The U.S. Coast Guard veteran was a hard worker in a good economy. He quit, living off his savings and working an occasional temp job while trying to find something better.
But the economy went sour and Riley, 49, was diagnosed with cancer. "And just like that," he said, "I was homeless."
Riley was among hundreds of homeless veterans who gathered at the Salt Lake City VA Medical Center on Friday for its annual Stand Down -- an event billed as "one stop shopping" for vets in need of health screenings, benefits counseling, job placement, housing assistance, food, clothing and other long-term assistance.
Riley came to the Stand Down hoping for a new pair of boots, some warm winter clothes, help finding a job and a cheap place to stay. "The people here have been very nice to me," Riley said. "They're giving us all a lot of options."
Michael Tragakis, a VA psychiatrist, said that despite enormous efforts, homelessness among veterans appears to be on the rise. "It's the economy for sure," he said. "And we have more folks coming home from Iraq and Afghanistan. We're starting to see more of those folks coming in."
Among those who served in the nation's most recent conflicts and who now finds himself without a home is Keith Frazier. The National Guard soldier said he served in Ramadi, Iraq, and returned home to find that his long-term girlfriend had drained his checking and savings account.
"There was like $300 left," said Frazier. "But there's nobody I can blame but myself. I made a bad decision trusting her. And then I made other bad decisions."
Unable to find work in a tightening economy, Frazier said he turned to selling drugs -- a decision that ultimately resulted in his serving 11 months in jail. Now he's living at a homeless shelter in Ogden and trying to put his life back together.
But it's been tough. A regular job at a car wash has been suspended for the slow winter months. Frazier said he's now hoping to find work with the VA. "It's been a struggle," he said, "so I really appreciate these people here who are helping me out."
