West Los Angeles VA Medical Center Building 207 (Photo: VA)
Four retired senior military leaders, including the admiral who led the raid on Osama bin Laden, have filed a brief criticizing the VA for failing to address Veteran homelessness in Los Angeles. Submitted to the U.S. 9th Circuit Court of Appeals, the brief warns that the VA’s inaction poses “a direct threat to national security.”
Retired Admirals Michael G. Mullen, former chair of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, and William H. McRaven, who oversaw the 2011 raid on bin Laden, joined retired Army General Peter W. Chiarelli and retired Army Colonel David W. Sutherland in filing the amicus brief. They support a district court ruling requiring the VA to build thousands of housing units on its West Los Angeles campus to address Veteran homelessness.
The VA is currently appealing U.S. District Judge David O. Carter’s order, which mandates the construction of 750 units of temporary supportive housing within 18 months and up to 1,800 permanent housing units within six years. Carter also nullified leases held by UCLA and Brentwood School, arguing that the land should be used for housing Veterans rather than private institutions. Under legal pressure, Brentwood School renegotiated its lease to provide Veterans greater access to its athletic facilities.
The case is set for an appeals court hearing on April 8. The VA contends that being forced to fund the housing projects and losing control over its leasing authority would cause “irreparable harm.”
In their brief, the retired officers warn that the VA’s failure to reintegrate homeless and disabled Veterans damages military recruitment.
“The public now associates military service with war trauma leading to physical and psychological harms, such as PTSD, traumatic brain injury, and elevated suicide risk,” the former officers wrote.
They argue that if the VA does not uphold its duty to provide housing and support, potential recruits will fear inadequate care upon returning to civilian life. The brief cites a 12-point drop since 2019 in the percentage of Veterans recommending military service, now at 63%.
Several Veterans organizations, including the Vietnam Veterans of America California State Council, AMVETS Department of California, and the Military Order of the Purple Heart, also filed a brief supporting Carter’s ruling. They emphasized the impact of recent wildfires in Los Angeles, estimating that hundreds of Veterans lost their homes in the Palisades and Eaton fires.
“The fires demonstrate that loss can come quickly and unexpectedly to any Veteran, and that more housing is needed — right now,” as stated in the brief.
They also mentioned that the fires have worsened the affordable housing crisis in Los Angeles, increasing the risk of homelessness for displaced Veterans.
Judge Carter, a Vietnam Veteran, previously ruled that the leases for parking lots, oil wells, and athletic facilities on the West LA VA campus prioritized economic interests over Veterans’ needs. The Justice Department, representing the VA, has argued that the agency lacks the funding necessary to comply with Carter’s order. A ruling from the 9th Circuit is expected in April.
The retired military leaders stress that the outcome of this case will directly affect the availability of healthcare services and reintegration programs for Veterans, impacting recruitment efforts and national security.
“The VA’s failure to reintegrate disabled and homeless Veterans undermines the military’s best source for recruiting — the Veterans themselves,” they wrote.
Author: Rikki Almanza
Rikki is a Web Content Coordinator for the American Legion, Department of California. With a deep-rooted connection to the military, a spouse who is a Navy veteran, a father who served in the Air Force for 25 years, and a grandfather who proudly served, Rikki is committed to using her skills and knowledge to provide valuable assistance and resources to servicemembers and veterans.