'When Jane & Johnny Come Marching Homeless'

 A documentary about the many issues our veterans have always faced upon returning 'home' from war and military service. 

The overt homelessness which we see daily on the streets of America is tragic enough, however there is a 'covert homelessness' that needs to be addressed.  Many have PTSD (Post Traumatic Stress Disorder) and TBI (Traumatic Brain Injury) which can lead to:  war flashbacks, unpredictable behavior, joblessness, foreclosure, drug & alcohol abuse, spousal abuse, divorce, and suicide.

These are the hidden wounds that many of our veterans face when they return home--LESS: a shell of the person they once were.

Produced & Directed by

   Nina M. Gilberti  

"Not to him who is offensive to us are we most unfair, but to him who doth not concern us at all." - Friedrich Wilhelm Nietzsche

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This documentary will not only feature the homeless veteran, who is clearly visible on the streets and ignored, but it will also speak to the mental & emotional 'homelessness' that is often invisible and locked away inside many of our current Iraq & Afghanistan veterans, resulting in the loss of the person they once were. 

The path to homelessness is never straightforward or immediate.  One-third of those living on the streets served in the Vietnam war.  Many of the Iraq and Afghanistan vets are homeless, but not visible- they couch surf with friends, living from one friend's apartment to the next.

 All who return home from war and military service are changed people, some end up coping better than others.  Many return with undiagosed issues only to surface later.  Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) and Traumatic Brain Injuries (TBI) are common as they continue to battle an enemy of a different kind after returning home.  The suicide rate among today's veterans is staggering.

Promises are NOT being kept to our young men and women after they sign up namely, issues regarding joblessness after service: 18% of our returning veterans are unemployed, 25% of those employed are making less than $ 21,000/ year.  There are slim education benefits using the inadequate, Montgomery GI Bill.  It pales considerably in comparison to the original GI Bill initiated after WWII.  And no one seems to be talking about the high rate of sexual assault of female soldiers in the military. 

After speaking with numerous veterans, all have indicated that the above mentioned issues have led them to either being homeless or having the feeling of not being 'home'.

These are life altering issues that need to be addressed and changed.  Americans tout, 'Support Our Troops', but when it really counts there isn't much being done to truly help them, except by the non-profit, veterans organizations- where every year they, too, must fight a battle to raise the necessary funds in order to survive. 

Why are we not protesting in the streets like we did during the Vietnam War, to bring our troops home and once home, to honor them by fulfulling the promises that were made when they signed up to serve our country?   To help them with physical and mental health issues (PTSD, TBI), to give them a real chance for a college education, and to help them secure jobs that pay well enough to sustain a decent life.

What happened to our consciousness as a nation when we ignore those who are living on the streets, and those whose lives have completely changed physically, mentally and emotionally so we might live free? 

We need to wake up, America, and step up to do something positive, to make a real difference for our fellow, human beings who put their lives on the line for us.  And while we're at it, let's lend a helping hand to ALL our homeless men, women and children so they might have an opportunity for a better life. 

This project is currently in-production.  Any military person, family or friend of someone who served in any era, who is interested in speaking to me, please contact: nina@jamontoastproductions.com

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"ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT DOCUMENTARIES BEING MADE AT THIS TIME"- Ron Kovic (a decorated U.S. Marine, served two tours of duty in the Vietnam war, where he was wounded and paralyzed from the chest down.  He was awarded the Bronze Star and the Purple Heart.  Ron is the author of 'Born on the 4th of July' and was portrayed by Tom Cruise in the film by Oliver Stone).