National Shame: Vets More Likely to Be Homeless

One out of every 168 U.S. military veterans spent at least one night in a homeless shelter during one recent year, according to a new government study — which found that veterans are much more likely to be homeless than other Americans.

The study by the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) and Department of Veterans Affairs — the first in-depth study of homelessness among veterans — discloses that about 16 percent of homeless adults were veterans in January 2009, while former service members make up only 10 percent of the adult population.

In 2009, 136,336 veterans spent at least one night in a shelter, and more than 75,000 veterans were living on the street or in a temporary shelter on one particular January night that year, USA Today reports.

“It’s an absolute shame,” said Mark Johnston, deputy assistant secretary for special needs at HUD.