Operation Homefront Transitional Apartment Puts Veteran in a ‘Happier Space’
Army veteran Donetta Ward was staying with her brother and sharing a room with her young daughter when she learned that Operation Homefront accepted her into their Transitional Housing – Apartments program.
“I was going through a divorce, and as a single mom transitioning, finances were a big stressor for me,” she said.
Launched in 2021, the program is the newest of Operation Homefront’s four distinct housing programs to assist military families transitioning to civilian life.
Through the program, honorably discharged veterans within four years of service live for one year in an apartment. They pay no rent or utilities and participate in financial counseling and career education to help achieve stability and chart a path to long-term post-military success. Since the program began, it has defrayed more than $400,000 in rent and utility costs.
Donnetta moved into the Frederick, Maryland, apartment in June 2024 with the goals of increasing her knowledge about personal finance, paying down debt, and saving money to gain stability for her and her daughter.
Donnetta first enlisted in the Army National Guard in 2014 and chose to go active-duty Army in 2016. She wanted a more stable paycheck and to travel. She went to Kuwait on deployment but after a few months her unit was called back early.
“My main stressor was financial. The program put me in a much happier space.” – Donnetta Ward, Army veteran
She worked as a truck driver in transport before switching to a nursing job. Donetta reached the rank of sergeant before honorably discharging in January 2024. Donetta’s last duty station was Walter Reed National Military Medical Center, and she opted to stay in the area near family and pursue her bachelor’s degree in nursing after separating.
She struggled to make ends meet after leasing an apartment. Living with her brother helped, but she and her daughter, Kylinn, needed space of their own. A fellow service member told her about Operation Homefront, and she applied.
Getting her own furnished apartment and space for her daughter, along with a financial education relieved a significant amount of stress. Having stable housing became even more important when her family experienced the devastating loss of her father, who died right after she moved into the Operation Homefront apartment.
“My main stressor was financial,” she said. “The program put me in a much happier space.”
Donnetta expects to graduate from her nursing program in December 2025. She appreciates that there is a program available to help transitioning service members.
“It was a great experience,” she said. “I know it will be very helpful for others, as well. Sometimes service members are living paycheck to paycheck. We all need help sometimes.”
Since 2022, the TH-A program has graduated 22 families and provided more than 330 months of free housing to military families.
