John J. Whelan
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A Veteran's VIEW

Homeless Vets In Canada - How we got here

1/8/2016

1 Comment

 
Picture
The stories over the past week about military veterans living on the streets do not surprise 
me but these stories sadden and anger me. It is something we could have predicted 
years ago. The fact that these stories highlight issues around substance abuse 
and mental health problems stemming from military service and transitional shock 
should also come as a surprise to no one. But various spokespersons seem to be 
surprised. Really!
 
The issues among homeless veterans are related to military identity and stove-piped mental health services within the military and in the civilian world, they are 
related to the policy of universality of service, and they are related to an outdated 
understanding and response to substance abuse. Substance abuse continues to be 
understood as a combination of behavioural/personality problems, childhood abuse, or 
sometimes as a result of operational stress injuries. Even here, under the present 
organization of federal health services divorced from the operational end of 
the system, there are only so many things that can be offered to serving personnel 
before recommendations are made for medical release. These men and women 
then become someone else’s problem
.
 
“For a moment, envision something similar to a large interpersonal GPS where every military member knows precisely 
where they are located—by service element, unit, trade, past deployments, rank, section, specific duties, unit NCOs and 
buddies. Where one fits, specific job duties, who they are accountable to, who matters and who does not are all known. 
There is a predictability to life based in a complex web of experiences and relationships that defines one’s military identity 
and personal expectations. Military members are first and foremost identified by these things, and when these are lost or 
taken away, there are no replacements to be found for many.” [Excerpt from Going Crazy ...] 

 
Next, come the battles with veterans affairs to convince bureaucrats and quasi-judicial 
bodies that struggles are service-related. Even when veteran issues are deemed 
to be service-related and despite the efforts of individual case managers, as a benefits 
oriented organization, VAC as it is presently constructed, can offer only limited support 
to veterans beyond financial compensation. There are no places for veterans and their 
families to go through a process of transitioning (a terribly misleading term by the way) to 
civilian life. Family strains, disorientation and re-adjustment anxiety,  economic 
disruptions, and lingering mental distress become someone else’s problem to manage.
 
Various advocacy groups and community organizations (usually comprised of ex-military people) have stepped into the fray to highlight and to help solve some of the 
issues but they are on their own. Federal bureaucracies seem perplexed so they 
will want more studies.    
 
So, I am sad and angry this week and I know other people who are upset by the stories. 
I hope you will do something constructive about ​your reactions.       

1 Comment
Todd link
1/8/2016 11:25:07 am

"Federal bureaucracies seem perplexed so they will want more studies." (Since this is not a court of law.) If the Feds strike more studies of this issue, it sure feels like they are avoiding dealing with it head on since you and others have already identified what needs to be done.

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    John J. Whelan

    John J. Whelan, Ph.D., is the author of Going Crazy in the Green Machine, available now on FriesenPress.

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  • Home
  • About John
  • Blog
  • Books
    • Going Crazy In the Green Machine >
      • Sample Chapter from Going Crazy
    • Ghost In the Ranks >
      • Sample Chapter from Ghost In the Ranks
    • Narcissus Called My Name
  • Bookstore
  • Contact