We must do more for our veterans

Amid global unrest and uncertainty, with wars being fought by Israel and Hamas and by Russia and Ukraine, with tensions rising with China and Iran, it's no wonder we are on high alert.

As always, we rest assured the United States Armed Forces are facing danger to protect our way of life, as they have throughout our history. Any day they could be in harm's way. In the Middle East, two new aircraft carrier groups and a nuclear submarine have joined more than 30,000 troops already stationed there. Recently, a Navy warship intercepted missiles aimed for Israel, and U.S. troops in Iraq and Syria have been attacked by drones and rockets.

Many of us strive to support our veterans of all generations, especially this weekend as we honor their service and sacrifice on Veterans Day, which falls on Saturday and is being observed as a federal holiday Friday.

Yet, when it comes to meeting veterans' day-to-day needs, we are falling short year-round.

That starts with housing. About 13% of homeless adults nationwide are veterans, according to a recent report from New York City-based nonprofit Services for the UnderServed. Some of Long Island's veterans can be found in makeshift shelters in wooded areas along highways. Additionally, more than 127,000 New York veterans live in homes that are beyond their means, overcrowded or of low quality, according to the Housing Assistance Council.

Sometimes when we try to provide veterans with adequate housing, support wanes. That's happening in Southampton, where the nonprofit Concern for Independent Living is proposing a 50-unit affordable housing development, including 25 units earmarked for veterans with the supportive services they need. Town residents are pushing back. It's unclear whether the proposal will move forward.

If we can't provide our veterans with the supportive housing they need, what does that say about us? 

Our failures don't end with housing. According to the Military Health System, veterans die from opioid-related overdoses at nearly twice the rate of the general population. Yet, Nassau County officials are still too slow to get funds to the nonprofits that can address the crisis. Other challenges include mental health care, food insecurity and employment. State, county and local officials must make sure veterans services agencies and nonprofits have the staff and resources to meet those challenges.

There's also an intangible need: community. As VFW halls have closed or fallen into disrepair, there are fewer spaces where veterans can share experiences and find the friendships they need. That's another reason housing like the Southampton development is so important — it brings veterans together. Long Island must do more to provide opportunities for vets to find and help one another overcome the difficulties they know firsthand.

Let's use this weekend to remind ourselves of the need to provide safe havens for those who protected us, just as they provided a safe haven for us.