As I have traveled and experienced nature and city travel, I have made a cross list of what I found works best.
Personally for safety and security I found the smaller cities more productive for work as a homeless veteran or even as a homeless individual. Homelessness is not as prevalent in smaller cities and towns. People tended toward more compassion, and were more willing to give a homeless veteran a fair shake mostly as well as some kind of work and a fair hand up. The following list here helps to make your life a bit more compact, easier to manage, and to stay more presentable. It worked for me in this system productively. It provides a fair home and healthy shelter. I recommend to all homeless veterans to live outside of towns for safety, security, and privacy. No one needs to know where and how you are living. Do not let anyone follow you. Your privacy is your myth or whatever background you are making up for job applications etc. Guard it.
Wanderingvet.
1. Backpack approx 3900 to 5000 cu in. internal frame $55.00 to $85.00 (do not buy Academy Sports MAGELLAN BRAND) Also makes nice footlocker for semi permanent tenting. I prefer the 5000 cu in. (I weigh 200 lbs and carry more gear like a laptop and a camera.)
2. Sleeping Bag 30 degree (approx 4 lb. wt) $15.00 any retailer w/stuff sack included. For below 30 deg. weather, stuff bag with additional clothing for increased insulation.
3. Rain Poncho Covers You and the back pack well while walking in rain. (U.S. Army Issue $3.00 any Army/Navy Surplus Store) You can also snap the sides together and make an additional sleeping bag cover against wetness. Makes great water collector in rainstorms.
4. (2) Black Plastic Sheets, 8 mil thickness, cut 10 feet long, with 2 nylon bungees. Makes great tent and saves a lot of money (1) piece for floor (1) piece for tent. Can also use as cocoon in light winds, very effective in wet or dewy ground conditions that soak sleeping bags or just as effective in rain storm. (You can do without tent). Increases sleeping bag warmth factor in cocoon mode. As a tent, hold the sides down with heavy rocks, do not make holes in the plastic!
3. (2) painters drop clothes for emergency high wind/rain or dew protection.
4. Personal Hygiene Kit: Antiseptic, Neosporine, Cortisone cream, razor(mach3 works best), Non scented soap(for shaving too), non scented deodorant (Degree preferred), toothpaste, dental floss, toothbrush, plenty of band-aids for cuts and plenty of heel blisters, cotton swabs, antiseptic mouthwash (yes more antiseptic), nail clippers (short nails reduces bacteria build up), Anti-diarrhea tablets (you do not want the runs), Toilet Paper (off the roll and folded flat in ziplock bag with cotton swaps), and Vitamin C Tablets (Ascorbic Acid since smoking and caffeine deplete this Amino Acid). I store all of this in a Large Ziploc Freezer Bag.
5. (2) pairs of the following: Dark Khaki Pants, (5) Dark (not black)T-Shirts. (5) Underwear. (5) Pair of Socks. Maybe a pair of flip flops to let feet breathe!
6. Good Pair of Boots. $5.00 @ Goodwill
7. Rand McNally Road Atlas, Flash Light, Spare Batteries and Map Compass (sometimes a lift is not coming and a shortcut is needed to be made. If it is dark, the compass is especially important. Also road atlas is important for hitch hiking. Some rides are not worth taking if they take you out of your way.)
8. Pack Everything In PLASTIC BAGS!!!! No Matter What! Bring some extras. Always keep your gear dry. Wet gear mildews and smells. Drying out gear costs time.
9. Bring Small Roll Duct Tape. I had a Shoulder Strap break on pack that would have crippled me out there for a week in the high desert. Duct Tape saved me there!
10. (2) Two 20 0z. Water Bottles. You Can Refill them for FREE! Without water you are a goner! Hiking you crave water terribly. You need water in camp too.
11. Butane Lighter
12. Knife and Knife Sharpener
Some little lightweight extras I throw in also are: Motrin (for fever, headache, and pain) Betadine wipes (for sterilization), and recently I was lucky to have some alka seltzer cold (just add water) and Day Quil because I became so sick and was stuck in place this past month for a few days.
Eating Utensils I get for free from McDonald’s and places like that for free. It is more sanitary also.
Where you can during the day, places that have hand sanitizer, use that on your arms and face for a nice cleansing pick me up….the alcohol in it gives a nice cooling feeling. Plus it smells nice! Do not get it in your mouth or eyes!
Now the pack that I was humping was a little heavier ladies so I am being gentle here. I admit, I am lightening things myself. Losing the tent was sort of a blessing as well as tossing some clothes that became too big. Trust me do not over pack. We tend to over pack in clothes. Do not worry about food too much if you are camping within two miles of a city. Buy your food in daily quantities for consumption. You will buy and eat your food there. Never bring food to camp or you will have critters big and small living with you in the night. Forget that stuff about hanging it in the tree to! They will keep you wide eyed all night trying to get it and racoons can climb a tree along with most everything else except you. Water is your big concern for the campsite. Keeping plenty of it there for yourself. Water is what you will always be wanting. Trust me, been there doing that.
Your Fellow Camper,
Wanderingvet
Stumble It!
Wanderingvets.com 
Kudos to Academy Sports. I recently went into to their store trying to exchange the Magellan brand I was toting around. I did not have a receipt, nor the bar codes for my pack. They were also out of that particular model and only thing we knew was the original price they sold it to me for. After listening to the failures of the product and the use that it goes through, they upgraded me to their best and largest back pack for no charge.
Wanderingvet.
You should spare the cash for a bottle of multi vitimins. with minerals. These will aid in keeping your health up and prevent several diseases. You don’t want to get sick, on the road, in the first place.
A salute to you for your efforts,Sir! I’m down here in the Desert,100 miles from nowhere,and find your site a comfort in troubled times.As a former Army Reservist,I do what i can because we are all in this together,and every little bit of information helps!
Wow, this blog is definately getting bookmarked. Why? great Info all over the place, how can someone ignore this?
Thanks for the info. I am a National Guards man from the state of wisconsin living in a homeless shelter for vets. Yes there is such a thing. Im planning on get on out of here as soon as possible. They say they have a program for me here. Bull feathers. You werent joking about the crap we have to put up with here. Whether i have a place lined up or not im out of here by august. Once again i say thank you Arty 121