Veterans Becoming Homeless

from WRBL

By Susanna Avery Reporter

John Pilate fought in the Gulf War nearly 20 years ago. “We got caught up in enemy fire and we had to do what we had to do,” said Pilate.

Little did he know at the young age of 17, his toughest battle wasn't in the Middle East.

It came just a few years after he left the Army. “I lost my whole family in a car accident. I had no reason to go home. Lord, why'd you take my mom. My whole family,” Pilate said, holding back the tears.

John turned to drugs to dull the pain, only creating more. He found himself living on the streets.

The Homeless Research Institute estimates there are more than 4100 veterans who are now homeless in Georgia and Alabama alone. About 20 percent of the homeless that Open Door Community House helps are veterans, according to the director, Kim Jenkins.

“You have to deal with a lot of issues coming back,” said James Lawrence. He got back from Iraq in 2005. He's not homeless, but he understands how post traumatic stress can lead you there. “You come back from combat, you have to deal with it. It's hard. I'm still dealing with it. It's rough. I put everything in God's hands and let him handle it,” said Lawrence.

That's what John says he did. Now, years after the toughest fight of his life, John has seen victory. “I've to my own place. Doing well. I've got my fiancé, ‘bout to get married soon. I'm doing well,” said John, with a smile.

The Homeless Research Institute also estimates that up to 467,000 veterans were at risk of homelessness. At risk is defined as being below the poverty level and paying more than 50 percent of household income on rent.

Korean War veteran recalls vivid memories of poverty

from the Timmins Daily Press

Posted By Brandon Walker
Posted 23 hours ago

Andr‚ LariviŠre was 19 years old when he stepped off a ship in Busan, South Korea, his first day in a new land, more than 50 years ago.

Little did he know what was in store over the next year.

He and his regiment immediately boarded a rickety train with wooden seats, heading north for Seoul.

"We were flabbergasted by the poverty there," he said.

People lived in cardboard boxes, or homes with cardboard covering holes in the roof or walls.

Kids ran alongside the train, begging for food.

"We gave them some of our rations," he said.

After getting off the train, the soldiers hopped into trucks that took them over the Imjin River, where they relieved the artillery regiment stationed there.

"We spent the first night in the trenches. It was nerve-racking to take all that in."

He said seeing all that poverty, along with spending nights in a hole in the ground, unsure of what the future held for them, left a lasting mark on the thousands of Canadians fighting in the Korean War from 1950 to 1953.

LariviŠre was a radio operator. His job was to maintain radio communication between the regiment artillery battalion, known as the batteries, and headquarters.

"We did our duty, then the truce was finally signed and we stayed on as peacekeepers."

With Remembrance Day on Sunday, LariviŠre will pay respect to the more than 500 Canadians who died in Korea - some he knew and some he didn't - and to those who have died in other wars.

"You ask yourself 'why them and not me.' I'm thankful to have made it back safely to Canada," he said.

His war experience was an eye-opener.

Now 73, he has come to realize how important his role as a soldier was.

"I've met with several people from Korea who immigrated to Canada and they couldn't stop thanking us for helping them. They vowed to never let their children forget what we did."

Today, South Korea is a financial power in the world.

"That's because they could create a democracy with help from the United Nations," he said.

And that is the reason LariviŠre supports the war in Afghanistan.

"If in 10 years Afghanistan has a democracy we'll be thankful to our soldiers, and (the citizens) will be very thankful for us helping them out."