Category Veteran Stories

Army veteran and former homeless vet Whitney Hamilton found July to be a monumental month. At age 63, he became a first-time homeowner! But this was not an easy journey for Whitney. When the addiction began “About 1985 … when…

In 1980, Autumn Rush enlisted in the United States Army as a medic.   “I grew up in a town where there weren’t a lot of jobs available, and I didn’t go to college right out of high school,” Autumn…

Here at HVAF, we cannot do what we do alone.   Thankfully, we have several community partners such as VOA, Veterans Affairs, and the Gene B. Glick Company…. and together, we all were able to serve and house Marine veteran…

In 1985, right after high school graduation, Pamela Coleman decided to enlist in the U.S. Army. She wanted to follow in her father’s footsteps, and be able to grow as a person. Pamela served for six years as a military…

In 1968, Troy Rivers enlisted in the United States Marine Corps and served for four years. When he got out of the military, he said he had zero guidance. This led him to getting mixed up with the wrong crowd.…

In 1990, 17-year-old Antonio Johnson enlisted in the United States Navy soon after he graduated from high school. During his time in the Navy, he traveled around the world twice, served on two aircraft carriers, and supervised his fellow shipmates.After…

In 1990, Jimmy Potts joined the United States Navy. Starting at the Naval Station Great Lakes in Illinois for his training and education, Jimmy went on to serve for six years— being a part of Desert Shield and serving for…

In 2011, Lianna Spencer enlisted in the United States Air Force.After serving for two years, Lianna got out and went back to her home inArizona, where she went back to school and work. She also spent one year on the…

After graduating from high school, Vincent decided he wanted to fight for our country, and he joined the United States Navy. “I wanted to do something better with my life,” he said. From 2007-2011, Vincent was in active duty. But…

After returning from two years of service in the U.S. Marine Corps, Ray Lay began struggling with service-related mental health issues. Eventually these issues would lead to and be compounded by substance abuse, incarceration, and finally homelessness. Seeking a new start,…