Christian Science Monitor, January 3, 2003 “Sit right back & hear a tale of finales”“…Bob Thompson of Shady Side, Md., opted for the pop-cult fusion approach. He suggests sending the six on a one-way cruise, à la “Gilligan’s Island.” On their deserted isle, our castaways would take up various occupations: “Ross could find himself another monkey … Monica could become the world’s foremost chef for cooking lizards and seaweed,….”https://www.csmonitor.com/2003/0103/p13s02-algn.html
Just because some beggar claims to be a veteran does not make it so, it’s an easy sign to make: “Homeless Vet Please Help God Bless.” Maybe or maybe not; let me see his DD214, block 23 (type of separation) and block 24 (character of service). Of all the beggars claiming to be veterans, only a small minority of them are actually veterans.
“Stuff happens,” however, those statistically few authentic veterans who are on the street begging are there mostly because they (1) were active-duty dirt bags, and/or (2) made bad life choices.
There are two types of authentic veterans: (1) those who served in the military in combat or a war zone, and (2) those who served without being in combat or war zone. One might have wanted to go to Vietnam, but the Army needed him in Germany — he’s still a veteran, but not a “combat veteran.”
I’m a retired Vietnam-Era [not Vietnam War!] Army officer with prior enlisted service. I know that the vast majority of veterans will find ways to stay off the street. I have about 0.2% of sympathy for those ending up on the street.
Like the Bayeux Tapestry meme states:“Behold the field in which I grow my [cares]. Lay thine eyes upon it and thou shalt see that it is barren”
For those who don’t know: “Red sky at night, sailor’s delight; red sky at morning, sailor take warning.”