

*Women veterans are up to 4 times more likely to be homeless compared to non-veteran women and male veterans.

* Forty percent of female homeless veterans report experiences of sexual assault in the military.


* Homeless women veterans are more likely to experience severe forms of mental illness compared to men, mostly because of higher rates of Military Sexual Trauma.

* The risk of death for homeless women veterans is substantially higher than for women in the general population, especially among younger cohorts.

http://www.servicewomen.org/userfiles/file/HWVfactsheet.pdf

[w8liftinglady]

10. holy shit...I need to make some statistical adjustments-after I cry.

I'll post in a short.

[bobbolink]

11. I'm sorry.

:cry:

[w8liftinglady]

12. how's this?

As the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan enter a new decade, a group of veterans is growing.Of the 140,000 veterans that are homeless on any given night, 13,100 veterans are female-and this rate has doubled since 2009. If we are to support our troops and veterans, we must educate ourselves on those who have sacrificed for our nation, including the female troops.

According to the IAVA,a quarter of female veterans in the VA’s Homelessness Programs have minor children. Finding shelters that permit children is a primary obstacle for homeless women veterans.Homeless women veterans are more likely to experience severe forms of mental illness
compared to men, mostly because of higher rates of Military Sexual Trauma(MST). The risk of death for homeless women veterans is substantially higher than for women in the general population, especially among younger cohorts.

The Veterans Adminstration,due to the composition of previous war veterans,has been slow in keeping up with the number of female veterans and their needs. Many female homeless veterans have the additional burden of child care ,substance abuse and sexual abuse concerns.

Further information on homeless female veterans has been provided by The Service Women's Action Network:

http://www.servicewomen.org/userfiles/file/HWVfactsheet.pdf

My friend Larry Scott of VA Watchdog Has issued articles with excellent resources for homeless female veterans and their families:

http://www.vawatchdog.org/10/nf10/nffeb10/nf020110-3.htm

As the November elections approach, we must remember to support the candidates with a track record for supporting the homeless and the veterans,as these individuals fall into both catagories.It is inconceivable that a nation that "supports the troops" would allow this to occur and perpetuate.

[bobbolink]

13. My one disagreement, and it is a strong one, is the reliance on "shelters".

These women and their children need HOMES.... and not making shelters into permanent homes.

Actually, from my point of view, it would be a GOOD thing for shelters NOT to accept children.... that would press the point of HOMES being needed.

Just for one example...... the rate of TB in shelters is 11 to 14 TIMES the rate of TB in the general population. Do you really want women vets and their children subjected to that? I could give you a lot more on that.

The issue is... everyone in this country needs to be HOUSED.

Certainly, women who have served in the military need HOMES, and so do their children.

We need to get off the shelter "fix".

[w8liftinglady]

14. I'll make that the focus of my next homeless editorial...effects of "shelters"...

[bobbolink]

15. That would be great, and I would be happy to give you lots of info!

For now, would you consider writing about the lack of housing for female vets and their children, rather than shelters?

[w8liftinglady]

16. done-although shelters-a 'quick fix" aren't even available

As the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan enter a new decade, a group of veterans is growing.Of the 140,000 veterans that are homeless on any given night, 13,100 veterans are female-and this rate has doubled since 2009. If we are to support our troops and veterans, we must educate ourselves on those who have sacrificed for our nation, including the female troops.

According to the IAVA, a quarter of female veterans in the VA’s Homelessness Programs have minor children. Finding shelters that permit children is a primary obstacle for homeless women veterans.For female homeless veterans with families,finding a home of their own is nearly impossible. Homeless women veterans are more likely to experience severe forms of mental illness compared to men, mostly because of higher rates of Military Sexual Trauma(MST). The risk of death for homeless women veterans is substantially higher than for women in the general population, especially among younger cohorts.

The Veterans Adminstration,due to the composition of previous war veterans,has been slow in keeping up with the number of female veterans and their needs. Many female homeless veterans have the additional burden of child care ,substance abuse and sexual abuse concerns.

Further information on homeless female veterans has been provided by The Service Women's Action Network:

http://www.servicewomen.org/userfiles/file/HWVfactsheet...

My friend Larry Scott of VA Watchdog Has issued articles with excellent resources for homeless female veterans and their families:

http://www.vawatchdog.org/10/nf10/nffeb10/nf020110-3.ht...

As the November elections approach, we must remember to support the candidates with a track record for supporting the homeless and the veterans,as these individuals fall into both catagories.It is inconceivable that a nation that "supports the troops" would allow this to occur and perpetuate.