Progress To Ending Veteran Homelessness Faces Hurdles

Federal funding needed to boost gains in stabilizing lives of servicemen and women

It’s safe to say that most Americans think it's unacceptable for veterans of any American wars return home and end up on the streets. There’s good news on that front -- an upcoming report by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs is expected to show the number of homeless veterans has decreased by a record 15,000 since 2009. The drop is the result of an aggressive two-pronged strategy to house vets and prevent new ones from ending up homeless. VA secretary Eric Shinseki promised to end homelessness by 2015, but officials and experts say more is needed to meet that goal. The current, record annual progress would need to double, they say. Billions more in federal dollars is needed, along with improvements to programs that address mental illness, drug and alcohol addiction, unemployment and poverty. (Associated Press)

[ALSO READ: How Obama Handles the Wars and Treats Vets]

[SUBSCRIBE TO LOOP 21 RSS FEED]

Despite Storm Devastation, New York City Moves Forward With Veterans Day Parade

Annual parade expecting upwards of 600,000 people

New York City is moving forward with its annual Veterans Day Parade today, the first major event since canceling the New York Marathon.

[ALSO READ:Gun Drawn in Line for Gas in Hurricane Sandy's Wake]

The Veterans Day Parade is expected to attract crowds of more than 600,000 people to central Manhattan and will be a major test for the city as it continues to clean up after Hurricane Sandy.

Authorities in the area said they did not have access to enough alternative housing or hotel rooms for all those who have been displaced, leading to thousands of people being forced into temporary shelters and tent cities, according to Reuters.

There were still more than a quarter of a million customers without power in the region. New Yorkers also faced their second day of gasoline rationing with odd- and even-numbered license plates only allowed to fill up  on alternate days.

[SUBSCRIBE TO LOOP 21 RSS FEED]