Stand Down Reaches Out To Veterans

"Standdowns are based on the old military stand down.  Soldiers would come out of the field to rest and recuperate.  It's the same philosophy with the homeless stand down, that's to bring veterans in to offer them a meal, provisions,  a chance to clean up and to renew there spirit, maybe rejuvenate their whole outlook."

Wills Banks is with the Sheridan VA Medical Center and he says, nationwide, stand downs are part of the VA's efforts to end veteran homelessness by the year 2015.

The 'Homeless Veterans Stand Down', this week in Casper, was an outreach event that offered veterans access to services, information, and a chance to get together.

Another aspect to what the VA has on offer is the HUD-VASH program. That's  a partnership between Housing and Urban Development and V-A Supported Housing that offers help in finding housing and jobs.  Banks  says they're making housing vouchers available to eligible veterans.  "In Casper we  recently received the award of 25  vouchers available for this community. So we really think that that's gonna really boost our efforts in this area."

The Stand Down may last one day, but Banks  reminds that  services are available year-round.

"Any veteran can walk into the Casper community based out-patient clinic and receive those same services or they can be transported to Sheridan to our VA medical Center. So there are a number of ways that care can be accessed."

The Casper VA clinic is located at 4140 South Poplar.