Posted on 10/30/2025 10:38:36 AM PDT by CondoleezzaProtege
“We would not eat.”
That is how disabled U.S. Navy veteran Juan Saro described a life without the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, known as SNAP…About 1.2 million veterans are enrolled now, according to the National Council on Aging. More than 20,000 military families, 213,000 National Guard and Reserve members, and more than 1 million veterans, rely on such benefits, according to Veteran.com.
Saro survived a brain injury and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) from his time in the Navy. He later worked as a sixth-grade teacher. But COVID-related health problems made it impossible to stay in the classroom.
The veteran now lives on fixed disability payments from the Department of Veterans' Affairs (VA). By mid-month, the money runs out. Food runs out. SNAP becomes the difference between dinner and nothing at all.
“SNAP is everything,” Saro told Military.com. “Without SNAP, we would go hungry. We would not eat. We would not have food on the table. The boys would not have what they need.”
Saro said he once opened his refrigerator and saw one onion. He tried to stretch food for as long as possible.
Experts say that many veterans who qualify never apply, even though age, disability and fixed incomes put them at higher risks for hunger.
“I try not to let them see the struggle," Saro said. "They lost their mother. I want them to focus on school. I want their lives to feel normal.”
(Excerpt) Read more at military.com ...
There is absolutely no difference between the politicians and this whole community right here. There are maybe three who have actually not had anything to eat for three days in a row and I am one of them. And ironically it was probably during military survival training. No one here has been homeless and hungry, they personally have absolutely no clue what it is like. NO CLUE...
How about a DEMOCRAT BILLIONAIRE HELPING OUT?
Had no idea you believed in miracles......snx.
Should he not even own a car then?"
I didn't say he shouldn't own a car. You disagree with me with a "Strawman Fallacy". I'm sure you didn't intend to.
I've listed facts available, with some personal knowledge about military retirement and medical retirement benefits. As a frugal individual, for someone making a few thousand dollars a month, my opinion is that +/- $200/mo isn't that hard.
Here's where I would like to see Congress help Veterans:
* Active duty service members in good standing should get at least an 80% reduction on their Federal taxes; National Guard and Reserve members should get 30-50%.
* States should NOT be able to charge taxes on Service members who are serving outside the State. They spend no money there and receive no benefits. Why should they pay?
* Retired veterans in good standing should have a 50% reduction in Federal taxes. All of our money was taxed while in service. We'll pay as we always have. ("They say that in the Army the pay is mighty fine, they give you a hundred dollars and take back 99).
* Federal and many state governments tax military retirement pay. Disability remains tax free.
The E-5 who had two kids and divorced after his service may not be the best case for a "veteran living on SNAP".
You obviously have so much money that you think anyone who can’t quite make it paycheck to paycheck should just starve for being too stupid to be rich.
There are multi-million dollar corporations and businesses who live on a fine balance of profit or loss margin between black or red of only $200.
This is way way over your head or your moral standards...
Eat RICE. Its cheap and goes a long way. Drink tap WATER it’s FREE. (Almost free).
Many people survive/thrive on a rice diet. Even contestants on Survivor.
OMG! THE CHILDREN! They will STARVE! Give me a break. Nobody is going to STARVE from a temporary gubmit shut down.
It won’t he’s making close to $4k a month tax free.
Disability checks can be substantial....but again,take all illegals off of govt benefits and stop sending money to other countires...and if they’re giving free college to illegals,then forgive all student loans from our own struggling people.
nurses worked 24/7 during covid while everybody else sat home in their pj's drinking coffee and getting paid..if anyone deserved a tax free benefit,it was them.
These kinds of stories tug at the heartstrings but rarely tell us the numbers. Most of us agree with a safety net for veterans, the disabled, the sick, the elderly, and people simply down on their luck. But many people, myself included, make ends meet on very little money. We could offer suggestions to these people who rely on food stamps, but I don’t think they want advice.
This veteran is not homeless, and we don't know what his income is.
And you know nothing about the rest of us or our situations.
Correct. When Guard or Reserve are on active duty, they should get all benefits. When they drill two days a month and two weeks a year, they should have a benefit, but a reduced benefit.
Just like how they get paid. Reservists and Guardsmen drill on average two days a month, and get paid for 4 days of active duty equivalent. (each MUTA is 4 hours = one day of pay).
When the Guard and Reserve are activated, they get full military pay and benefits. In my experience downrange, many, many, "part-timers" also get paid their full salary if they work for a large or 'patriotic' corporation. That was a very generous consideration by big companies during the height of our recent wars. The Sergeant next to you, is making $4k/mo on active duty, and another $6k from his real job back home. I think that's an amazing good thing - good on those companies that do it.
When I was a young Reservist, I got fired from two jobs for taking time off for military training. One retail and one manufacturing. If I'd known better at the time I could have sued them into the ground. Both went out of business anyway.
I have no idea about medical professionals during the Kung-Flu shutdowns. My government-civilian boss made us come in all day, everyday. Despite orders from the commanding general to work from home. Are you a nurse or medical professional? Military?
My father was a First Sgt. Many of his married junior enlisted were eligible for food stamps. It had nothing to do with the cars they bought as eligibility is determined by income, not outgo.
You are being unkind to me. Making assumptions. And more logical fallacies. I pretty much live paycheck to paycheck. Fixed income and retired. I am not rich. I'm too stupid.
"This is way way over your head or your moral standards..."
Why is this over my head? I'm sharing facts and personal experience for people who may not have military experience.
My moral standards are the two great commandments: Love God and love your neighbor.
Where do you find fault with that?
You make too many assumptions, and you seem traumatized by your brush with homelessness and hunger.
“brush with homelessness and hunger.”
Brush with? I have absolutely lived it. I have myself lived behind dumpsters and been hungry a couple times in my life. First time was in the late 70’s during Carter’s Administration, There was absolutely NO WORK anywhere. A few of us had no choice but to live down in the weeds on the river and eat Frogs, Fish, Crayfish, and fresh water Clams.
It was literally a primitive survival situation, and sometimes we did not eat for a few days because we could not catch anything. And because we were homeless and had no physical address we could not get any help from the government at all. And Churches were already overwhelmed with hungry people. we were on our own.
Same thing in the mid 80’s before Reagan’s economy kicked in. I ended up down in LA trying to get work and had to live behind dumpsters and eat out of garbage cans for a couple months before I found work... I have been there Pal... I have personally lived it... And until you do, you have no clue what it is really like.
Your local zoo can be a good source of protein. Also it is bow season in many areas.
Military should be given MREs for free , on demand.
Obamacare also opened the door a bit wider as assets are no longer considered for medical care benefits, just income.
Total BS. They still have money and they have food in the house, and they frequent fast food joints.
I figured it was short and limited, that is why I used the word brush, you presume a lot when you think other freepers couldn’t know more about street living than yourself.
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