Coast Guard Veteran tells how VA Housing First changed his life

Coast Guard Veteran Grady Kendall shows how VA’s Housing First approach changes the lives of Veterans experiencing homelessness. He demonstrates this impact every day because it changed his life for the better when life knocked him down.  

Kendall enlisted in the Coast Guard in 1981, serving on the Coast Guard Cutter Westwind, an icebreaker vessel, until 1984. He earned the rank of seaman before transitioning back to the civilian world in 1986.

In 1984, during a Deep Freeze expedition in the Weddell Sea, the vessel suffered hull damage after slamming into an ice shelf. Its crew patched a tear before arranging complete repairs in South America.

“We got caught in ice off the Antarctic coast during a mission. I was over the side with a fire hose clearing ice away from the rudder. It was terrifying. You’re surrounded by ice. With the size of the tear, we didn’t know if we’d make it out,” Kendall shared.

Dealing with PTSD

In 2019, Kendall (pictured above) was dealing with untreated posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), depression, anxiety and the pressure of caring for an ailing parent. “I reached a critical point in my life. I was alone. My mom’s health was declining. I thought my only way out was suicide,” he said.

Instead of suicide, Kendall chose to reach out to his Montana VA mental health team and started treatment, which included counseling and medication.

“I finally told them about everything I had going on. I didn’t hide it anymore. I finally started advocating for myself. The counseling sessions gave me tools to manage my anxiety, and the medication helped stabilize my mood,” he said.

Losing his home

A couple of years later, in 2021, after his mother was placed in assisted living, Kendall’s family members evicted him from the place he called home due to financial disputes.  

“I was suddenly homeless and had nowhere to go. This period was tough on me mentally. I was drowning with no way out,” he said.

Kendall once again turned to Montana VA, this time with help from the Department of Housing and Urban Development-VA Supportive Housing (HUD-VASH) program and Volunteers of America, who also played pivotal roles in helping him.

“Volunteers of America put me in a hotel for about eight months while I was homeless. Then, VA got me into Freedom’s Path, [which is] housing for at-risk Veterans. VA helped furnish the apartment and helped me apply for and get Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits to help with food,” Kendall said.

With his housing secure, Kendall was able to keep his VA health care appointments, meet with mental health care providers, manage his medications and connect with resources to file a claim for increased disability compensation.

“Once I got into Freedom’s Path, I became proactive, researching what I needed to do to find my own place. Having a roof over my head allowed me to set goals and plan for my future, like taking care of my mental and physical health, getting my VA benefits increased and securing a VA home loan,” he said.

A new beginning

Less than three years after losing his house, Kendall purchased his first home in 2024.

“I’m proud of how far I’ve come. I couldn’t have done it alone. I cannot express enough how thankful I am to VA and Volunteers of America and, of course, the great people along my journey for the help offered to me,” he said. “I feel like a phoenix rising from the ashes of a past life to this new one. Having this space of my own has allowed me to reconnect with my daughter and grandson. They can come over now whenever they want and there is no chaos. No one threatening to kick them out. I sleep very well in my new place.”

VA’s Housing First approach

VA’s Housing First approach is based on the principle that, by providing a secure place to live first, Veterans can focus on addressing other challenges, such as mental health, employment and social connections. VA’s Housing First approach has helped reduce Veteran homelessness by over 50% since 2010.

VA’s specialized programs for homeless Veterans serve hundreds of thousands of homeless and at-risk Veterans each year. Independently and in collaboration with federal and community partners, VA programs provide Veterans with housing solutions, employment opportunities, health care, justice- and reentry-related services and more.

Learn more about these programs at VA’s Programs for At-Risk Veterans and Their Families page.

Advice for fellow Veterans

The Coast Guard Veteran has a positive message of hope for his fellow Veterans who are facing similar challenges.

“Be honest with and advocate for yourself. Use the resources available to you. The doctors and nurses, your case manager and the folks at VA want what’s best for you. You don’t have to go at it alone,” Kendall added.

Veterans struggling with PTSD can begin by contacting their local VA or exploring the resources offered at the National Center for PTSD.

If you are a Veteran who is homeless or at risk of homelessness, contact the National Call Center for Homeless Veterans at (877) 4AID-VET (877-424-3838) for help.