Quote Originally Posted by Lady's Human
I know several soldiers who have been wounded in action, and none of them fit your description. Basically you're painting a far, far bleaker picture than what the reality is.
Granted, I live in Boston, a large city where homelessness is very visible, and most of the vets I talk to aren't retired officers but what some would call "economic conscripts," folks who signed up for the promise of education or just because they needed a job. The substance problems are usually secondary to PTSD or injury and not being able to afford the copay on their prescription medication. There are efforts under way to provide supportive housing (that's a PDF link) but these folks are coming home now, eager to tell their stories and start to pave a way for their comrades to rebuild their lives.

Love, Columbine