A Spotlight on the Challenges of Veterans of Color

When we talk about the current issues that veterans face today, we often leave out the financial and mental health struggles of veterans of color. In this post, I want to discuss some of the challenges of veterans of color and how we can best help them rebuild their lives as a society so they can thrive long-term.

Triumphant History of Veterans of Color

To understand the current issues that veterans of color deal with, we need to provide a historical framework to get a better idea of how long they’ve struggled with these issues. In the 1700s, both slaves and freedmen fought in the Continental Army in the Revolutionary War which made the colonies free from Great Britain. During the War of 1812, black soldiers served in both integrated and all-black regiments. Many Northern states such as New York and Pennsylvania recruited these soldiers as well as Southern states such as Louisiana and North Carolina.

During the Civil War, thousands of black soldiers joined the Union Army and after the Emancipation Proclamation was declared by former President Abraham Lincoln, blacks were allowed to participate in the war actively. After the Civil War, black soldiers fought in other important battles in the late 19th century such as the Indian Wars and the Spanish-American War. It was also during this time that black female soldier Cathay Williams became the first one to join the U.S. Army in 1866.

By the early 20th century, black soldiers participated in World War I and this was when the U.S. Army implemented Jim Crow regulations. It was common for black servicepersons to be given low-level jobs such as laborers. However, many black soldiers served in active combat. This discrimination continued with World War II. A few notable all-black battalions served their country with distinction and one of them was the 78th Tank Batallion unit, which was the first black American armor unit. The Tuskegee Airmen were a prolific group of soldiers who trained at Tuskegee Institute as pilots.

Black soldiers continued to make their mark in the military for the next few decades although there were cases of discrimination that existed. The sad reality is that while black soldiers showed love and loyalty to their country through their military service, the same honor and respect weren’t always given to them.

Now we’re going to discuss the current issues that veterans of color are battling.

Racial Bias in Mental Healthcare for Veterans of Color

According to a study from the journal Patient Education and Counseling, bias still exists toward veterans of color seeking mental healthcare services. One participant in the study said that she dealt with microaggressions from healthcare providers while seeking help. She had this to say about her experience with the providers:

“They see me, an African-American female … The first personification of us is … that I have two children out of wedlock, I was an addict, I was incarcerated … [they] think that I come from an impoverished background, [that] I have no education … [They] talked to me as if I was a third-grader … just by the way they talk to me, it was really insulting.”

And in a study from the Black Veterans Project in Baltimore states that 15.52% of black Veterans who applied for physical and mental health benefits were denied assistance from Veterans Affairs compared to 10.6% of white veterans. In a similar report earlier in 2017, black veterans seeking treatment for PTSD were denied 57% of the time compared to white veterans who were denied 43% of the time.

One example of this is a black veteran named Paul, who is 72 years old. Paul is a former Army Sergeant living in Dallas and suffered from post-traumatic stress disorder since serving in the Vietnam War. Paul said that he suffers from nightmares, anxiety, depression, and insomnia, but he still struggles to access the mental healthcare services he needs. He recently received compensation for the false denials he received while applying for assistance.

Veterans of Color and Homelessness

Homelessness is a huge problem among veterans of color, and discrimination is a factor. In an article from The Center for Public Integrity, a black veteran named Keith said that he had a housing voucher that allowed him to rent from a landlord who would accept the voucher. However, Keith said that a lot of property managers wouldn’t show him apartments. Although some federal programs have succeeded in curbing homelessness among veterans of color, the number of unhoused veterans remains high.

This is not a new issue for black veterans. Historically, they were denied the same benefits of the GI Bill that white veterans took advantage of such as college tuition and low-interest mortgages. In addition to this, black veterans were more likely to be dishonorably discharged from the military and therefore could not benefit from the GI Bill. This injustice led to a huge racial wealth gap that persists among black veterans today.

So How Can We Help Them?

I don’t want to list the issues that veterans of color face and not talk about how we can help them. Hospitals and private psychiatric clinics can increase telehealth access for veterans who live in underserved areas that lack major hospitals and clinics. We also need to address the stigma about mental health issues that exist in communities of color because it prevents veterans from speaking up about their struggles and need for help. Minority nonprofit organizations can hold campaigns that raise awareness of mental health struggles among minorities and offer resources to veterans in particular.

Another idea would be to open more VA clinics in minority communities to help more veterans with physical challenges get the services they need. Local doctors can also use mobile clinics to hold free health screenings for diabetes, hypertension, dental problems, and vision problems a few times a month. This gives more veterans affordable access to preventative healthcare if they currently don’t have insurance.

Minority-owned businesses should actively recruit veterans for positions at their companies since veterans bring years of expertise in different specializations that can help them run their companies effectively. This also benefits the veterans because it enables them to support themselves financially.

Although veterans of color have and continue to experience unequal access to housing, disability benefits and quality healthcare, there is still hope. When politicians, nonprofit organizations and small businesses come together to develop solutions, our veterans can have a better quality of life.