A pair of veterans depart the Kalamazoo stand down in September 2022. Sean Stallworth, a regional VA substance use disorder specialist, said a large percentage would come to the stand down events in pairs. The stand downs are “a kind of reunion for people who can’t afford to have reunions,” said retired VA outreach specialist Jeanne Douglas, noting that even once veterans have made it off the streets and into housing, they continue to return to the events “for the camaraderie.”