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: AMERICAblog.com’s “The Latest Outrage: Iraq Vets Can't Find Jobs When They Come Home” Blog; CNN.com’s Anderson Cooper Blog 360 Degrees’ “Cooper on Homeless Iraq Veterans”; CounterPunch’s “The Reality Vs. The Rhetoric” Article; Iraq Veterans Against the War; Iraq War Veterans Organization, Inc.; New Directions; One Veteran’s Voice Blog; United States Department of Veteran Affairs’ National Center for PTSD Website; Veterans Against the Iraq War; Voice of a Veteran Blog

Homeless Vets? Not Again

Publish date: December 5, 2006
Last updated: April 25, 2009

Reporter's NOTES

Paul Vercammen
Michael W.C. backed out of the interview. The ex-marine told someone, who told me, that he was too freaked out to talk about his demons and the war.

This story idea started when I heard that a trickle of soldiers who served in Iraq and Afghanistan started showing up at New Directions. That’s the center in West L.A., where they help addicted, traumatized and homeless vets.

The talk was that a lot of these vets were suffering from a wicked, edgy form of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) because of the constant threat from homemade bombs and other evils in Iraq. I wanted someone like Michael W.C., who had been to Iraq and was now at New Directions, to tell his side of the story.

Michael agreed to be interviewed, then suddenly got too stressed. So we went ahead and shot other parts of the story.

Val Zavala, my boss here at Life and Times, agreed to wait to air this piece. Good thing.

Some other news outlets might have just shoved the story on the air to fill a slot. I worked for a place, once, that would put a half-eaten Nilla wafer on TV if it could fill one minute and 30 seconds.

A couple weeks passed, and I was put in touch with Michael W.C.’s psychiatrist. Dr. Beverly Rivera was protecting her patient.

But she thought that Michael could help others by talking on television, to the viewers of KCET, about Iraq, PTSD and more. I told Dr. Rivera that the last thing I wanted was to cause Michael to relapse or flashback during an interview.

I saw Ray, one of my favorite cameramen in my days at CNN in New York, flashback. He was a Vietnam War Vet.

So Beverly, Michael and I made a deal. We would hide Michael’s face during the interview, and we could stop anytime.

Weeks after backing out, Michael answered almost every question I asked. He’d like to find a job in law enforcement after he gets out of New Directions.

Michael will serve the public well. He defines courage and compassion.

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COMMUNITY VIEWPOINTS

09.23.2007 | 7:17 am
New Directions is a failure. If a veteran does not believe in the 12-step religion, they are thrown out on the streets.

This is very true. Slave veteran labor is required.

Most of the vets that stick with it are waiting for disabilty approval only! This is very true.

rejco - Los Angeles, California

05.05.2007 | 4:58 pm
Great work! Keep on spreading the word. How is it possible that America can spend over $432 billion on this war and not allocate a significant enough portion to preserve proper care for our troops?

Benjamin Raetz - Ridgewood, New Jersey

04.23.2007 | 7:45 pm
To Ronnie: Thank you so much for commenting on the Life & Times Blog! You can contact one of the websites located under our “Related Resources and Links” section.

I’m sure that one of the organizations will be able to help you with your question and concerns regarding homeless vets today. I hope this information helped. Thank you again!

KCET Blog Editor - Los Angeles, California

04.23.2007 | 6:21 pm
I am a veteran of Operation Iraqi Freedom myself. I am currently being treated by the local VA for several health problems, such as PTSD.

What I have noticed in my community is the increase of homeless vets, and I am trying to find a way to set up a shelter for them, as well as offer them any other assistance that they may need. If you have any information about this, I would appreciate it.

Thank you for your time and interest in this issue. I hope to see the story on the news soon. What you are doing will help this situation come to folks’ attention.

Ronnie Milburn - Davenport, Iowa

03.19.2007 | 9:43 am
Great story! The only problem is that I am seeing it across America!

I hope you can get the word out even more for all the new generations of combat veterans (male and female).

Russell Nauta - Woodland Park, Colorado

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