Stand Down Meaning and History
Founders of Stand Down -
Robert Van Keuren and Dr. Jon Nachison
Excerpts from the Stand Down Manual
“You don't leave anybody outside the wire. If you've got wounded, you go get them, regardless of the cost.” — Robert Van Keuren
 Stand Down is a belief in the triumph of the human spirit over extraordinary odds. It grows out of a conviction that the overwhelming number of homeless veterans on the streets of America is unacceptable, and that the veteran community itself must respond.
Stand Down is an intervention that was conceived from the ground up specifically for veterans. It is designed to transform the despair and immobility of homelessness into the momentum necessary to get into recovery, to resolve legal issues, to seek employment, to access health services and benefits, to reconnect with the community and to get off the streets. A very tall order for a three-day event.
The first Stand Down was designed in 1988 under the auspices of the Vietnam Veterans of San Diego (VVSD) to provide coordinated, comprehensive services to homeless veterans over a three-day period at one site. This service model was designed to bridge many of the physical and psychological barriers between service providers and recipients. Primary emphasis was placed on the creation of a community in which homeless veterans are treated with respect and given the opportunity to relax, interact and form ties with peers and volunteers while receiving much needed specific services. Stand Down has helped thousands of homeless veterans since its inception in 1988.
Stand Down began as the dream of Robert Van Keuren, then the Executive Director of VVSD, and Jon Nachison, Ph.D., Clinical Director of VVSD. Concerned about the increasing numbers of homeless veterans coming to VVSD for services in the mid-80’s, Robert Van Keuren remembered Stand Down, respite he and his military unit were given after being particularly hard hit in Cambodia during the Vietnam war. He decided to create a Stand Down for homeless veterans and integrate, at one site, veteran services which were scattered throughout San Diego County. He and Jon began working out the details, making great progress during canoe trips on the Colorado River. Their basic premise was that this would be a community intervention which encouraged wide participation among service providers, both veteran specific and general, and sought the opinions of homeless veterans themselves to make known what was needed to get them off the streets and reintegrated into the community as productive members.
And so, the dream became a reality and more. Each year since the first, Stand Down has grown and been refined to meet the needs of our homeless veterans. Today, fourteen years from when the first homeless walked on the field, we have over 150 organizations/agencies and more than 2500 volunteers from all walks of life that make Stand Down happen. Some of these never set a foot on the Stand Down field; others are there from the first day of set up until the site is returned to its original form. Perhaps the hallmark of success is that each year more and more of our volunteers were once participants who have made the courageous move to change their lives.
In July (date to be determined) on a Friday morning the gates to Stand Down 2008 will open to all homeless veterans who wait outside. They will be greeted with respect and open arms. They will be offered breakfast and coffee and fresh fruit. Picture ID’s will be made for those who need them. The VA and EDD will assist with registration. Tents will be assigned with tent leaders who are there to assist them in accessing services. Their immediate physical needs will be addressed. A visit to the clothing tent, the showers, the barbers, medical, dental usually begin the day. And then there are the many other services: Homeless court, counseling, Veterans benefits, Employment and job counseling services, acupuncture and massage therapy, recovery providers and shelters, chaplains services, 12-step meetings for everyone, and of course meals prepared by VFW, American Legion, VVSD, Kiwanis, and supported by the Lions Clubs, Rotary and local food distributors. Perhaps most important of all is the feeling of safety. For the first time in possibly days, weeks or even months our homeless brothers and sisters can leave their possessions in the care of others and rest.
Stand Down is a place of miracles. Lives are changed and lives are saved. The founders of Stand Down had a dream. They made it a reality,one which continues to offer a true ‘stand down’ to homeless veterans of all services and all eras.
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