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I worked as a firefighter for twenty five years for a city with a reputation for having the most crime and social problems in the state. Many of those in my crews were veterans and any time we came across someone who was begging and claiming to be a veteran we almost always checked it out. We had many contacts with resources to help veterans. Unfortunately, during my entire career working as a firefighter my crews and I never met one person who was begging and claiming to be a vet who actually was a veteran. Up until about ten years ago most were claiming to be Vietnam vets a vast majority of whom were not even born or were still in grade school in March of 1973 when the last US Combat troops pulled out.

My experience is not unique. I was talking to a man who runs a non-profit that helps actual veterans with substance abuse problems by giving them jobs and a place to stay while they go through a counseling program. He said that in the twenty years that he had been working at it... he had also not met one person begging who claimed to be a veteran who actually was a vet.

There are many programs and resources available to help veterans with psychological or substance abuse problems. If someone wants to help homeless veterans... the best thing that they can do is familiarize themselves with what resources are available in their community and if they come across someone who is having difficulty... try to help them make contact.

What you will most likely find is that the person you are concerned about is a scam artist who is not a veteran. Also the person most likely wants only your money and has no interest in making any changes to their current lifestyle. This is strictly the voice of experience speaking and not the way that I want it or wish it to be. As a Christian I think that it is our calling to help those less fortunate than ourselves. But we should also try to make sure that our “help” is not perpetuating negative lifestyle choices.