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  • Essay / A study on the increase in homelessness among the veteran population

    The issue of homelessness has become a basis for national discussions over time. In fact, it has been considered very controversial since the period of the Napoleonic War (Literature Review: British Veterans and the Homeless. 2017). Currently, the media is inundated with reports of veterans who find themselves in dire situations, with no roof over their heads. This includes, in particular, the wars that took place in Iraq and Afghanistan and which have therefore generated relatively renewed attention to the needs of veterans (Perl, 2015). Due to the growing number of veterans from these wars, there is also concern that the number of homeless people within this population could further increase. In addition to recent conflicts, other homeless veterans have served in World War II, the Cold War, Panama and military efforts against the drug culture in South America. It is therefore on this basis that the following article will discuss homelessness among veteran populations. It will mention the reasons that qualify it as a social problem, its elements and solutions and finally the role of an MSW (master of social work) in solving the problem. Say no to plagiarism. Get Custom Essay on “Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned”?Get Original Essay Homelessness among veterans is a considerable social problem, as current American society has witnessed their increasing numbers in a recent past. In fact, in 2012, the homeless veteran population made up approximately eleven percent of the entire homeless population in America. The social problem has become even greater with the increasing number of veterans returning home, particularly after the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq, as already mentioned above. For example, in 2010, research showed that there were nearly seventy-six thousand homeless veterans, most sleeping in halfway houses, streets, abandoned buildings, and also makeshift shelters. It is clear that the situation of homeless veterans makes this a significant social problem that the government must address. There are several elements that make up homelessness among veterans. Wenzel et al. (1993) mention that one of the main problems is the fact that they do not have any form of permanent housing under their control. It is for this reason that they live in the places described above. Homeless veterans can be classified into two categories, namely street homeless and chronically homeless. The first element, namely the street homeless, are veterans who, in most cases, spend most of their time on the streets. Chronically homeless veterans, on the other hand, are those who were disabled during conflicts and remained homeless for periods spanning more than a year. Additionally, McGuire (2007) notes that a greater percentage of these veterans are men from disadvantaged backgrounds. Another essential element of this social problem is that fifty-six percent of this population is made up of African Americans or Hispanic communities. This is despite the fact that these are minority communities in the United States. Ending homelessness among veterans should be a priority for the United States government. They can achieve this thanks to the essential contribution of the Ministry of Veterans Affairs responsible for their management. Some of the ways that can be used to solve this problem include investment allocation.