ORLANDO, Fla. — A recent WalletHub study has ranked Orlando among the top ten best cities for veterans, highlighting factors such as access to healthcare, employment opportunities, and quality of life.
Despite the positive ranking, advocates for veterans caution that many former service members continue to face significant challenges, including housing instability and a lack of awareness about available resources.
Melissa Lucas, CEO of Transition House in St. Cloud, works directly with veterans facing housing instability and says the need remains high. “Definitely see an increase in that lack of knowing how many services are available in the older population of veterans,” she said.
The Transition House, in partnership with the VA, provides free housing for homeless veterans. Lucas says the demand is steady. “Last year, in the residential program, we saw 224 veterans come through there... I think what is often missed or not considered is the trauma, which is what often leads them to the substance as a coping mechanism.”
That was the case for veteran Frank Pagliocca, who served in the Korean War. He left the military in 1979 at 21 years old but spent four decades dealing with undiagnosed PTSD that led to alcoholism. He didn’t seek help until he experienced a nervous breakdown at age 64.
“That’s where everything changed, because the VA changed,” he said. The Department of Veterans Affairs, as it exists today, was not established until 1988. Programs like the Post-9/11 GI Bill in 2008, the Veterans Choice Program in 2014, and the VA Mission Act in 2018 have expanded access to healthcare and other benefits.
Still, many veterans say they were unaware of the help available. “I had no idea,” Frank said. Speaking about his PTSD, he said, “Stress. It was a cause of anxiety. It was a cause of depression,” and recalled “The bloodshed. The amount of loss of life.” After finishing treatment, Frank stayed at Transition House for 21 months because he had nowhere else to go. His story isn’t uncommon.
A recent WalletHub survey estimates there are about 33,000 homeless veterans nationwide. Army veteran Carl Jones says that even veterans with stable home lives can struggle. “And as far as the homeless aspect, it crossed my mind multiple times... Whatever happens, happens,” Jones said.
After retiring, he said he remained in “survival mode.” “I’ve been to combat. I know what death looks like. I know what it feels to be assaulted and not being able to do anything except survive.”
Jones explains that mindset prevents many veterans from seeking help, even when it’s most needed. He mentioned his own son faced struggles after serving in Afghanistan. “I had to tell him to go to the VA to get help because he asked me why he did certain things while he was deployed in Afghanistan, and I didn’t have the answers for him.”
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