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Homeless Vets ‘Stand Down’ in Calif.

BOULDER CREEK, Calif. -- In times of war, front-line troops occasionally are ordered to retreat to a place of relative safety -- known in military jargon as a "stand down" -- where Soldiers can rest and receive medical attention before returning to combat. But for nearly 200 homeless veterans bivouacked among the redwoods at Boulder Creek this weekend, the South Bay Stand Down provided a welcome respite from the daily combat they face on the streets.

The "campers" were all there voluntarily, following six months of cajoling by the Veterans Affairs Health Care System in Palo Alto. They were brought in on buses from a variety of South Bay street corners, park benches and flophouses. Many didn't stop abusing their painkiller of choice until they got to the clearing deep in the woods.

"I came on the bus, and you could smell it all over," said Steve Otis, referring to the reek of alcohol. By midafternoon Saturday, Otis -- a veteran of the Air Force and Narcotics Anonymous -- already had seen a judge to clear up some legal problems from his days on the streets. After 30 years of substance abuse and a stretch in prison, Otis will celebrate three years of sobriety today among his brothers in arms.