Air Force Veteran and Family See Housing Program as Life-Changing
Recruiters sought out Lorena Sierra in high school after she scored well on the Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery exam, better known as the ASVAB. The test had been a way to cut class for a day, though, and she had no plans to join.
A couple of years later – after completing high school in the Dallas, Texas, area and working as a cashier at a warehouse store – Lorena revisited the opportunity. She wanted a meaningful career with good benefits. In 2015 she joined the Air Force and became the first person in her family to serve in the military.
The new recruit turned 21 while in training and adapted quickly to military life. She and her boyfriend, David, got engaged after she completed technical school. They were assigned to Fort Sam Houston in San Antonio, Texas, where she worked in a dental clinic.
“It was perfect because we got married and had our son, and we were able to go back and forth to Dallas to visit family,” Lorena said. She and David have a son, Noah, who is 8, and a daughter, Noemi, who is 4.
She advanced in her career, gaining experience assisting and performing dental cleanings and eventually becoming a clinic manager.
In 2022, Lorena was assigned to a clinic in Guam. She and her family were excited for the tropical adventure, but the move felt bittersweet after seven years in San Antonio. It also caused financial strain.
The Sierras incurred costs for an extended hotel stay and rental car when they first arrived. They relied solely on Lorena’s income for two months until a K-mart store hired David.
“It was hard and humbling,” Lorena recalled. “We had no one to ask for help.”
The family enjoyed Guam’s idyllic scenery and year-round beach weather during the first year. As the months passed, though, they missed their strong support network of family and friends in Texas. They also felt the financial pinch of the remote economy where a gallon of milk cost as much as $15 off base.
After two years in Guam, Lorena made the difficult decision to return to civilian life rather than re-enlist. She earned the rank of staff sergeant and received an honorable discharge in early 2025 after nine years of service.
The Sierra family has struggled since returning home to Balch Springs, Texas, where they live with Lorena’s family.
The transition to civilian life has been more difficult than Lorena anticipated.
“I didn’t have enough time to fully process everything,” she said. “The Air Force gave me the option of getting out in 30 days or re-enlisting, but the holidays fell during those 30 days. We only had 14 days to pack up our family and move home from Guam.”
There was no time to arrange for jobs before they returned to Texas. Lorena’s family graciously took in the family of four and their dog, a miniature Yorkie named Kira. Space is tight in the small home, where they occupy two rooms. They put all their belongings in storage.
“What the donors are doing for veterans is life changing. Thank you for giving us, not just a home, but a fresh start.” – Lorena Sierra, Air Force veteran
Until recently, Lorena and David didn’t know how to answer when Noah and Noemi asked when they would have a home of their own. However, as Lorena searched for resources for her family, she found Operation Homefront and its Transitional Homes for Veterans program. A house available in McKinney, Texas, has given the family hope.
Through the THV program, veteran families who are within 10 years of discharge live rent-free for two to three years while paying down debt, building savings, becoming established in the community, and working toward civilian careers. They participate in financial counseling and homeowner-education programs to help them achieve their goals.
The McKinney home is made possible through Operation Homefront’s partnership with the Veterans Financial Service Advisory Council (VFSAC), a consortium of leaders from housing, banking, finance, and mortgage related companies that came together to support veterans and their families. It is one of 44 properties in the program, which has celebrated 45 graduating families since 2018, reflecting a savings of more than $2.2 million in rent and utility costs.
Lorena and David said being part of the THV program will relieve stress and allow them to pay down debt and become established. She is currently working at her children’s school and is eager to complete school for her dental hygiene certification. David plans to pursue a career in a technical field.
They are grateful for the opportunity.
“What the donors are doing for veterans is life-changing,” Lorena said. “Thank you for giving us not just a home but a fresh start.”
