By Carlos Miller
About 300 veterans from several organizations will stage a protest in front of the Veteran Affairs Hospital in Miami Tuesday morning.
“The purpose of the rally is to call attention to the veterans who are homeless and to the veterans returning from wars who are not receiving their benefits,” said Charles Buford, founder of Make A Wish Veterans, a Miami organization that assists veterans.
The protest kicks off at 10 a.m. in front of the VA hospital at 1201 NW 16th St, which is in the vicinity of Jackson Memorial Hospital. It will last for about two hours.
“Too many veterans who are returning from Iraq and Afghanistan are not aware that they are entitled to a housing certificate that would guarantee up to $30,000 of a mortgage,” Buford said.
“Also, the homeless program at the VA is non-existant.”
Buford said his organization has secured buildings that could house up to 80 homeless veterans but the VA refuses to give them the Section 8 vouchers that would enable them to turn this structure into housing for veterans.
“They are continuing to place our veterans in harm’s way,” he said.
At least two homeless veterans were murdered while living on the streets in Miami since November. Others have died of natural causes while living on the streets. Make A Wish Veterans has been trying raise funds to give these veterans a proper burial.
Veterans for Peace, Veterans for Democracy and several local American Legion posts will also join the protest, he said.
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Fernandez, as I mentioned in a 
2 responses so far ↓
1 Scott // Feb 16, 2009 at 3:19 PM
Good for them. Really, if people want change at all, they have to show that they want it. People need to actively protest more. How do people think that the progressive acts were actually passed through Congress?
Protesting is a good way to bring awareness too. So good for them.
2 Tedd // Mar 25, 2009 at 7:16 PM
It’s not just in Florida either! We have homeless Veteran’s across the country, and many have medical issues as a result of current and previous wars!
“Do You Really Support Our Troops!”
I’m tired of these fringe groups alleging they support Our troops only when a certain president claims he did, so that fringe group would put up stickers on their SUV’s saying “Support Our Troops,” yet OUR TROOPS own family members were still having to purchase proper safety gear for their soldiers. Could it be the myth going around that a certain political group supports the troops, and the other’s don’t! I think so! As a former Marine I CAN attest to the fact that merely saying you “Support Our Troops” doesn’t help much! Where is the money going? It’s going to corporate thieves who charge tax payer for 700 dollar toilet seats, but it’s really going into the CEO pockets! As a Marine I voted with the alleged political party that allegedly “Supports Our Troops,” but none of the money came down to the troops. It never does! We need to see that money, and we need to see the proper body armor and safety gear for OUR TROOPS!
They’re just trying to manipulate words. So when they say that they really mean they support their failed president.
Many soldiers have come home with head injuries because they didn’t have the proper body armor or head gear.
What happens to those injured veterans when they don’t have close family members to help them out?
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