An Interview With Dan Lohaus, Director Of “When I Came Home”
SUS provides a full spectrum of support and treatment services to nearly 150 veterans each day, age 25 to 75, spanning all branches of military service, Korean War through Operation Iraqi Freedom. Since its opening in April, 1995, SUS’ Knickerbocker Transitional Housing Program has served as the principal agency program dedicated to veterans. Located in the Bushwick section of Brooklyn, Knickerbocker provides housing and supportive services to forty-eight male veterans, living with a range of serious mental illnesses and chemical addictions.
We asked Dan Lohaus, director of “When I Came Home”, to participate in a Q and A with The Signal. “When I Came Home” is an award winning documentary film about homeless veterans in America: from those who served in Vietnam to those returning from the war in Iraq. The story is largely told through the eyes of Herold Noel, an Iraq War veteran suffering from Post Traumatic Stress Disorder and living in his car in Brooklyn, New York. SUS will be screening this critically acclaimed film at HBO on Veteran’s Day 2009.
Q. How did you get started on making this documentary?
I was working in the non-profit world and started two organizations that employ homeless individuals and I met a lot of homeless Vietnam Veterans along the way. When I started doing research about homeless Vietnam veterans, I was really blown away by some of the statistics I was reading. I remember one statistic in particular that really struck me: that while over 58,000 U.S. combat troops were killed in battle in Vietnam, at least that many Vietnam veterans ended their own lives prematurely after coming home. It just really angered me that these soldiers returned home to a country that swept them under the rug and tried to forget them. I felt like for the ones who had survived and were living on the streets (nearly 150,000) – I just wanted to tell their story and try to help them. So I really set off to make a film about homeless Vietnam Veterans and it ended up being about more about history repeating itself and about how veterans have to fight “another war” once they return home.
Q. Had you previously worked at all with Veterans or were you in anyway connected to them?
I have an uncle that was in Vietnam and came home really affected. We weren’t really allowed to ask him about the war and I think that always stuck with me as a kid. And, as I mentioned, working on non-profits that employed the homeless, I ended up meeting a lot of homeless Vietnam veterans.
Q. ”When I Came Home” leaves us wondering how a Veteran can pull their life together once they come home from service. Is the key a system of supports?
Absolutely. From my experience, it seems like veterans who have isolated themselves when they get home really have a hard time healing and re-integrating back into society. Those who look for help and find other veterans to talk with have to most success. It’s so important for veterans to realize that they are not alone in this and that there are a lot of veterans who have been through the same things and are there to help.
Q. Was there a particular experience or interaction during the making of this film that stood out for you?
Yes. The San Diego “Stand Down” was the first thing I filmed way back in July of 2002. It was an amazing event where over 1,000 homeless veterans came off the street and formed a community for three days. It was incredible to see so many of those vets change over those three days – they were not only getting new clothes and hot food but they were also being inspired by formerly homeless vets. As the weekend progressed… nearly four hundred vets at that Stand Down decided that they would try to get help and get off the street. They put their names on lists for different supportive housing programs. I remember thinking, “This is incredible, I’m about to see four hundred homeless vets get off the street”. Then I found out that there were only 7 available beds at different programs. So there would be seven veterans that would get a chance to get off the streets, but the other 393 who wanted to get help, would have to go back out on the streets. I was so frustrated and sad about the whole thing that I just broke down and cried. But it also really made me angry and made me want to make this film.
Q. What most surprised you about what you learned while making this film?
When I first went out filming with an outreach team in Los Angeles, I remember the team approaching a homeless Vietnam vet in a park and offering that vet a bed at their supportive housing community. The vet had been on the streets for over 20 years and didn’t want the help. I guess it opened up my eyes a little – At first, I couldn’t understand why that vet wouldn’t want to get in the van with us and go but I think I understand it better now.
Q. Are there thoughts for a follow up to “When I Came Home” as we start to see veterans coming home Iraq? What I’m working on now is a film about PTSD (Post-traumatic Stress Disorder) and in particular, the 10-year battle that Vietnam vets fought to have PTSD recognized. I’m in pre-production right now and am looking for funding.