The Stand Down event seemed like just another charity handout, but when over 700 homeless veterans flooded the makeshift tents, the haunting truth behind each face left onlookers speechless. In a moment when a homeless woman unexpectedly went into labor amidst hundreds of veterans, medics rushed to her side, setting the stage for a night no one could have anticipated. It was not just a story of saving lives but also a reawakening of war’s wounds in what was meant to be a peaceful gathering. Buried memories from the battlefield surged back in the veterans’ eyes, creating an indescribably heavy atmosphere. What was supposed to be a two-day celebration transformed into a raw journey of unfiltered truth. And then, a secret unveiled in one of the tents turned the entire event in a direction no one dared imagine.

Veterans Village Stand Down for homeless veterans set for Liberty Station

Stand Down volunteers with clothing for homeless veterans. (File photo courtesy of Veterans Village of San Diego

SAN DIEGO – Veterans Village of San Diego in the Midway District will present a free Stand Down Resource Event for homeless veterans on Aug. 8-9 in the Central Promenade area at Liberty Station.

Now in its 37th year, the Stand Down Resource Event is a transformative two-day experience dedicated to serving all veterans, including unhoused and at-risk veterans, their families, and – for the first time this year – active-duty service members.

The event will open with a ceremonial kickoff from 9-9:30 a.m. Aug. 8. It will feature the national anthem with remarks from Mayor Todd Gloria, Veterans Village president and CEO Akilah Templeton and other community leaders.

Over 125 community partners and service providers will gather to deliver vital, on-site resources at the Stand Down.

Services to be provided include medical, dental and vision care, legal and housing assistance, mental health and substance abuse support, employment aid with resume development and job training, on-site job interviews and VA services and benefits navigation

There also will be free phone distribution to veterans and active-duty service members, holistic health providers, meals, haircuts, clothing distribution, child care, pet support and educational workshops.

Stand Down is made possible entirely through sponsorships, donations and the commitment of community partners.

“Together, we provide a safe, welcoming space where veterans and their families can connect with life-changing resources and support,” said Veterans Village in a statement. “Join us in this powerful weekend of hope, healing, and service.”

Ellen Citrano of Pacific Beach, a retired critical care Navy nurse who volunteered to participate in Stand Downs for a decade, spoke of their significance for veterans. “They always reach out to Navy hospitals to get people for their medical tents,” she said of how she got involved. “I started in 1994 and did them until 2004.”

Citrano described Stand Downs as “a village with tents” that are typically set up for two or three days. “Amazingly, you can get up to 700 people in those tents,” she noted, pointing out some of the homeless vets who attend are “in pretty rough shape.”

Citrano said she once removed stitches that hadn’t healed properly from the side of the face of a female homeless vet who’d been slashed with a knife. “We also had a homeless woman who went into labor during Stand Down,” said Citrano of her most surprising experience there.

Citrano pointed out the events are held in tents designated with one of the 26 letters of the alphabet, with counselors available in each tent to offer veterans advice and services. She added, that though Stand Downs originated in San Diego, that they have since “morphed into every state in the country.”

She added homeless veterans benefit greatly from the events as they are treated to showers as well as being issued things they need, like socks and other clothing, as well as toiletry kits with shampoo, toothpaste paste and hygiene products.“They provide meals, some even have chaplains,” Citrano said.

Stand Downs, said Citrano, are well named given that they allow veterans an opportunity to “come in from the field, reboot and make sure they’re OK.”

Though they can vary in size and duration, Citrano pointed out they all have one thing in common. “They give someone a chance to come in and heal, and they take homeless veterans away from the streets for a couple of days,” she concluded.

The first Stand Down was held in San Diego in 1988. It was organized by Vietnam veterans to address the growing issue of veteran homelessness.