DETROIT – A survey by Wallet Hub ranked Detroit last in 2018’s best and worst places for veterans to live.
A new ground mobility vehicle was shown off to veterans at Little Caesar's Arena on Monday. It's a nine person vehicle that can be dropped out of a plane. It was shown off at a job fair.
Five dozen employers, each with a requirement to have 10 jobs open, came to the arena where veterans could look for gainful employment after tough times.
Staff Sgt. Dane Urbanek is forever changed after front-line combat in Afghanistan.
"Once you pull the trigger on another man, you're never the same again," Urbanek said.
Urbanek is looking at becoming a dealer at one of Detroit's casinos, and when Local 4 told him how Detroit was ranked in the survey, he was not having any of it.
"I mean, Detroit's VA is on top of their staff. No waits, appointment times are quick and you're in and out," he said.
A Purple Heart winner in Lebanon, former Marine James Fields doesn't know who Wallet Hub's been talking to and loves the substance abuse treatment he's receiving.
"It's an excellent program, it saved my life," he said.
Veteran Army K-9 handler Daryl Williams said housing is a problem and he's had to rely on family.
"It takes awhile to get housing, I don't know why that is but I put in an application last year and I just got a call from housing place a couple days ago. A whole year to get housing, it's unacceptable," he said.
Also, at the job fair, a handful of veteran organizations offered assistance or help finding benefits. Michigan Works' John Babcock said if veterans have unmet needs all they need to do is go to the right place and ask.
"There are resources out there for veterans, for just about every issue you can think of," he said.
These were the top four places to live, according to Wallet Hub:
View the full list by clicking here.
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