NEW YORK, U.S.A. - A recent study conducted by the US Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) as well as the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) revealed that about 13,000 veterans between the ages of 18 to 30 were living on the streets since 2010. “Veterans are in crisis; they face increased homelessness, joblessness, treatment for physical and mental injuries.”
“Former US army servicemen belong to the 99 percent of the American population, represented by the Occupy Wall Street (OWS) protesters." said Bryan Reinholdt, a member of Iraq Veterans against the War.
The news comes as the US Army plans to reduce the number of its troops by about 50,000 over the next two years after withdrawing forces from Iraq and Afghanistan. - "These findings are particularly concerning given the anticipated number of new veterans returning from Afghanistan and Iraq," the study said.
- Many former US military forces have joined the OWS movement to protest against the costly US-led wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, corporate greed prevalent in the American society, and top-level corruption in Washington.
Scott Olsen, a former US Marine and Iraq war veteran, sustained a skull fracture after being struck in the head with a tear-gas canister fired by police during "Occupy Oakland" protests on October 25. - The 'Occupy' movement emerged after a group of people on September 17 rallied in New York's financial district to protest against the unjust distribution of wealth in the US and the excessive influence of big corporations on the American politics.
Protesters use the slogan "We are the 99 percent" to draw attention to the fact that they are not part of the one percent of Americans in possession of most of the nation's wealth. The movement has now spread to major US cities in spite of mass arrests and widespread crackdown by the police, as well as to other countries, including Australia, Britain, Germany, Italy, Spain, Ireland, and Portugal.
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