LOS ANGELES — California is home to the largest veteran population in the country — over 1.8 million former service members.

Those who served in the Vietnam War make up the largest share. Younger veterans, those who began their service after the 9/11 attacks, make up about 15% of the state’s veteran population. 

“In Focus SoCal” host, Tanya McRae, talked to Mike Talleda, who founded Wounded Heroes of America in 2004 to help wounded Iraq and Afghanistan veterans with various services they need to re-enter and adjust to civilian life. 

“There’s a lot of fellowship, these guys come back from the war, and they’re stuck at home. Their life was the VA and home,” he said.

Talleda said his organization provides opportunities for veterans to socialize and interact, which was a lifeline many of them didn’t even know they needed.

“We started to provide opportunities, whether it was lunch or dinner, just anything that we could do,” he said.

There have been efforts throughout the years to reform the VA system, but veterans across our country continue to face hardships related to their mental and physical health, housing and employment.

McRae also sat down with Jeff Gorell, a third-generation veteran who currently represents Ventura County’s 2nd District on the Board of Supervisors, about continued efforts to help veterans.

“Here in Ventura County, we serve and support about 800 veterans every month. Helping those veterans navigate the labyrinth of policies and procedures, to get support and benefits. And just in the first six months of this year, we were able to help veterans get $4.8 million in previously owed benefits,” said Gorell. 

According to a report released by the Department of Housing and Urban Development in 2022, there were more than 33,000 veterans experiencing homelessness in the United States. And 11,000 of them — 31% — were here in California. 

Despite the staggering number of homeless vets across the country, there has actually been a 55.3% reduction in veterans experiencing homelessness since 2010. That decrease is due in part to a number of county, state and federal programs that have been implemented to fund the acquisition, construction and preservation of housing for veterans and their families.

One of those projects is Veterans Village in Cathedral City, near Palm Springs, which took community leaders 12 years and $27 million to bring to fruition.

Kris Benz is a U.S. Army veteran who spent years struggling with ringing in his ears and chronic headaches that led to depression, drug use and homelessness.

“Being here has given me a sense of completeness, without the stress. I can turn that key, come in here, and this is my batcave. When I want to get away from everything and everybody, I can come here…and I’m home,” Benz said, after finally settling down in Veterans Village.

Also featured on this week’s show is a local choir that is offering veterans a second chance, one tune at a time.

Spectrum News 1’s Carmen Valencia introduces us to the New Directions Veterans Choir, which has removed veterans from at-risk situations and turned their lives around, providing harmony and a second family.

Send us your thoughts to InFocusSoCal@charter.com and watch at 9 a.m. and noon Sunday.