On the wall of the National Guard Armory on Sutherland Avenue, a fierce bald eagle glares from above a George Orwell quote: “People sleep peaceably in their beds at night because rough men stand ready to do violence on their behalf.”
The rough men and women of the military – less than half of 1 percent of Americans – often return to their own beds after service. They have families and successful careers as citizens.
But for some of those rough men and women, no bed offers peaceful sleep – for some of them, no bed exists at all.
According to the National Coalition for Homeless Veterans, about 12 percent of the adult homeless population are veterans. In Knoxville, 1,057 veterans accessed homeless services in 2012. Forty percent qualified as chronically homeless.
Dale Klein is one of those chronically homeless veterans in Knoxville. For most of the last 10 years, he’s spent his days and nights camping outside. The glasses on his nose are outdated and his scraggly beard reaches his shoulders, but on Saturday, Dale’s primary concern was his teeth.
He had come to the armory for dental aid, one of several services offered during the day’s “Stand Down” event, sponsored by Volunteers of America. Held every year in cities across the country, Stand Downs offer homeless veterans clothing, haircuts, legal advice, career advice and dental/vision check ups.
Dale simply wanted dentures; but as we sat at a table sipping coffee together, he mentioned he was looking for a tent as well. Like many homeless veterans, the survival skills he learned in the service have made him a particularly resourceful camper. Dale said he prefers living outside to the life he could have in one of Knoxville’s affordable housing options, such as Minnvilla or Flinnaken Landing, because so many of the affordable housing options come with rules and regulations and worst of all, neighbors. Dale likes his peace and quiet and the occasional booze, so he continues camping.
But on rainy days like Saturday, a tent sure would be nice. Unfortunately, the volunteers said they didn’t have any tents to offer him (though he did get some fresh t-shirts). I asked Dale what he did when rain doused his campsite: “Walk faster,” he laughed.
Other veterans weren’t so cheery. One man, Maurice, rambled about a government conspiracy on his life; another came to ask for help with the $3,000 he owed in court costs. The crowd skewed young, and many of the men and women said they had served in Afghanistan and Iraq. Some still wore their hair high and tight.
I asked volunteers at the event why they thought so many veterans become homeless. Tony and Linh, a married couple who were veterans themselves, said they thought lack of education contributed to the pattern. The soldiers who sign up straight out of high school gain combat intelligence and survival skills, but when they return, their education does not necessarily translate to civilian life.
A Daughter of the American Revolution named Sharon thought it was individual catastrophes that knock so many veterans out of conventional living arrangements.
And at a table sponsored by the VA’s Peer Support program, a man named Billy said many of his clients struggle with substance abuse and mental health disorders.
The common theme in all their answers was the idea that homelessness is primarily caused by factors beyond one’s control. So often, people point to hobos and bums as examples of laziness and byproducts of the so-called “welfare state,” eyesores and liars who panhandle for drug money. But the reality is much more complex, involving an intricate web of causes and demanding an even more expansive web of solutions.
In today’s America, returning service members are often granted a standing ovation at sporting events; “support our troops” is as much a mandatory political stance as it is a catchphrase. If any population demands respect, it is the men and women who stand ready to do violence on behalf of the peaceably sleeping.
So the next time you see a homeless person, consider that he or she might be a veteran. And if he’s wearing glasses and a scraggly beard, see if he’s found a tent yet.
R.J. Vogt is a senior in college scholars. He can be reached at [email protected].
