Southern California counts hundreds of thousands of veterans among its population, many of whom call Los Angeles County home. Ahead of Veterans Day this weekend, LAist’s daily news program AirTalk, which airs on 89.3 FM, is highlighting a handful of issues within our local veterans community. On Monday, AirTalk host Larry Mantle spoke with a panel of expert guests to give an overview of the state of veterans in Southern California, the major challenges the local population is facing and how local agencies are working to address them.
The state of veterans in Southern California
The challenges veterans are facing in Southern California are not unique to the rest of the country, says USC Professor Carl Castro, who recently co-authored a study looking at the needs of veterans in the region. He says one of the most significant concerns locally is housing.
According to data this year from the Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority (LAHSA), there are nearly 4,000 unhoused veterans in L.A. County. While homelessness in veterans has declined over the last decade nationally, the greater L.A. area accounts for around 10% of homeless veterans, according to local experts.
Why connection is so critical
“Those who join the military, they join because they want to contribute to something that’s bigger than themselves,” says Castro, who also served in the U.S. Army for 33 years. “When they leave the military they lose that somewhat unless they engage in other activities.”
Castro says the loss of camaraderie takes its toll and veterans who work with veterans support agencies to help others transition, find philanthropic opportunities, or simply…
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