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By Denver Mills, Executive Chairman, East Bay Stand Down
It is a historical fact there have been always been homeless veterans. Many
were homeless after the Civil War, World War I, World War II and Korea. Probably at about the same
percentage as we currently see.
The Civil War vets were called hobos, and the name stuck throughout the succeeding
generations of veterans. The famous "skid rows" were largely populated by homeless veterans after World
War I and World War II.
Unfortunately, the longer people are homeless - regardless of whether they are veterans
or not - the more difficult it is for them to get off the street, for a number of reasons. These are
the folks who most people see, and are identified as being "a bunch of lazy men" - as a recent letter
to the editor from a World War II veteran proclaimed.
At stand downs, like those held in the East Bay and the one recently held at the Dixon
May Fair grounds, we find that about one-third to one-half of the participants have been on the street
for more than one year. These folks are very difficult to help in breaking free from that lifestyle.
However, it does happen, and it is very worthwhile.
The critic of the North Bay Stand Down 2002 should be very proud of his accomplishments
throughout his life. I thank him for his work and for his service to our country.
I hope that he can understand that the problems of homeless veterans are not just those
of the current veterans, and are much more complicated than just them being "a bunch of lazy men."
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