New beginnings; perhaps, maybe?

Hello

Just wanted to introduce myself; and a bit about my current situation
After serving honorably for 8 years for the US ARMY
I now find myself jobless, homeless, and up until recently no medical care at all
What did the veterans do wrong
What happened to my country
God bless

www.youtube.com...

Welcome aboard, and thank you for your service.

As a mother with a daughter, step-daughter, and two sons-in-law in the military, I definitely distinguish between our dreadful foreign policy, and the service and sacrifice given by our men and women in uniform.

I support the troops but I do not support the terrible decisions our government has been making in the past 50 years.

What did you do wrong? Nothing, you did everything right. What is our government doing wrong? You name it, including using our young people as cannon fodder and then not even giving them decent care when their service has been completed. It is a national tragedy.

Are you eligible for the GI bill or something in which you can receive training in a field which will support you?

reply to post by FissionSurplus


Besides going through a difficult divorce in which the wonderful VA decided that my health care benefits would be denied due to our prior year tax return;
I was homeless and was even forced out of the Salvation Army after seven days; they start charging 10 bucks per night
And yes I will be utilizing the GI bill; just have too many obstacles in my way at the moment
I need a fundraiser like the politicians have
How do you start one??

reply to post by iWontGiveUP


What are you doing for food and shelter now? What part of the country are you in?

reply to post by FissionSurplus


I have been pawning my possessions and living in my car
Mainly sleeping at Walmart parking lots
The police treat homelessness as if it were a crime
I am down in central Florida;

reply to post by iWontGiveUP


so sorry for your plight.
wish i had something to offer.
here, feel some of us never left war behind once we engaged.......

reply to post by iWontGiveUP


Your user name says you won't give up....so don't!! Use the resources listed below to see if they can help you. Our country owes you a smooth transition back to civilian life, dammit, so wrest it from them any way you can!

www.workforcecentralflorida.com...

www.maketheconnection.net/Resources

www.bpwfoundation.org

www.veteransassistance.us... Phone number: 1-800-969-VETS

www.voa.org/Veterans+Assistance

www.projectfoot.org/ (Homeless veterans)

www.floridaveteransfoundation.org...


These are just a few resources, most in the central Florida area. I used to work in social services and I'm pretty good at finding resources for people in need. You can U2U me and let me know if any of these worked for you.
God bless you and good luck.

Thanks for all the links
It's hard to find a place to start
Most pages aren't for veterans in need however

reply to post by iWontGiveUP


If they are not for veterans in immediate need, they probably have a resource list that will direct you to what you need. The more you talk to others in that field, and network, the more likely you are to get the help you need. Even local churches sometimes help, and give their information to these places to pass out to veterans who inquire.

reply to post by iWontGiveUP


What did you do wrong? Nothing. You served your country and got paid. Right?

When I left the infantry after 8 years I got bilked out of my GI bill on a technicality. I had no job skills besides shooting people and digging holes. What did I do? I'm no criminal so I dug holes.

I worked as a landscape laborer and a number of other odd jobs. I paid for night school and a technical degree by working and scrimping. It sucked. I got up at 5 am and got home at midnight for two years. I got that degree and a crappy job. I used that job as a stepping stone to get a better one, and another, and another, and another....

That's what people do.

If you get a free education, a leg up, college, grants, loans, whatever...that's fine.

It's no guarantee.

I know it sucks but it's reality. Don't give up. Go with your strengths, abilities, training, whatever you can do.

I washed dishes, dug post holes for a fence company and stocked shelves all in the same weekend on my non- class days. That was what actually paid for food and gas. Forty hours a week paid for classes. I lived in a relatives basement while I went to school. I was lucky I had that.

Everybody starts somewhere. Unfortunately, most start at the bottom. Just don't let it define who you are. Don't become a victim. Being a victim is a state of mind, not an economic situation. You will overcome this as long as you don't give up.

Thank you all for the kind welcome

Tommorow is always a new day

I have a few VA health care appointments this week
I look forward to networking and meeting some of the local vets here