For more information about the Homeless Veterans Initiative please write: DAV Homeless Veterans Initiative, 807 Maine Ave., SW, Washington, DC 20024. "Former President John F. Kennedy once said, "I am certain that after the dust of centuries has passed over our cities, we, too, will be remembered not for our victories or defeats in battle or in politics, but for our contributions to the human spirit." Click here for Miss. America video. QuickTime Player Needed The DAV Homeless Veterans Initiative During the DAV Mid-Winter Conference in March 1998, DAV National Adjutant Arthur H. Wilson introduced the DAV Homeless Veterans Initiative in an effort to lessen the plight of the vast number of often-overlooked homeless veterans nationwide. In a moving commentary, Mr. Wilson said, "I am here today to talk about rolling up our sleeves and committing ourselves to helping America's homeless veterans. Veterans who are homeless deserve a better deal. As an organization committed to service, one of the DAV's top priorities is to help America's 275,000 homeless veterans break the cycle of poverty and isolation, and move from the streets to self-sufficiency." Brave men and women of the Armed Forces of the United States are on guard for peace every moment of every day, from the depths of the oceans and seas to the skies above us. Our nation, and the world, still depends on those brave peacekeepers. The men and women standing guard for America are relieved by equally diligent others. When they come off duty, they will almost surely have a warm bunk to crawl into, or -- if they choose to remain awake -- hot coffee and friends to share it with. But not everyone who stood guard at the edge of freedom has a warm bunk to crawl into tonight ... not everyone who risked life ... or limb ... or sanity of mind to prevail in battle or secure the peace has a circle of friends to share a cup of coffee with. For all too many veterans, the loneliness of standing outside the perimeter of a normal life has never ended. For them, every night means long dreary hours in the dark enduring the elements as they struggle to be alert to the possible dangers around them. They are America's homeless veterans. By some current estimates, more than one-third of America's homeless people are veterans. Meaning that on any given night, more than 275,000 homeless men and women are veterans. "That's the equivalent of 18 infantry divisions on the streets of this great nation with no place to call home - quite literally, an army of homeless veterans. And that is simply intolerable," Mr. Wilson said. "Just as we don't leave our wounded behind on the battlefield, we must not leave our homeless veterans behind abandoned on the streets of our cities." One of the DAV's top priorities is to help America's homeless veterans break the cycle of poverty and isolation, and move from the streets to self-sufficiency. Without a doubt, reaching those veterans who are homeless is a hard and difficult process, but DAV members, backed by the best veterans service organization in the business are already beginning to locate homeless veterans nationwide. Return to the top  Printer-Friendly Version