One-third of Reno’s homeless men are veterans

Wednesday, Nov. 11, 1998 | 11:27 a.m.

"The numbers confirm what we've known for a long time - that veterans have a very difficult time making it in the civilian world," said the Rev. Kaleel Ellison, director of the Reno-Sparks Gospel Mission.

About 29 percent of the men who have stayed at the mission since Jan. 1, 1996, were veterans - some 2,153 out of 7,424, Ellison said.

A spot survey in October in conjunction with a study by the International Union of Gospel Missions found the percentage was even higher - about 37 percent.

At that time, 55 of 148 men surveyed had identified themselves of veterans, he said.

"It shows a considerable increase," Ellison said in an interview Tuesday.

Nearly half of the 2,153 homeless veterans at the Reno mission served in combat in either World War II (6 percent), Korea (14 percent), Vietnam (74 percent) or the Persian Gulf (6 percent), the survey showed.

"These aren't bums," Ellison said.

"A third of these men served our country and half of those saw combat," he said.

Ellison said he had special concern for veterans because he served in the Navy during the Korean War. He said a large number of veterans become addicted to drugs and alcohol during or after their service.

"Military life, especially during combat, is a unique experience. Unfortunately, many men coming out of the military have a hard time adjusting to their new life," he said.

"These are true American heroes who need our help combating the problems they picked up while fighting for our country," he said.