The Veterans We Forget

For many, the image of a veteran is clear: a hero returning home celebrated and welcomed with open arms. But this image does not reflect the reality of countless veterans who struggle long after they hang up their uniforms. Today, I want to honor the veterans who are often left behind—the homeless, the LGBTQ+ veterans, and the immigrant veterans who faced deportation after their service.

Homeless Veterans: Sacrificing Everything and Left with Nothing

It’s estimated that nearly 40,000 veterans are homeless on any given night in the United States. Many of them struggle with PTSD, depression, and other mental health conditions that stem from their service. These issues, combined with the lack of adequate support systems and affordable housing, leave many veterans without a safe place to call home.

These are the veterans we see living on the streets, holding signs asking for help—yet too often, their service and sacrifice are forgotten. They gave everything for our country, yet our systems have failed them, offering little in the way of support when they needed it most. They fought for our freedom, but where is their freedom now? Their stories are a reminder of the promises we’ve failed to keep.

1. Inadequate Mental Health Support

Many veterans return home with severe mental health conditions like PTSD, anxiety, or depression. While the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) is responsible for providing mental health services, it often falls short. Underfunding, bureaucratic delays and long wait times mean that veterans don’t always receive timely treatment. Without adequate mental health care, veterans may turn to self-medication or substance abuse as a coping mechanism, leading to further instability and homelessness.

• Example: A veteran struggling with PTSD might wait months for a VA therapy appointment. In the interim, they may turn to alcohol or drugs, exacerbating their condition and increasing the risk of losing their job or home.

2. Lack of Affordable Housing

Many veterans face housing insecurity due to the high cost of living, particularly in urban areas. Although programs like HUD-VASH (a joint effort between HUD and the VA) provide housing vouchers for veterans, demand far exceeds supply. Veterans often end up on long waitlists or face difficulties finding landlords willing to accept the vouchers.

• Example: Even with a housing voucher, a veteran might struggle to find an affordable rental, especially in cities where the voucher value doesn’t match market rent prices.

3. Unemployment and Underemployment

The transition from military service to civilian life can be challenging. Veterans often have skills that don’t directly transfer to the civilian job market, or they may face discrimination due to gaps in employment caused by military service. Additionally, those with physical or mental health issues may find it difficult to secure stable employment, pushing them into a cycle of joblessness and homelessness.

• Example: A combat medic might have extensive experience in trauma care, but without civilian credentials, they may not be able to work as a paramedic or nurse without additional training and certification.

4. Bureaucratic Barriers and Lack of Accessibility

Navigating the benefits system can be overwhelming for veterans, especially those dealing with mental health issues or cognitive impairments. The complex paperwork, lengthy processes, and frequent denials of claims create significant barriers to accessing the support veterans need. Moreover, veterans with “other-than-honorable” discharges are often ineligible for VA benefits, despite having served in combat zones.

• Example: A veteran with a traumatic brain injury may struggle to complete the necessary paperwork for disability benefits, leading to delays or denials of vital financial support.

5. Inadequate Transition Programs

When veterans leave the military, they often go through Transition Assistance Programs (TAP). However, these programs are frequently criticized for being insufficient, failing to adequately prepare veterans for civilian life. Veterans may leave service without a clear plan for employment, education, or accessing healthcare, leaving them vulnerable to homelessness.

• Example: A veteran may complete a brief transition program that focuses primarily on resume building, without addressing the mental health support they might need, or providing guidance on navigating the complex VA system.

6. Social Isolation and Lack of Support Networks

Many veterans struggle with social isolation after leaving the military. They may find it difficult to reintegrate into civilian life, and without a strong support network of family and friends, they are at higher risk of homelessness. Veterans who are estranged from their families, particularly those who identify as LGBTQ+ or are immigrants, may face additional barriers in accessing community support.

The Need for Systemic Change

To truly address the issue of homeless veterans, we need to overhaul the current support systems and create a holistic approach that includes:

• Increased funding for mental health services to ensure timely access to care.
• Expanded affordable housing programs that account for the unique needs of veterans.
• Better employment programs that recognize military skills and provide adequate retraining.
• Simplified access to benefits to reduce bureaucratic barriers.
• Inclusive support networks for marginalized veterans, including LGBTQ+ and immigrant veterans.

LGBTQ+ Veterans: Serving in Silence, Forgotten in Pride

LGBTQ+ individuals have served in the military for decades, often in silence, hiding who they were to protect their careers and themselves. Before the repeal of “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell,” many were discharged simply because of their identity. Even today, despite the progress made, many LGBTQ+ veterans face discrimination when seeking benefits or care from the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA).

Trans veterans, in particular, face unique challenges. The VA’s healthcare policies have been slow to adapt, leaving many trans veterans without access to gender-affirming care. Their service is often overshadowed by the political debates surrounding their right to serve. On this Veterans Day, we must remember that these veterans fought for the very freedoms they are denied. Their stories deserve to be told, and their rights deserve to be protected.

1. Historical Discrimination and “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” (DADT)

For many years, LGBTQ+ service members were forced to hide their sexual orientation or gender identity to serve in the U.S. military. The “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” policy, enacted in 1993 and repealed only in 2011, prohibited openly gay, lesbian, or bisexual individuals from serving. During this period, an estimated 13,000 service members were discharged due to their sexual orientation.

• Example: A lesbian service member with a decorated career was forced to leave the military after being outed. Despite years of honorable service, she lost her benefits and pension simply because of who she loved.

2. Lack of Access to VA Benefits Due to Dishonorable Discharges

Under DADT and previous policies, many LGBTQ+ service members received “other than honorable” or dishonorable discharges because of their sexual orientation or gender identity. This type of discharge disqualifies veterans from accessing VA benefits, including healthcare, education, and housing assistance, leaving many LGBTQ+ veterans without the support they need.

• Example: A transgender veteran who was discharged for “unacceptable conduct” related to their gender identity cannot access VA medical care for service-related injuries, leaving them without critical mental health support for PTSD.

3. Mental Health Challenges and Discrimination

LGBTQ+ veterans face higher rates of mental health issues, including depression, anxiety, PTSD, and suicidal ideation, often exacerbated by discrimination, trauma from hiding their identity, and the stigma they face both in and out of the military. The VA has made strides in providing LGBTQ+-inclusive care, but many veterans still encounter discrimination or lack access to culturally competent care.

• Example: A gay veteran experiencing PTSD struggles to find a therapist who understands LGBTQ+ issues at the VA, leaving him feeling isolated and reluctant to seek help.

4. Higher Rates of Homelessness Among LGBTQ+ Veterans

LGBTQ+ veterans are disproportionately affected by homelessness, often due to a combination of discrimination, lack of family support, and the challenges of accessing VA benefits. Many LGBTQ+ veterans face rejection from their families because of their identity, making it harder for them to find stable housing after their service.

• Example: A young, bisexual woman who was kicked out of her home after coming out joined the military in search of a stable future. After being discharged under DADT, she had nowhere to turn and ended up homeless, struggling to access housing assistance without an honorable discharge status.

5. Challenges Faced by Transgender Veterans

Transgender veterans face unique obstacles in accessing VA healthcare, particularly when seeking gender-affirming care. While the VA has made some progress in providing inclusive services, many transgender veterans report being denied coverage for surgeries, hormone therapy, and other essential care. Additionally, transgender veterans may face harassment and discrimination when interacting with VA staff who lack training on trans issues.

• Example: A transgender man who served in the Navy seeks hormone therapy at the VA. Despite being eligible, he has been denied coverage multiple times due to bureaucratic red tape and staff unfamiliarity with transgender healthcare needs.

6. The Impact of the Ban on Transgender Service Members

The ban on transgender individuals serving openly in the military, lifted in 2021, created lasting trauma and uncertainty for many transgender veterans. Those who were discharged under the ban or forced to hide their identity face long-term effects, including loss of benefits, mental health struggles, and difficulty re-integrating into civilian life.

• Example: A transgender woman who was discharged under the ban lost her healthcare benefits and is now struggling to receive the care she needs for her service-related injuries and hormone therapy, leaving her in a precarious position both financially and medically.

To address these systemic failures, advocacy efforts for LGBTQ+ veterans should focus on:

• Upgrading Discharges: Streamlining the process for veterans discharged under DADT and previous discriminatory policies to have their discharge status upgraded, allowing them access to full VA benefits.
• Inclusive Healthcare: Expanding LGBTQ+-inclusive care at the VA, including comprehensive mental health services and gender-affirming care for transgender veterans.
• Homelessness Prevention Programs: Creating targeted programs to prevent homelessness among LGBTQ+ veterans, recognizing the unique challenges they face, and providing housing support tailored to their needs.
• Legal Protections: Ensuring that LGBTQ+ veterans are protected from discrimination when accessing VA services, and that VA staff receive proper training on LGBTQ+ cultural competency.
• Mental Health Resources: Expanding access to mental health resources specifically designed for LGBTQ+ veterans, focusing on trauma related to discrimination, military service, and post-service challenges.

Immigrant Veterans: Serving a Country That Turned Its Back

Many veterans are immigrants who served with the hope of securing a better future for themselves and their families. They enlisted with the promise of citizenship, risking their lives in combat for a country they believed in. Yet, despite their service, many immigrant veterans have faced deportation. It’s estimated that thousands of veterans have been deported, and forced to leave the country they once defended.

These veterans are left to navigate life in foreign lands, often without access to the healthcare and support they need for the injuries and trauma sustained during their service. They were willing to give their lives for America, but when the uniform came off, they were treated as outsiders. On this Veterans Day, we must ask ourselves: How can we celebrate freedom and justice while turning our backs on those who fought for it?

Many immigrant veterans enlist with the understanding that their service can fast-track their path to citizenship. However, changes in immigration policies and a lack of proper legal guidance have left thousands of immigrant veterans without citizenship after their service. This oversight makes them vulnerable to deportation, even for minor legal infractions.

• Example: An immigrant veteran who served multiple tours in combat zones may be unaware that their naturalization process was never completed. If they are later arrested for a minor offense (e.g., a DUI), they can face deportation, despite their honorable military service.

2. Deportation After Service

One of the most tragic outcomes for immigrant veterans is deportation. Many immigrant veterans are deported after committing minor crimes or non-violent offenses, often due to PTSD or substance abuse problems stemming from their service. Once deported, they are cut off from VA benefits, healthcare, and the support systems they need.

• Example: A veteran who served in Iraq struggles with PTSD and is arrested for drug possession. Because they never became a U.S. citizen, they are deported to their birth country, where they may have no family or resources, leaving them homeless and without access to VA healthcare.

3. Ineligibility for VA Benefits Abroad

When immigrant veterans are deported, they lose access to VA benefits, including healthcare, disability compensation, and mental health services. The U.S. government does not provide these services outside the country, leaving deported veterans without the support they need to manage service-related injuries and mental health conditions.

• Example: A deported veteran with a severe back injury from their service cannot receive disability payments or VA healthcare in their birth country. They are left to fend for themselves in a foreign healthcare system that may be under-resourced or unaffordable.

4. Language and Cultural Barriers

For immigrant veterans, especially those who are not fluent in English, navigating the complex VA system can be even more challenging. Without adequate language support and cultural understanding from the VA, many immigrant veterans struggle to access the benefits they are entitled to.

• Example: A non-English-speaking veteran may have difficulty understanding the paperwork needed to apply for disability benefits. Without language assistance, they might miss crucial deadlines or fail to provide necessary documentation, resulting in denial of their claims.

5. Lack of Legal Representation and Support

Many immigrant veterans do not receive adequate legal representation or guidance during the naturalization process or after committing minor legal infractions. Legal aid programs for veterans are often underfunded and inaccessible, leaving immigrant veterans vulnerable to deportation.

• Example: An immigrant veteran who enlisted straight out of high school might not have the legal knowledge to navigate the naturalization process. Without a lawyer or advocate to help, they may assume their citizenship is automatic after service, only to face deportation later when they encounter legal trouble.

6. Separation from Family and Support Networks

When immigrant veterans are deported, they are separated from their families and support networks in the U.S. This separation exacerbates their mental health challenges and increases the likelihood of homelessness and substance abuse in their birth country.

• Example: A veteran deported to Mexico after living in the U.S. for 30 years may have no remaining family in Mexico. The loss of their social support network worsens their PTSD symptoms, and they are left isolated and homeless in a country that feels foreign to them.

Advocacy for Immigrant Veterans

The stories of immigrant veterans highlight the urgent need for policy reform and better support systems. Advocacy efforts should include:

• Pathway to Citizenship: Ensuring that immigrant service members are automatically put on a fast-track pathway to citizenship and receive legal guidance throughout the process.
• Protection from Deportation: Implementing policies that protect veterans from deportation, especially for non-violent offenses, and considering their service as a mitigating factor in legal proceedings.
• Access to Benefits Abroad: Providing VA benefits and healthcare access to veterans who have been deported, recognizing their service, and ensuring they receive the care they deserve.
• Legal Support Programs: Expanding legal aid programs specifically for immigrant veterans to help them navigate naturalization and defend against deportation.

Honoring veterans means more than words; it requires action. Here are some ways we can start to make a difference for these forgotten veterans:

1. Support Legislation that protects immigrant veterans from deportation and offers pathways to citizenship.
2. Advocate for LGBTQ+ Rights within the VA to ensure that all veterans receive the care they need, regardless of gender identity or sexual orientation.
3. Address the Homelessness Crisis by pushing for increased funding for veterans’ housing programs, mental health services, and comprehensive healthcare.
4. Listen to Their Stories and share them. Amplifying the voices of forgotten veterans is a powerful way to ensure they are seen, heard, and remembered.

If you or someone you know is a veteran in need of support, help is available:

• National Call Center for Homeless Veterans: 1-877-424-3838
• Veterans Crisis Line: 1-800-273-8255 (Press 1) or Text 838255
• The Trevor Project (for LGBTQ+ support): 1-866-488-7386
• American Immigration Council (Support for Immigrant Veterans): www.americanimmigrationcouncil.org