Might not be a shocker to anyone, given my conservative tendencies, but I have little sympathy for them.
SOME veterans deserve the help and I am glad they are getting it. Many more know damn well better and they did it to themselves. I do not see this as painting a shame on America. This is the land of opportunity, and if they blew all their chances shame on them, not us.
My experiences and interactions with homeless (which is quite extensive given my profession) leads me to how I feel today. And for those of you who might see me as heartless... I had a very good Navy friend who was homeless due to his own damn fault. I let him stay with me for a day or two here and there... fed him, let him wash his clothes and shower... and took him back to his camp behind a library each time.
When he was ready to become a productive member of society again, I got him into a free Christian-based rehab and he's been clean and working for 2+ years.
Sometimes what they need is not sympathy and handouts, but tough love. It isn't the government's responsibility to fix them. They cannot be fixed until they want to be.