SAN DIEGO (KGTV) — A San Diego veteran is speaking out after surviving homelessness. Shawn Wittman never imagined he would end up on the streets after serving in the army from 1990 to 1994.
"I was a parachute rigger," said Wittmann. "I was a 43 Echo."
After leaving the army, Wittmann landed a high-paying tech job that allowed him to support his five kids and wife at the time. But he says everything changed when he was arrested for taking items out of someone else's recycling bin.
Wittmann spent years on the streets, but his luck turned two years ago when the Veterans' Village of San Diego entered him into a rapid rehousing program.
"It feels phenomenal to have stable housing," said Wittmann.
But he says some veterans like him need more support finding work after being housed. Wittmann still has injuries from his time in service, which he says have cost him several jobs.
"From calcium buildup from marching, jumping out of planes and stuff," said Wittmann. "Then I have a torn tendon, which caused a fibromyalgia node on it. And it didn't heal properly because you have to keep marching. You can't say 'I'm broke, I can't do anything.'"
Wittmann says normally the Dept of Veterans Affairs would pay for surgeries, or give him a high enough disability stipend to live on. But he says the military lost his medical records, so his care isn't covered and he's surviving using his savings.
"I don't even have my military entrance exam for medical. That's even missing out of the medical folder," said Wittmann. "There's no medical folder for me in existence. It's kind of like a rock and a hard place."
Now the Army veteran keeps a wall of family photos as a symbol of hope.
"I eventually want to have my own home and everything again," said Wittmann. "Have a family, have my family there."
