Wow Jim. I think maybe you need some clarification. The point behind mentioning the number of homeless vets is that, of all people, vets are the ones we shouldn’t let go without a home. Obviously I don’t have to explain to you what you lay on the table when you sign the dotted line, so some support for these guys isn’t too much to ask I don’t think. With 30 years in I’m very surprised you would be so seemingly narrow minded on this.

” If they did not have prospects for a job on the outside they should have reenlisted and made the military a career. ”

It would seem that you are of the mind that they just left the army, couldn’t find work, and decided well being homeless is the best I can do. C’mon Jim. I like to see other “Jim”s that are perceptive and can use their brains. I can think of a few things that would lead them to homelessness, but just in case you actually come here to comment on this, why don’t you take a minute and try coming up with a few on your own.

WOW !
I hope Mr. Schild’s letter was tongue-in-cheek.
I did not spend near as many years in as did he - but on face value, the letter seems pretty unkind, to say the least.

My initial reaction was “Maybe they did not want to be killed” or “Maybe they had a traumatic experience of some kind.” or “Maybe they had an injury of some kind and were discharged.” or “Maybe they could just not readjust to civilian life.” or “(fill in your own thought).”

Jim, for a man that claims to have served for 30 years you sure show a gutless attitude toward your fellow veterans. There is a darn good chance that their problem adapting to civilian life is the result of military related issue.

And for this statement, “If these people had problems when they were released, they probably had problems when they joined so the fact that they are a veteran adds little value to their dilemma.”, you disgrace whatever uniform you ever wore. You sure were not a Marine. Semper Fi? You don’t know the meaning. Shipmate? No, I don’t think you know what that means either. No, I guess you will step over the bodies of the fallen whether that be on a battlefield, the deck of a ship or street in downtown St. Louis.

As a friend and advocate of veterans, combat and non-combat, I disagree strongly with your comments, Jim, while thanking you for your years of service. I’m not sure if you saw combat, but combat veterans especially have experiences so intense and traumatizing that it changes them for life. Even after they come home, these vets have a hard time adjusting to civilian life, relating to the problems of the humdrum every day, and even to their own families. These are men and women who have been taught not to show pain, emotion or fear, so it’s difficult for them to open up, and many turn to drugs or alcohol, and lose touch with their families, or fail in their jobs as they fail to see the point versus what they did while they were in the service. Which brings me to another point - who is to say if these homeless men would have been able to reenlist? Many homeless vets are those who have been wounded in battle or have PTSD or other mental disorders brought on by combat.

More often than not, these homeless vets have been exposed to life or death situations, or witnessed buddies getting hurt or killed, or civilians getting hurt or killed, felt regret or remorse, the sudden danger of a roadside bomb, landmine or ambush attack - they can be forever scarred, inside.

Homelessness is a sad problem of modern society, but even more tragic when it occurs to our once proud fighting men and women. Oftentimes the homelessness has occurred as a unhappy, but all too familiar storm of events in a veteran’s life that brought him to this place. Our vets were willing to give their best for our country - we owe them our best too. Our country will be judged how we treat our children, our elderly, our poor, and those, as Abe Lincoln said, “who shall have borne the battle.”

Mr. Schild,
First, I really believe your letter is nothing but bragging as to your decision to stay in the military. Not everyone makes the decision to stay in the service after they have completed their obligation. For many, they realize military life is not something they want to do so they get discharged, come home, maybe they have their old jobs to come home to or maybe they want to go to school and further their education and rejoin the workforce. It’s not like they want to get discharged and be homeless, it happens. Many have been out for years and lost their jobs, their homes, and families. You don’t know the circumstances every veteran has gone through so don’t sit there and judge anyone or try to dictate to anyone what their life’s career should be. You say you spent almost 30 years of your life in the military, but you don’t say what you did, what you saw, or what you experienced. You say these veterans more than likely had problems when they joined the service? There are testing proceedures the military has for individuals before they are accepted. There are background and police checks before they are accepted. They have your school records and know what you can and cannot do before they make the decision to accept you. You say there is no reason to assume someone goes into the military for three or four years and gets out and if they did not have a prospect for a job they should have reenlisted. Get over yourself.
I spent two years in the Army from 1968 to 1970. I was asked to reenlist, but there was a war going on. So, let’s see; war or go home, war or go home? I think I’ll go home and back to my old job, I completed my obligation. And no, I was not drafted, I joined because I knew I would be drafted soon. You did thirty years in the service so if I do the math, there was do draft or lottery, you just joined. You made that decision and the decision to stay because you liked that life. Guys like you we avoided in the Army. You never mentioned what your military job was, where you were stationed, or branch of service. But, judging from your letter, your compassion for your fellow veterans, and your attitude towards them, you were a cook. Everyone who has served in the military considers each other a “Brother”. However, I am sure you can be left off the list.

I am also a VN vet with 6 years active duty, and over 30 years of Federal service. I was not drafted, but enlisted after High School graduation at 17 years of age, with my WW II veteran fathers signature.

Jim, you have lost touch. Not everyone is able to spend 20 plus years wearing a uniform, but to the ones that can, a big thank you. This country needs men and women with that type of dedication, but you should not criticize those that are unable, or have the desire not to do so.

10:1 bets Jim is one of those “compassionate conservatives”.

Jim: When I was drafted in January of 1966, as a Private E-1, I was paid $78 a month, take home being $68. When my service was completed and I was separated in January of 1968, I was an E-5 Tank Commander, making $263 a month, and that included combat pay. Hardly attractive wages even in the 60’s. I think many of these homeless vets have trouble forgetting embedded memories from their trips around the globe protecting our country, thus making it difficult to adapt back to civilian ways.

Thank you to all that responded and defending the homeless veterans.

Thank you for serving our Country and remaining loyal to your comrades even those who end up homeless.

We do not agree politically, but I will always have the most respect for all of you!

I would also bet you that that Jim Schild never show combat or experienced the emotional scars that most of you have. Thank you Veterans for all you have done and continue to do for this Country!

They were injured
They have a mental disease
They joined for the wrong reason
They were forced to join - for the wrong reason
They did not want to kill or be killed
They were discharged, not of their choice
They had prospects after service, but those prospects dried up.

Those are ones I can think of just off the top of my head.