[Congressional Record Volume 160, Number 111 (Wednesday, July 16, 2014)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1166]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                       HONORING DR. JON NACHISON

                                  _____
                                 

                          HON. SUSAN A. DAVIS

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                        Wednesday, July 16, 2014

  Mrs. DAVIS of California. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the 
service of Dr. Jon Nachison, Ph.D., or Dr. Jon, as he is fondly known, 
co-founder of the National Stand Down for Homelessness. After twenty-
seven years of continuous service as director, Dr. Jon is finally 
``standing down.''
  Dr. Jon began Stand Down in 1988 when, as Clinical Director of 
Psychological Services at the Veterans Village of San Diego (then known 
as Vietnam Veterans of San Diego), he and the Director at VVSD, Robert 
Van Keuren, convinced the City of San Diego and other community 
stakeholders to support a new program to address the needs of homeless 
veterans Through his perseverance, and despite initial community 
resistance, San Diego embraced what has become an annual event, 
incorporating as many as 3500 community volunteers who return 
faithfully year after year. In tribute to his original creativity, over 
200 other communities nationwide have adopted the model that Dr. Jon 
first introduced and perfected.
  The term ``stand down'' refers to a military command to move oneself 
out of a war zone (the streets, in this case) to a safe place to 
regroup. By design, Stand Down borrows from a long history of 
therapeutic communities and recreates a bivouac setting of military 
tents and military organization. Over a three day weekend, it recreates 
a sense of prior military identity and begins to restore a sense of 
self-worth. Showers, clean clothes, basic medical care and social 
services renew the veterans' faith in change being possible. Dr. Jon 
wants participants to regain the sense of competence and empowerment 
they had known during their years of military service. The isolation 
and stress of homelessness recedes amongst friends.
  Stand Down becomes a transformational experience and Dr. Jon's 
energy, vision, and unwavering commitment have been the cornerstone of 
this program. That he has created a program to address two national 
problems, homelessness and the successful societal reentry of our 
returning veterans, establishes him as a treasure, not only for San 
Diego, but for our Nation. I rise to honor Dr. Jon for his many years 
of creative service.

                          ____________________