New HVAC System Helps Army Veteran Stave Off Texas Heat
As an Army veteran who has volunteered for organizations that assist veterans, Joseph Gunderson knows how important it is to make sure the person feels welcome.
He did not expect to someday be in the position of being the one asking for help. But when he contacted Operation Homefront this year, he was pleased to find an atmosphere of acceptance and assistance.
The path that led him to Operation Homefront and its Critical Financial Assistance Program® (CFA) was a winding one.
In 2007, Joseph looked ahead and did not see college in his future so he signed up for the delayed-entry program in the Marines as a high schooler.
However, because he lives with psoriasis, the Marine Corps referred him for a medical board removal before he even got started.
“I would like donors to know first and foremost the money was used as it was supposed to be used. And the personnel at Operation Homefront were all absolutely fantastic.” – Joseph Gunderson, Army veteran
With the height of the troop surge in Iraq, Joseph was able to enlist in the Army. He deployed to Iraq twice as an Army scout.
After seven years of service, Joseph received a mental health diagnosis and medically retired as a specialist. He moved back to his hometown in Kansas.
Though as a high schooler who never thought he would attend a university, Joseph went all in on higher education after getting out of the military. He has since earned a bachelor’s degree in English with a focus on creative writing, an associate’s degree of applied science in non-destructive testing technology and now he is getting Ph.D. in comparative world literature with a secondary specialty in linguistics, along with a certificate for teaching English to speakers of other languages. He is also a writer of nonfiction, poetry, and fiction.
Joseph began working remotely as a copy editor and writer for a podcast. When he was offered a promotion to associate producer, he had to work in the office, so he moved to Texas, where the podcast was produced. He bought his house in Greenville, Texas, in 2022. Soon after, he lost his job.
He used his savings, disability pay, and credit cards to get by. He got a job as an English teacher in late 2023 and did not receive a paycheck for a month. Whatever money he made he put toward paying off debt, including the forbearance on his house.
After moving into his home, Joseph soon learned that his HVAC was not working properly. The inspector did not catch the problem. After paying for the move, buying the house, then losing his job, he was unable to replace the unit and kept it working with some periodic repairs. In 2024, the HVAC was dead.
Estimates for new ones were far above what Joseph could pay. With paying off debt as his priority, he knew it would be years before he could save enough for a new system. As Texas summer heat loomed, Joseph worried most about his four rescue dogs, George, Walter, Molly, and Casey.
“I could deal with the heat if I had to,” he said. “I worried (the heat) would wreck the house. Houses aren’t meant to get that hot. But also, I have these four dogs, and they are all furry, and its already hot. They need some bit of respite. They do not know what is going on, they are just too hot.”
Joseph had volunteered in a veteran organization and knew nonprofits that could help, including Operation Homefront. He visited the website and applied for CFA. Generous donors to Operation Homefront enabled Joseph to fund the $8,800 needed to replace the HVAC system.
“It works great,” he said. “I would like donors to know first and foremost the money was used as it was supposed to be used. And the personnel at Operation Homefront were all absolutely fantastic. There was never a moment where I felt as if someone was looking down their nose at my situation, and I think that that’s important.”
