This iReport is part of an assignment:
Sound-off
Veterans Help?
I’m an unemployed disabled veteran with a “big” family and its Christmas. Loans and bills for necessities have accumulated to an insurmountable mess. There’s too much month left at the end of the food. Things are difficult. And I’m not the only one.
Many veterans are under the same stresses, without jobs and under-water, notwithstanding the stresses of their various wounds from war, but “real” help is nowhere to be found… at least in Virginia.
I sought help, and my impassioned plea for help to Virginia’s Department of Veteran’s Services (DVS) was answered with a ‘canned’ email that expressed their “ability” to assist:
• VA disability claims processing help
• Referrals for education, home loans, and property tax relief
Many national Veterans Service Organizations have this mission, including the Disabled American Veterans, Veterans of Foreign Wars, and others. And these are worthy causes, but these are not the ‘services’ that Virginia veterans really need. Like me, many veterans need immediate relief without regard for the era they’ve served, or how they came to this condition. Veterans need help with non-service connected and family medical bills, help to keep the heat on, help with transportation costs associated with job searches and school, help with groceries to meet the needs of their families. And Virginia, at least, is unprepared to meet these needs for their resident Veterans.
I’m sure Virginia isn’t alone in this; many improvements need to be made. But while we wait on change, veterans and their families go hungry, cold, sick, and homeless.
This is a matter of urgent necessity for those who’ve served and state and local governments must move swiftly to curtail the downward spiral in their veterans’ lives.
Many veterans are under the same stresses, without jobs and under-water, notwithstanding the stresses of their various wounds from war, but “real” help is nowhere to be found… at least in Virginia.
I sought help, and my impassioned plea for help to Virginia’s Department of Veteran’s Services (DVS) was answered with a ‘canned’ email that expressed their “ability” to assist:
• VA disability claims processing help
• Referrals for education, home loans, and property tax relief
Many national Veterans Service Organizations have this mission, including the Disabled American Veterans, Veterans of Foreign Wars, and others. And these are worthy causes, but these are not the ‘services’ that Virginia veterans really need. Like me, many veterans need immediate relief without regard for the era they’ve served, or how they came to this condition. Veterans need help with non-service connected and family medical bills, help to keep the heat on, help with transportation costs associated with job searches and school, help with groceries to meet the needs of their families. And Virginia, at least, is unprepared to meet these needs for their resident Veterans.
I’m sure Virginia isn’t alone in this; many improvements need to be made. But while we wait on change, veterans and their families go hungry, cold, sick, and homeless.
This is a matter of urgent necessity for those who’ve served and state and local governments must move swiftly to curtail the downward spiral in their veterans’ lives.
What do you think of this story?
Select one of the options below. Your feedback will help tell CNN producers what to do with this iReport. If you'd like, you can explain your choice in the comments below.
Be and editor! Choose an option below:
More from this assignment - Sound-off
iReport welcomes a lively discussion, so comments on iReports are not pre-screened before they post. See the iReport community guidelines for details about content that is not welcome on iReport.
© 2013 Cable News Network. 
Comments