Almost one in every five homeless men in Iowa are veterans, according to the 2005 Iowa Statewide Homeless Study.

Bob Steben, Iowa Department of Veterans Affairs executive officer, works to support veterans.

“A lot of veterans that served in wartime have PTSD [post-traumatic stress disorder],” Steben said.

Because of the disorder, some veterans may not be able to cope with regular employment or with their families. Steben said they may also get involved with drugs and alcohol.

Steben said the military is made up of proud people and some may be reluctant to seek help.

“I think the most difficult thing is for people to admit they have a problem,” Steben said. “Reaching out is the important thing.”

After the Vietnam War, the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs set up medical centers across the country, Steben said.

Patrick Palmersheim, Iowa Department of Veterans Affairs executive director, said veterans coming back from Vietnam were not aware of many of their benefits.

“People that came back didn’t come to the VA for help,” Palmersheim said. “They just lived with it.”

Palmersheim said a veteran’s family is likely to be the first to notice changes in a veteran due to PTSD.

“The soldier doesn’t think he’s changed,” Palmersheim said.

“It’s another part of the cost of war.”

The VA is trying to make sure veterans coming back from Iraq and Afghanistan are getting evaluated as soon as possible.

Palmersheim said veterans from Vietnam are still coming to the VA 30 years later.

“We try to do a better job of informing returning soldiers of their veterans benefits,” Palmersheim said.

One of the key tasks of these medical centers is informing veterans of some of the benefits to which they are entitled.

Palmersheim said when he came back from serving in Vietnam with the Air Force, he was not briefed on what benefits were available.

“There’s tons of veterans out there that are entitled to benefits that don’t know it,” Steben said.

One way the VA is trying to help homeless veterans realize the benefits that are available is by sending a representative to homeless shelters.

“The goal is to provide services so veterans get all the benefits they are entitled to,” Palmersheim said.

One of the common problems veterans from World War II and Korea face is hearing damage, Steben said.

“If we can show it’s connected to the military, they can get hearing aids,” Steben said.

Steben said society should help veterans.

“If he got psychologically damaged during the war, then help the guy,” Steben said.