As military veterans leave their positions in the armed forces, some face daunting reality of homelessness, a summer IowaWatch report revealed. We take you into the reporter's notebook for this podcast interview with the project's author, Thomas Nelson.
Some homeless veterans in Iowa and parts of northwest Illinois are missing out on shelter, food, health care and counseling services because they do not know about the services or simply choose not to use them. Homeless veterans help tell the story in this podcast.
No one knows for sure how many homeless veterans are on the streets in Iowa because only four of Iowa’s 99 counties are surveyed for a total statewide count. Meantime, some of the homeless veterans make it hard to be found.
Iowa’s homeless veterans are missing services available to help them because many do not know about the services, which include financial and housing assistance. Others simply choose not to use them.
Depression and anxiety led Michael Washington down a route to homelessness. He said he still struggles adapting to civilian life but has a home and job, and wants to attend college again.
Jarome Thompson has been homeless three times since being discharged from the Army in 1983. He lives in Marion, Iowa, now and is getting help to stay off the streets.
