Choose or Lose & Kanye West Present: Homecoming | Main

When all is said and done, it is expected that there will be 1.7 million veterans from the ongoing wars in Iraq & Afghanistan. In a recent MTV poll, nearly six in 10 (58%) of 18-24 year-olds stated that they personally know someone who has served in Iraq. These are staggering figures that illustrate the impact of our military actions is not confined to the overseas regions in which they occur. One of the biggest, long term impacts will be felt at home, here in the United States.

How these young veterans are re-integrated into society, how they cope with their war-time experiences and how they are treated by America will be one of the stories of this generation. Because of that, MTV News has dedicated its Choose or Lose campaign to highlighting the issues surrounding the lives of young veterans.

But we're not alone. Hip-hop superstar Kanye West has been interested in the issue, too, and has teamed up with MTV for Homecoming. The MTV News special shows the artist meeting with young war veterans so that he can hear about their experiences firsthand and do what he can do to help them out at a critical time in their lives.

While on the road during his Glow in the Dark tour, Kanye finds himself face-to-face with three young veterans -- one in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma; one in Austin, Texas; and one in Charlotte, North Carolina. Each veteran has a unique story, but all three have two things in common: each served in Iraq and has been struggling to lead a normal life now that they are back at home. Whether it was facing a family debt that grew while they we're serving their country or an inability to work while being treated for post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), each of these young vets was danger of slipping through the cracks.

In each city, Kanye meets with one of these troubled veterans and listens to their Homecoming stories. Each is treated to a night out, with tickets to Kanye's concert and an all-too-rare good time in the midst of a disconcerting time in their lives. Most importantly, in each case, MTV and Kanye team up help. Whether it's paying off debt, assistance finding a job or help with school bills, each gets a helping hand from MTV and the Kanye West Foundation.

For a final treat, Kanye & MTV brings each veteran to Chicago for Kanye's triumphant Homecoming show. On one hand, the entire experiences is nothing more than small thanks for the sacrifices these veterans made for their country. On the other, the emotional, once-in-a-lifetime experience may prove to be the helping hand they've been lacking since returning home from the war.