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How homelessness impacts returning veterans

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    Veteran Richard Troxell offers a solution for this growing problem

  • Duration 5:49
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This transcript is automatically generated

It's always nice to see here at foxnews.com.

Live and -- a -- minutes -- thirtieth of may 2012.

And at 7 o'clock is 934.

Now.

-- excited orange talking about the deadly battle awaiting returning veterans and it's homelessness.

Joining us now is Richard Troxel -- Vietnam veteran and also advocate good morning to you.

Warnings that.

It yet of course thanks for being with us we'll tell us how does this even happen.

In the first place because the these are some startling numbers you have for us.

Well.

It's would be quite -- -- the present time they're 840000.

Homeless veterans in the United States.

Just from the Iraq and I -- war alone.

We have 240000.

People veterans experiencing homelessness.

That according to the national coalition for homeless veterans.

Is over represented to the portion of homeless people in -- United States.

At 28%.

And what's happening is people -- Going from the battlefield.

To the neighborhoods overnight.

And they are.

Suffering what we call post traumatic stress disorder we're going to be called shell -- Right -- there traumatize and they are.

They're depressed.

And what are some of the employment challenges than they deal way.

Because of PT -- Well employment challenges you know we have guys who are tech guys you have guys who -- -- corpsman.

These.

Will be transferable skills.

But it'll take time and it'll take education and -- have to -- civilian certificates.

So there's a time like there and with the 99%.

The soldiers were talking about though are grunts foot soldiers and these -- not transferable skills.

So they will need new wage jobs.

And new wage jobs that pay living wages he got a lot about the universal living wage what is -- what is the formula for that.

Well the universal living wage according to the last several US conference of mayors you cannot get into and keep.

Basically rental housing.

Anywhere in the United States the current federal minimum wage which is seven dollars and 25 cents an hour or about 141000 dollars a year.

What we've done is taken the existing government guidelines.

Using.

Those and created a three pronged formula that insurers -- somebody works forty hours in a week.

They'll be able to afford basic food clothing and shelter wherever that work is done throughout the United States.

-- give me some more reasons why this is good for veterans.

-- I just read an article.

They said that.

From the Afghan and is -- Iraqi war alone we had we have now 6400.

Deaths.

The shocking thing is if his numbers mirrored by the same number of veterans who have committed suicide.

And so as they come back with this depression they're finding.

That they can't get into jobs or the jobs they get into.

Won't sustain them they're ready.

To make families and right now they can't -- find.

And affordable apartment for themselves.

Enriching your thoughts is that the universal living wage is actually good for businesses as well explain that.

Yeah they're good for business.

-- will look at the Small Business Administration web -- 64% of small businesses fail by the end of the fourth year.

By the end of the fifth year 90% of small businesses fail.

The so we look at what they were doing and they're paying due attention to.

Product.

Development marketing advertisement.

Transportation.

Storage but -- not paying.

The same deference to the minimum wage workers if they're employing.

Federal government -- all have to do is pay him seven and a quarter and what's happening is that's what they're doing.

And that would that workers unstable and that leaves -- -- hole -- plan the whole business destabilize.

-- -- argument for it -- is that it can actually be good for local economies across the country how does that that.

Will.

Well.

Local economies.

98% of all minimum wage increases historically have.

Been -- right back into the economy.

Everybody knows now.

That our economy is 90% consumer driven so these are dollars that will still we helped to stimulate our economy.

And help us.

That -- time -- we really need that stimulation so how do you think this is going to be benefiting taxpayers.

Well we you know obviously the business is.

The benefiting from the labor of the minimum wage worker.

But.

By not paying a living wage that puts the burden on the taxpayer.

To support this worker with him.

An inordinate amount of welfare.

Food stamps.

-- -- and earned income tax credits all this -- this could be done away with.

-- -- Richard Troxel thank you so much for your time today his book is looking up at the bottom line the struggle for the living wage thank you so much for your time today enjoy your Wednesday.

And -- thank you so much for your time we appreciate being here hug of that -- of that.

And -- a living wage job.

That they got nice messages on the week following Memorial Day thank you so much.

Forty minutes after the.

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