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U.S. VETS Assists St. Louis Area Homeless, At-Risk Veterans And Their Families

Making the transition from the military to civilian life can be difficult. 

Many veterans come out of the military with combat trauma, a condition which must be dealt with before they can move on.  And many don’t admit their condition for fear their discharge will be delayed or they won’t be able to get jobs needing a security clearance or jobs in law enforcement. 

Only a fraction of those with combat trauma register with a VA hospital.

Unemployment is also a major issue for returning veterans and leads to a high rate of homelessness.  Over 30 percent return without jobs.  Many veterans went into the military right after high school so have no training other than the combat training they received in the military.

The organization U.S. VETS was founded 20 years ago in Los Angeles to provide comprehensive services to homeless and at-risk Vietnam veterans.  In 2001, U.S. VETS began serving women veterans and their children as well.  The organization has expanded to include 12 locations in 6 states and the District of Columbia and now serves veterans from every era. A U.S. VETS facility in St. Louis opened in April 2012.

It is estimated that there are 500 homeless veterans in St. Louis City and branching into the county.  It is difficult to ascertain the exact number because many of the younger veterans couch surf, sleeping at various times at a parent’s home, at a friend’s house, or in their car.

The President and CEO of U.S. VETS is Stephen Peck, who served in the Marines during the Vietnam War and is the son of actor Gregory Peck.  Bill Wallace, who served in the Army in Panama and Bosnia, is the Executive Director of U.S. VETS-St. Louis.  The organization partners with the Brown School of Social Work at Washington University which provides a caseworker to assess the needs of veterans and their families.  In serving veterans, U.S. VETS follows 7 core values, all with the goal of helping veterans find permanent housing, employment and independence.

Stephen Peck and Bill Wallace were Don Marsh’s guests on “St. Louis on the Air” to discuss the issue of veteran homelessness and services offered by U.S. VETS.

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Mary Edwards is a producer for St. Louis Public Radio's broadcast program, "St. Louis Symphony."
Alex is the executive producer of "St. Louis on the Air" at St. Louis Public Radio.
Don Marsh served as host of St. Louis Public Radio’s “St. Louis on the Air" from 2005 to 2019, bringing discussions of significant topics to listeners' ears at noon Monday through Friday. Don has been an active journalist for 58 years in print, radio and television. He has won 12 Regional Emmy Awards for writing, reporting, and producing. He is the recipient of a Lifetime Achievement Award from the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences, was inducted into the St. Louis Media Hall of Fame in 2013, and named “Media Person of the Year” by the St. Louis Press Club in 2015. He has published three books: his most recent, “Coming of Age, Liver Spots and All: A Humorous Look at the Wonders of Getting Old,” “Flash Frames: Journey of a Journeyman Journalist” and “How to be Rude (Politely).” He holds an honorary Doctor of Arts and Letters degree from the University of Missouri-St. Louis.