>> join book tv for the miami book fair, live saturday and sunday, november 18 and 19 on c-span two. >> this veterans day we take a to address homelessness among female veterans. from today's washington journal, this is 25 minutes. continues. host: our guest is jaspen boothe , founder and president of an organization called final salute. final salute. the topic this morning is female veterans homelessness. guest: thank you for the opportunity. host: i wanted to talk about the specific figure your organization put out. this is regarding homeless women's veterans in the west on any given day. there are 55,000 homeless women veterans. tell us about them. ,ho are they, where are they how did they find themselves

homeless? guest: homelessness among women veterans has become a national issue. some of the root causes are unemployment, domestic violence, combat related illness, injuries or wounds, and eligibility or lack of eligibility for benefits. the root issue is the lack of resources for when you are needing one. it is really the biggest problem they are facing. host: tell us about the work of your organization. what is your mission, your goal? how do you go about your business? guest: our mission is to provide homeless women veterans with safe housing. we have a transitional home in alexandria, virginia that we support for up to two years. because ofen women the lack of resources available in the own neighborhoods.

we also try to prevent homelessness through emergency financial assistance. tother it is bridge loans get you through a tough time or help with utility bills, etc. we are funded by the grace of god most times. we apply for grants. we have several corporate sponsors that help us annually. cci has been a big help. we started a competition which has been really helpful for us. it is really people who see the need and come to our aid. right now we participate in a documentary called "serve like a girl." what is also about that is all the proceeds from the soundtrack will go to final salute. these are artists like linda perry, christina aguilera, pink, and pat benatar even did a song.

it is great to see we are getting this recognition and people are coming to the aid of women who served. host: we have a lot to talk about with jaspen boothe, founder and president of final salute. two phone lines in this segment. we want to hear from female veterans in particular. your number is (202) 748-8000. everyone else, (202) 748-8001. how about your story, jaspen boothe? you are a former homeless person. tell us your story and what your circumstances were like. guest: sure. in 2005, i was lieutenant in the army reserves. shortly after arriving in new orleans i was notified i would be deployed to iraq. i never made it because of significant events. i lost everything in hurricane katrina in 2005 and received a cancer diagnosis that september, which left me homeless and

jobless. my cancer is in remission, i was 2-14, discharged the next day and out on the streets. when i went to the v.a. i was told there was no supportive housing services for women veterans the children. i was a single mother. they couch surf. 70% of the homeless veteran population are single mothers. i know a lot of people look at homelessness as a guy on the street, but there are a lot of us that are homeless because we're trying to keep our family together. that was my situation. that just let me know about the lack of resources through my individual experience, bush later spurred me to create final salute -- which later spurred me to create final salute. host: printable masters degree in human resource management and

leadership from webster university. now runs his organization called final salute. what was the specific moment that you said i have got to do this? guest: i am born and raised in chicago. one day i was watching the oprah show and she had a homeless woman veteran on her show that was living out of her car. she was a combat veteran. this is several years after my situation happened. i said it have to have improved since then. i went online and tried to find available resources. i could not find anything specifically for housing for homeless veterans and their children. i said this is my next mission. i will dedicate the next phase of my life to that. host: the first call for our guest is annie from fairfax, california. caller: good morning. i work in the mental health field. i actually have a bipolar illness myself. i wondered if the guest could

address the mental health angle of this crisis. thank you. guest: thank you for being open about that. i also have been very open about my battle with major depressive disorder. yes, it does play a factor. when we look at causality among homelessness, unemployment is one of those things. it's a major factor. if you are not mentally strong, you are not employable, which will perpetuate. you continue along the path. in addition to looking at housing veterans and getting them in the homes, we have to look at ensuring their physical and mental well-being are taken care of. thank you. host: some of the demographics of homeless veterans, following up on the last call. 11% of the homeless adult population are veterans. 51% of individual homeless veterans have disabilities. 50% have serious mental illness according to the national coalition of homeless veterans.

70% have substance abuse problems. years of age or older. guest: that tells me we still have a long way to go. care fromental health the department of veterans affairs. i know we have a long way to go. they are doing great in some areas. i think some areas definitely need improvement. there are things we can also do as average, everyday americans to fill some of those gaps in the services that are not provided as we need them. host: barbara from virginia, good morning. caller: good morning. dutynt 12 years on active in the navy. service was a number of years ago, i never spent any time in a war zone. my question basically is the

percentage of female veterans that were in situations like that, how does that compare number wise with male veterans and what is being done to ensure female veterans are not left homeless and in the streets? there iswill say that this big thing about women serving in combat. when you go into iraq and afghanistan, every service member is a combat service member. once we come back to our country and we need services, regardless of our job board mos is, we need to have equal support regardless of gender.

i think some people look at maybe if you did not serve in a combat, you should not have ptsd or some of the things our male counterparts face. the biggest issue is a ra -- is the raising a stereotype. i have a friend who was a double-amputee who lost both of her legs to an ied in iraq. there are male and female nets. across the board -- male and female amputees. you can also get mental health issues. i did not deploy. my springs from cancer treatment and related issues. need to get away from saying, if you deploy, x well happen. host: what are some of the other stories you hear from homeless women veterans as you go about your work? guest: i hear some say they have

tried to go into shelters but the shelters for the women with children, they could only take a certain number of children. they could only take a certain age of children. gotdren of a certain gender to a certain age and could not next and the shelter -- could not mix in the shelter. some women say i just ate in a domestic violence situation just to keep me and my children together. that should never be an option for someone who served our country. everyone should have a safe space. you should not have lose her children because you are trying to survive. host: is this relegated to one or several particular parts of the country? or is the problem of homeless fema veterans spread all over the country -- homeless female veterans spread over the country? guest: you have states like california, georgia, the d.c. metro area, we have a huge

number of female veterans. across the nation, it is a national epidemic that we still have not got a handle on. host: patty had much conversation with the administration, the v.a., the white house, congress? have gone to many listening sessions and went to many panels that they have had. one thing i get back all the time is the lack of supportive services for women veterans is because of our unwillingness to identify as a veteran. do you know how many women veterans are? i have identified the population for you. we know how many of us have theed the boots -- worn boots and how many still stand.

you don't have the same stipulation on haiow male veterans are treated. we should have a better handle on how we are treating veterans equally and not trying to shift the blame to what we are not doing. host: let's hear from lori in maryland for jaspen boothe. hello. good morning. caller: good morning. i served from 1974 to 1980 as a nurse. my problem is in the state of maryland there isn't any place for women in the nursing home setting for long-term care. i just recently got here at perry point an opening for a few women, but that is the setting we are fighting for women with disabilities in this state. they have to go through brutality in the collect to be able to be placed someplace

where they are safe. they are usually thrown in the nursing homes and subjected to abuse. i fought the v.a. system for over a year and a half to get my spouse placed into the baltimore v.a. where i felt she could be safe. is egregious. ofen's services in the state maryland are almost negligible. anything to do with homeless, but it has to do with the treatment of women vets in the state of maryland. host: let's hear from jaspen boothe. guest: i don't think you should have to hit rock bottom in order to get supportive services. i have noticed through my advocacy some veterans who need that temporary support can't get it until they are actually homeless. i don't think we should be placing anyone into that state

of despair. you mentioned earlier 70% of the homeless demographic have substance abuse problems. you have to think if they have substance abuse problems before they were homeless? actually getting homeless driving to alcohol and drug abuse? are we causing more problems by waiting too long? the solution to homelessness isn't more homes, it is less homeless veterans. we have studied the root causes substantially. we should be able to get ahead of it at this point. host: pat from kentucky. caller: good morning. i served in world war ii. i have five brothers in and my dad was in. i decided to join and get the were over with. -- i washat i told

s trying to say i served in washington, d.c. we were out for a sunday stroll and i saw limiting the having -- limousine come down the avenue. theirls with me had hats in their belt. low in the hold it stopped right in front of us, within spitting distance. the back window went down and it was roosevelt. he said, good morning, girls. i'm so proud of you. i was the one with the mouth and i told him we were proud of him. he looked at me and asked why i had joined the service. isaid i have five brothers n. one was a prisoner of war and i felt like i had to do something to get the war over with. he said i bet you will do it.

i said with your help, sir, we will. that was a real interesting phase of my years in the coast guard. host: a question for our guest? are you still there? guest: yes. host: i wanted to see if he had a question for our guest and the worker organization is doing? guest: well, i have always been alert of people that had been in the military over the years. i was born right after world war i. wars.r to end all i had many friends in the military. my husband was in the marines. he stayed in the corps for 23 years.

host: pat, i think we lost to. thank you for your point. jaspen boothe, what would you say to that world war ii veteran? guest: i would thank her for her service. it was a woman like her who answered the call early on that me and my sisters were able to serve today. i thank you for the response you gave us at that time. it was a family tradition for you. i am also married to a marine, in my oldest serves in the air force. for a lot of us it does become a family tradition. i do appreciate you from one woman veteran to another. host: cornelius from louisiana. caller: thank you, c-span for what you are doing for veterans. i want to thank you and your family for what you are doing for this female vets. i was a village every police

officer. they are tougher than some mail ale mp's. i hope you have on your website a physical address and a phone number. i don't have a computer. of one of these kind of vets they don't have much, but i would like to contribute to your organization. thank you so much and god bless you. happy and blessed veterans day to you. host: tell us two things. guest: i was a soldier for 17 years in the army. i started out in listed as a truck driver. then i commissioned as an officer and became a human resources officer, which was the bulk of my military career. i thank you for your service. all the information is on our website. i have thoroughly enjoyed being a soldier. we joke and make fun of each

other, but i said the army is the best branch. host: what is the first step for veteran whooman might be finding herself homeless or thinks she might find yourself homeless? what is the first step they should be taking? a woman that was a contact organization, go directly online and we have a system where you can apply online. 2-14 eye tellsr dd about your circumstance. nonprofits can't operate unless they are funded. usually we have the funding, we can get to them within 72 hours which is critical when they are trying to prevent them from being evicted. 211.olso know there is a rg, the national resource directory for veterans looking for local resources. has as a resource center --

a resource center and a hotline for veterans who are in need of mental support as well. host: onto amy from northport, alabama. good morning. caller: good morning. i have just retired from the u.s. army. i was in for over. 20 plus years -- over 20 plus years. it was a requirement together transitional services. might transitional services were very detailed. my question is before a service member and their military -- ends their military career, how can we identify with those homeless veterans may be? that way we can have more programs in place or provide help before they retire or before they leave the service. guest: thank you. i went through that process as well.

i know what you are going to the transition process a lot of focus is on making sure you have your resume translated to civilian fields. i was never asked if i had anywhere to go or anything like that. i think we put a lot of that responsibility on the military, but for me it is not the military's job to teach me how to be a civilian and return to civilian life. it is their responsibility to teach me how to be a soldier. i think we need to find some type of bridge between dod where they allow for a longer transitional period where they can properly assess your needs and if you may face homelessness based on any mental, physical disabilities or challenges you have. that was something i did not go through, what you think could be a big help. the military cannot take soldiers out of the ranks for a long period of time because we

still have a mission. there should be a process by which they are still on active duty but allowed six months to a year transition process to properly assess and make sure they don't fall into that homelessness. host: you have access to loans for some homeless veterans. with that includes college loans? talk to us about folks who might be able to take that. guest: they are more like grants to help women fleeing domestic violence situations. if they can't afford to give the first and last months rent, we can provide that. for people trying to prevent being evicted, we help them that way. sometimes life just happens. you don't plan to get divorced and have to separate from your family. you don't plan for a domestic violence situation. you don't plan to be unemployed. we help when life happens

because those things don't discriminate against you because you are a veteran. i think there are emergency resources that are vital to prevent you from becoming homeless. host: what else should people know about your organization and services it offers? how they can take part by making a contribution? we have been around almost eight years now. we supported over 3600 women veterans. we have been able to raise $3 million, but we still the support. they need is only increasing. it is not declining. steadily takes $25 a day to support a homeless woman veteran, get her child in our transitional home. that includes food, clothing, supportive resources and financial education and counseling, have to apply for v.a. benefits. is a well-rounded approach to health and get back on their feet. host: robert from kentucky four

jaspen boothe -- for jaspen boothe. caller: how are you doing today? i have come up with a little plan for this homeless stuff. when these veterans -- we can set of buildings across each state that could donate money to the homeless veterans. that way money would be coming in for the homeless veterans and women and men. i think that would really work. that money could go to that lady on tv and god bless her. i love her to death and thank her for her service. she is just a great lady. host: final thoughts? guest: i believe homelessness has to start at the community level. i think any approaches are great approaches that will lessen but we have to deal with. human resources are available in local communities.

talk to your local representative and politicians to see what they can do and start some grassroots efforts in your own backyard. host: jaspen boothe, fatter and president of final salute. org. is theinc. website. ♪ announcer: c-span's washington journal live every day with news and issues that impact you. , donna brazil discusses her new book on the 2016 presidential campaign. aboutraig shirley talks the future of the republican party in the trump era. be sure to our c-span's washington journal live at 7:00 a.m. eastern sunday morning. join the discussion. &a,ouncer: this week on q and

the lives of the eight jewish justices who have served on the supreme court appear. in anti-semitism within the american legal but one justice was notoriously anti-semitic. inention the famous portrait 1924 that he had to sit for. from his vantage point, hoover had the audacity to nominate him. he wrote a note on his own stationery to hoover saying how dear you afflict the court with another hebrew. president trump is in vietnam this weekend for the final leg of his overseas trip.

includedhis schedule the asia-pacific economic cooperation summit with other world leaders. presidentlook at his and his foreign counterparts posing for a group photo outside the summit.

announcer: while at apec