Survey Paints Bleak Picture of Hardships OC Veterans Endure

Post-9/11 veterans in Orange County face far more obstacles finding jobs and accessing medical and mental health services than veterans from prior wars, and nearly 30 of them are unemployed, according to a survey released today.

The survey taken by the USC School of Social Work Center for Innovation and Research on Veterans & military Families examined 1,227 veterans. It found that 61 percent of veterans who took part in post-9/11 combat say they have had trouble reintegrating back into civilian life, compared to 30 percent of veterans who served prior to 9/11.

Forty-four percent of post-9/11 veterans were diagnosed with post- traumatic stress disorder, higher than the 24 percent diagnosed with the disorder from prior military conflicts.

The post-9/11 veterans also have a tougher time getting a job, with 74 percent not having employment lined up on leaving the service. Seventy-one percent say they did not get any help finding a job.

Almost 30 percent of post-9/11 veterans are unemployed, and 40 percent feel they can’t get a fair shake from prospective employers but, rather, are regarded as “broken” and prone to violence.

One in five post-9/11 veterans has thought about suicide, according to the survey, which also found that housing is a significant obstacle for vets transitioning to civilian life. According to the survey, 35 percent of post- 9/11 veterans have no place to live when they return to Orange County, and nearly 20 percent experienced homelessness in the month before they were questioned.

Forty-five percent say they don’t know where to go for help.

“There were some gripping statistics from the study that echoes what we’ve seen in our work over the past couple of years,” said Shelly Hoss, president of the Orange County Community Foundation.

“We’re very aware, compared to their (pre-9/11) counterparts, these young men and women coming back from service post-9/11 are younger, have seen more deployments and are really struggling with the transition from their military role to their place in the civilian world.”

The unemployment rate “jumped off the page as a huge disconnect” between the public support expressed for the armed forces and hiring realities, Hoss said.

The problems with finding medical and mental health aid may be chalked up to Orange County not having a military base anymore since the closing of the El Toro base, Hoss said.

The post-9/11 veterans may be struggling more with mental and physical ailments because, compared with many of their counterparts, they were part of an all-volunteer military that has experienced multiple rotations, Hoss said. Many other veterans were drafted and not required to serve as long, she said.

The foundation plans to take the data to community and business leaders to see how they can help solve some of the problems, Hoss said.

“Clearly, there’s value in just having this information, which is why we’re releasing it so publicly,” Hoss said. “Our first objective is to share this information... with business leaders, philanthropists and nonprofits.”

TELL US WHAT YOU THINK IN THE COMMENTS: How do we solve this problem? What can our community do to make sure veterans in Orange County get the help or opportunities they need to get their lives back on track after returning from service?

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