Comments on: The State of Homeless Veterans In Massachusetts http://jointhehousingrevolution.wordpress.com/2011/03/09/the-state-of-veteran-homelessness-in-massachusetts/ Solutions Start Here Thu, 03 Jan 2013 23:51:35 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.com/ By: John G. Vandal http://jointhehousingrevolution.wordpress.com/2011/03/09/the-state-of-veteran-homelessness-in-massachusetts/#comment-73 Fri, 11 Mar 2011 15:59:48 +0000 http://jointhehousingrevolution.wordpress.com/?p=919#comment-73 Mr. Nee,
I was almost a statistic of being homeless. My wife of 18 years divorced me about the same time,I retired from the Navy. I not only lost my job but my marriage too. I had no place to go. I started looking for jobs about a year out from retirement. USA Jobs is a great way to “see” what jobs are available in the government. I say see because I have applied to as many as 25 to 30 jobs there. Since, I have training and certificates in Occupational Safety and Health/ HAZMAT fields, I tried there. It is very depressing when you get overlooked due to a piece of paper that says you spent a lot of money for school. I have the experience but I did not get the opportunity to finish my degree. However, I digress.
If not for my family and friends financially supporting me, I would be on the streets. Since, I only get a quarter of my retirement due to my x wife getting her 47% and a garnishment for child support, you can’t live on $500.00 a month. I went to the employment office for help. They are not “any” help either. I could not receive unemployment because of my retirement check. See, it is the gross and not the take home pay they look at. (That is another story.)
I have since then gone back to school. I attend night school at Bristol Community College. I go nights so I can apply to jobs and go to job interviews. I receive the 9/11 bill for school. I have also been rated 90% disabled by the VA. The three incomes are keeping me off the streets. However, I would love to find a good job. I have been looking into the VA for positions in their organization. I have applied for VSO positions that have opened up and positions in the VA in Providence, RI. All the results are the same. It is all about a piece of paper, even though all you would be doing is entering data and doing research for VA claims. My job as Safety Specialist in the Navy was harder than that, yet here I am with no job.
I understand why my fellow vets are homeless. Like myself, I struggle to get a decent job to support myself. I know that the VSO’s have ways to help vets into housing. My VSO almost put me in temporary housing. To me, that is not the problem. Help them get a decent job so they can get on their feet. Only then, they will be off the streets.

v/r
John G. Vandal
AM1(AW) US Navy (Ret)
Email: jgvandal@aol.com

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