Today, Upper Sahali Community, Kamloops, British Columbia 4 am.
Heading out for my walkabout, I dropped off cardboard boxes to the recycle bin.
Inside was a 50+ man rummaging through the trash.
Not an uncommon occurrence.
Except.
He was fully employed.
Twenty-eight year Canadian military veteran.
He collects at this time of the day to avoid those who find his activity offensive.
?
He knows of four fellow veterans who are homeless in Kamloops. All in their 50's unable to cope with society after several Middle East deployments.
PTSD is often the root of veterans' troubles, some try to quell the screams and cries in their head with drugs and become addicted.
Similar to non-vets who take opioids for medical reasons unable to wean themselves off when the are healed.
As a Marine I have knowledge of the above.
Thirty minutes later I crossed paths with two women of undeterminable age carrying huge garbage bags with a dog in tow, shuffling along lethargically on Summit.
ENLIGHTENING ARTICLE
https://www.bchousing.org/research-centre/housing-data/homeless-counts
Similar distressed folks here in Santa Barbara who, by the blessedness of the warm temperatures can live outside 365, are spread out all over the city. Unfortunately some homeless become aggressive which cranks up police involvement.
But where else are they going to go?
Santa Monica and Venice have a great many sleeping on the beach.
My friends who have served say that troops suffering from untreated PTSD often take drugs to quell the terror in their mind from the things they saw and did.