the smedley log - suburban scrawl

Returning homeless: ‘taking up space’

“He’s a true American. He had nothing and he built a business up, and that’s what the American dream is. Guys like me, you know, we just like ruin the American dream … we just don’t live up fully to what it should be.”(story)

The quote is from Cpl. Joe Raicaldo, a Iraq war vet who was rendered 20% disabled (as well as homeless upon his return stateside) by a combat injury. Raicaldo tells of giving the flag he brought home to a childhood friend who’d become a successful businessman. I can’t express how sad it made me feel that someone who risked his life for his country would think of himself that way, as though he had failed the American dream. That he would somehow see his service as less meritorious than his old friend’s moneymaking endeavors, that’s enough to hollow out the pit of my stomach. Then there’s this:

“The worst feeling for me is being useless. That’s just what I am, I’m just like, just annoying people, taking up space…”

What does it say about our society that we let our distinguished service people go homeless? (At this point, it’s a multi-generational trend.) What does it say about our society that these same folks who risk themselves in our name should feel like they’ve failed the American dream?

Click here to hear Cpl. Raicaldo’s story (and to read more about the ways in which the government is trying to alleviate the homeless veteran issue).

Want to do something about it? Consider a gift to the Pennsylvania American Legion’s Housing for Homeless Veterans.

Update (10/30/06): Another charitable option is Army Emergency Relief – though it is limited to the Army, it has been heralded as a fine organization that helps many soldiers (and soldiers’ families), whether active or retired.

This story just breaks my heart howard. My son-in-law is a combat medic so the military has a very place in my heart.

It is a sad story. And it doesn’t matter what your political viewpoint on the war is; those we send to serve in uniform sacrifice enough just by going over there while the rest of us get to enjoy the comforts of home. They deserve so much more than this.

Is your son-in-law overseas now? If so, I hope he comes back safe and sound.

Thanks for coming by and sharing this perspective, Dave.

I think Joe Raicaldo, like a lot of veterans I’ve met, would probably chafe wearing a label like “hero.” But that’s what we should think of them, as far as I’m concerned.

I don’t factor the politics of how soldiers get sent to war into whether or not the soldiers deserve our loyalty, but the political side reminds me why these stories seem so sad. Soldiers get sent to war by their government, which often hides behind those soldiers for political posturing. It’s shameful, and it’s only made worse by the way we don’t provide for them after they’ve sacrificed for our sake.

I think that it is sad that men like Joe Raicaldo goes to defends our country and when they come home the goverment doesnt want to help them the way they should.The govererment should of given him 100 percent help when he first came home and not make these men go through all of the bs that they have to that is VERY SAD what they do to the men in the service.I lost a brother in the vietnam war at the age of 28.I live in upstate ny and i would like to open my home up for this man until he gots back on his feet instead of living in a car.Thank you Joe and all the other men that protects this country

Dear Joe;
I watched you on 360 last night, and you said that you feel like you belong – anywhere. Darling, I know exactly how you feel, as I was physically and mentally (Post traumatic stress disorder) with TBI (traumatic brain injury from a semi accident that well actually stole my life from me. I know from all that I went through living out of my car for some 19 months, what lost means, and others that have not gone through and experienced what you did, and what I have, others that HAVE NOT experienced the trauma of one’s life being sucked away from you, that are completely unable to understand the grieving process that you are going through and the reasons of why you feel so lost. I do. You have to go through this process, and one day I sincerely hope tht you will contact me, so that we may share insights with one another, because there is a tomorrow, and I would like to help you to find that tommorrow. I struggled and like you Joe I was so embarrassed at what was left of me after this accident, that I couldn’t ask nor accept help from anyone. It was the only way I knew to begin rebuilding myself. The systems that you are going through I understand as I went through similiar systems and it just sucks big time the ignoring and the paper shuffling that is allowed to be done to human lives. Please contact me and please know the wonderful message that you did get out to Americans on the 360 show of what OUR vets are being subjected to, that is incomprehensible. Joe, you Sir, are a strenght that needs to be recognized!

I’m Pasquale Raicaldo from Italy. I’ve read about the sad story of Joe Raicaldo (I think he should be a relative of mine). I would like to contact him to understand if i could help him in some way. I would like this story to be known in Italy too (I’m a journalist and I would like to make italian people know about this sad event).We should be relatives because my grandfather emigrated to america at the beginning of 1900. Thanks!

I wish I could put my arms around Joe Raicaldo just to let him know that he is valued by so many people who saw his interview and how moved everyone was to try to help him through this sadness and heartache that he does not deserve. Doesn’t it make everyone stop and think about their loved ones who are sacrificing themselves only to be treated so badly when they return home…wounded physically as well as emotionally? I sincerely hope and pray that Joe has received his FULL 100% BENEFITS that should have been given to him as soon as he set foot back in the United States. The holidays are almost here and I know that there are millions of veterans like Joe Raicaldo who are still struggling to get back on their feet and are being ..not only forgotten….but ignored…by the government that is supposed to provide for them when they return from duty and need medical attention and a decent place to live. I will not buy another newspaper of any kind because all that one sees is the very sad and heartbreaking news about more Americans that have been wounded and killed in Iraq….and also the innocent children, mothers and grandparents in the Iraqi population that have been killed….. God Bless and watch over Joe Raicaldo and all of the men and women who have sacrificed so much for all of us…and I pray that they are made to feel how very special and wonderful they are to all of us.

Joe is my brother’s childhood friend and our Hero. He is honorable and deserves more than 100% of our government’s support, in every way. Our family is edicated to helping Joe in any way we can if he will accept it!! Joe, please accept our help!!
Love, Randee