Stand Down event in Brockton offers support to dozens of homeless veterans

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“Once you depart from the military, there is a void,” said Steven Abrams, an Army veteran from Brockton, who served in the military for 23 years. “There is no mission. You were in charge of millions of dollars of equipment, in charge of aircrafts, in charge of men's lives. When you get out, you're done. ... It's a tough assignment when you're off balance.”

Stand Down event in Brockton offers support to dozens of homeless veterans
By Marc Larocque
Enterprise Staff Writer Follow @@Enterprise_Marc
Posted Mar. 16, 2016 at 5:03 pm Updated at 5:08 PM

BROCKTON – After leaving the military, veterans in Brockton and throughout the country can face instability due to the unfamiliar territory of civilian life, which sometimes can lead to homelessness or the danger of becoming homeless.

“Once you depart from the military, there is a void,” said Steven Abrams, an Army veteran from Brockton, who served in the military for 23 years. “There is no mission. You were in charge of millions of dollars of equipment, in charge of aircrafts, in charge of men’s lives. When you get out, you’re done. ... It’s a tough assignment when you’re off balance.”

To reach out to those veterans without a roof over their heads, or those in danger of losing their housing, the first ever “Stand Down” event was held at the Brockton War Memorial Building on Wednesday, drawing around 80 veterans who were offered assistance by about 30 different service providers. The “Stand Down,” a military term for a temporary cessation of active duties, was organized by the office of Brockton Mayor Bill Carpenter, the nonprofit Father Bill’s and MainSpring and the VA Boston Healthcare System.

In addition to housing services, employment opportunities and financial assistance, the veterans were offered haircuts by Angel from Shane’s Master Barbering, Abrams said.