History of Stand Down

In the summer of 1988, Robert Van Keuren and Jon Nachison were rafting on the Colorado River when they began talking about the dramatic increase of homeless veterans seeking help from their organization, Vietnam Veterans of San Diego. Van Keuren was executive director of VVSD at the time, and Nachison was the clinical director. As they tossed around ideas, Van Keuren recalled a getaway he and his Vietnam War buddies enjoyed after a particularly nasty engagement in the Mekong. The military called it a 'stand down.' Why not develop a local stand down, they pondered - an event in which homeless veterans could find relief, safety and services in a military-style bivouac? From that question arose the San Diego Stand Down, which has grown into a three-day event with shelter, food, clothing, legal aid, medical assistance, social services, substance-abuse help, mental-health counseling, job referrals and transitional-housing options for more than 700 homeless veterans and their family members. More than 2,000 volunteers, including many formerly homeless veterans, participate. Approximately 150 private-sector businesses, nonprofit service organizations and government agencies also help. Fifteen years after the first San Diego Stand Down, similar events have become a national phenomenon. More than 400 homeless stand downs nationwide are scheduled this year. The idea's popularity can be linked to a basic desire to help people in need.

James V. Carroll, The American Legion, February 2003, Vol. 154, No. 2., p. 13 -14, 16, & 18