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A VETERAN TOLD ME HE THINKS HE’D BE BETTER OFF DEAD. THIS IS A DAMNED DISGRACE.
At 4 PM today, a veteran called me about “checking out.” I told him my 12-year-old son was in the car with me as we were heading to wrestling practice. He understood, but he needed someone to talk to. All I could do in that moment was stay with him on the phone, listen, and try to keep him talking. I will not share his name or identifying details.
He said he could not take being rejected over and over again. And what was offered to him? Housing with mold, chipped paint, and drug activity in the neighborhood (shooting a block away), an unsafe place where he could not responsibly bring his son for visitations.
That is a disgrace. It is abandonment dressed up as assistance. A veteran should never have to choose between dangerous housing and losing precious time with his child.
I am furious. This man reached out while he was hurting, and the options put in front of him offered no dignity, no stability, and no real way forward. How many times is a veteran expected to hear “no” before someone finally takes responsibility?
We have asked local, state, and federal elected officials to give greater attention to veterans in crisis, and too often we receive silence, excuses, or no meaningful action. Going forward, when elected officials fail to respond to documented requests for help, we will publicly call attention to that lack of response and ask them to explain why veterans’ needs are being ignored. Veterans deserve accountability, transparency, and action, not empty promises. Meanwhile, veterans are left facing mold, unsafe neighborhoods, and impossible choices.
I want to thank my team at Veteran Recovery Coalition for stepping up and getting this veteran into stable housing for the week. We will stay with him and make sure he does not fall between the cracks.
Veterans served this country. They should not have to beg for safe housing, basic dignity, or the chance to be present in their children’s lives. This failure is unacceptable. The excuses are over. Veterans need real solutions, and they need them now.
Robert Cornicelli
National President
Veterans for America First
