George Taylor's passion for vets drives him to serve

George Taylor feels at home among homeless veterans.

After more than two decades of helping homeless veterans, the 65-year-old often tells his wife, Jan, that he will slow down or that he will do the work just one more year.

"Every year I hear that," she says with a laugh. "I think I'll hear that the last time when he is dying."

Taylor's passion for helping homeless veterans comes from his own struggles. He saw the horrors of war while serving as a paratrooper in Vietnam with the Army's 173rd Airborne Brigade. He came home suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder and soon found himself homeless.

After months living in the woods and about 15 years wandering from place to place, with help from his brother, Roger, Taylor sought treatment for PTSD at a VA center in Miami.

He overcame homelessness and soon turned his attention to helping homeless veterans who face the same struggles he once faced.

"I was a better person with PTSD by helping that other person," Taylor said. "I learned a long time ago that with PTSD you can eliminate some of the symptoms by staying busy."

Today, he often slips into a wooded trail, parting the bushes with his arms as he calls out for homeless veterans. He takes them supplies and sits in their camp and asks about other needs they may have. He tries to get them to apply for VA benefits they've earned.

"I had no clue about benefits for my PTSD disability," Taylor said. "I've been fighting for PTSD awareness to help me and to help other veterans."

Helping veterans in need soon became a family affair as Taylor got his children involved.

A Family Cause

Since 1991, Taylor and his children have reached out to homeless veterans.

"They were getting an allowance for helping to raise German shepherds," he said. "They would take their allowances, buy coffee or a hotdog for the homeless. It just became a part of our lives."

In 2008, the Taylor family formed National Veterans Homeless Support, Inc. His son, George Taylor Jr, an Air Force master sergeant, is vice president and financial officer of NVHS.

"For 10 or 12 years when I was doing it out of my pocket, no one was listening to me," said Taylor, the son of a West Virginia coal miner.

Taylor seems comfortable in any setting in his cowboy hat, snakeskin boots and oval-shaped western style belt buckle with blue jeans, even when wearing a dress jacket and tie.

Taylor, who grew up on Merritt Island since the age of 9, commands attention to the plight of the homeless because of the passion he shows.

Brevard County Property Appraiser Dana Blickley, who serves on NVHS board of directors and has long helped out with homeless veterans issues, said Taylor gets attention from the homeless and from high-ranking politicians.

"When George opens his mouth, they respond," Blickley said. "All he cares about is what's on his agenda for the veterans."

She said people can see that Taylor really cares and knows what the homeless are going through.

"When you wonder how someone can get such a passion, it comes from living it," Blickley said. "Even as passionate as I am about this, you sometimes get frustrated. He doesn't."

Funding the effort

Taylor's work to help veterans began to grow with what donations he could collect from fellow veterans, other individuals and local veteran organizations. It captured the attention of state legislators. In 2012, the organization received a $1 million federal grant administered through the state. The following year the grant was $500,000.

Money went to purchase and remodel houses that are used as transitional homes for veterans, to hold 16 Stand Downs around the state, usually one-day events in which needy veterans can get medical check ups, clothes, shoes and other supplies.

The organization now operates five transitional houses that can house a total of 18 veterans for up to two years or until they have jobs and can live independently.

Taylor said that without that grant money, which he did not get for this year, he has had to eliminate three paid staff positions and spend more of his time fund-raising.

"I don't get to do what is my passion as much because I have to do fund-raising," said Taylor, who live in Mims. "The most important thing I can do for that veteran is plug them in with their benefits."

Blickley said Taylor doesn't let any obstacle get in the way of helping a veteran.

"If he can't move it, he goes up over it or around it," she said.

Speaking to a crowd of about 300 recently, Taylor scolded the government for not doing enough for veterans, apologized, then told the group of volunteers that instead, they would have to help do what they can.

"It just aggravates me that so many vets that fought for this country are dealing with this," he said of homelessness. "I think government is not aware of some of the issues."

With gratitude

A clean-shaven Adiel Brooks, 59, is a testament to some of Taylor's work. After just weeks of living in a NVHS transitional home, he is talking about saving some of his VA benefit money to get back into his trade and open an upholstery shop. He said he is grateful to Taylor.

"He is a good man," Brooks said. He is a good soldier. He looks out for me. He got me out of the woods."

Taylor said he would see Brooks volunteering at the Disabled American Veterans 109 in Titusville and for a long time did not know he was homeless.

It is such a different life when a veteran can move beyond homelessness. Taylor said that while homeless they are often treated poorly. He said they often can't even sit in a park or public bench without someone calling the police.

Vietnam veteran Ken Wakefield, 68, of Port St. John, said Taylor has helped many of of homelessness and has encouraged others in Brevard County to get involved.

"There is no doubt in my mind that he inspired a lot of us," he said.

Blickley said that the inspiration to get involved has changed her life and that it is an honor to help Taylor with what he does for veterans.

"I have more respect for that man than I can articulate," she said. "When George calls and asks me to do something, I don't question him, I go and do it. I know that it he asks, it is ethical, legal and in the best interest of the veterans he is trying to serve."

Contact Moody at 321-242-3651 or nmoody@floridatoday.com Follow at facebook.com/floridatodaymilitary or Twitter @RNormanMoody

National Veterans Homeless Support

2012-13 Accomplishments

338 homeless veterans assisted through search and rescue program

17 new transitional housing beds

16 Stand Downs - assisted 1,686 homeless veterans and 553 non-veteran homeless in 13 cities in 10 Florida counties.

2013-14 Accomplishments (first six months)

266 homeless veterans assisted through search and rescue program

66 homeless veterans assisted through transitional housing program

14 stand downs in 10 counties.