Hawaii Vet Says More Needed To Reach Homeless

KALAELOA, Hawaii - KITV.com

At Veterans Day ceremony President Barack Obama and Veterans Services Secretary Eric Shinseki renewed promises to better reach out and help America's 23 million veterans.

Soldiers returning from Iraq and Afghanistan become homeless faster than soldiers from prior wars, officials said. In Hawaii, about 1,000 veterans are estimated to be homeless.

Out of the Army after two tours in Iraq and a stress disorder diagnosis, Hawaii veteran Michael Young became homeless.

"It was a complete shock. I found myself, spent a couple of day in jail. I found myself on the streets with nowhere to go," Young said.

Last week, the Hawaii-born Shinseki introduced a plan to end homelessness for veterans in five years, and to increase access to mental health services.

"We need to be better at diagnosing and treating young people coming back from hyper-stress environments," Shinseki said.

Shinseki at the Veterans Day commemoration at Arlington National Cemetery Wednesday.

An estimated 1 million veterans are waiting for disability claims to be processed.

Young now lives at the veterans' shelter at Kalaeloa. Veterans like Young said even though there are more services now, what is needed are more people to guide them to the services.

"Because a lot of guys know that the services are there. They just don't seek them and they don't, you know, what I mean, if they just had people out there beating the bushes and getting these guys the help that they need," Young said.

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