VA secretary promises help for homeless veterans

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Veterans Affairs Secretary Eric Shinseki is promising help for homeless veterans.

Shinseki is speaking to 1,200 homeless service providers at a Washington conference. He says the VA will spend $3.2 billion next year on the problem.

It is estimated that 130,000 veterans may be homeless on a typical night in America. About one-third of all adult homeless men and nearly one-fifth of all homeless adults served in the military.

About 3% of the overall homeless population served in Iraq or Afghanistan.

Due to the economy, the VA says, the number of homeless vets may increase up to 15% over the next five years.

-- Associated Press