From Air Force Kid to Army Veteran, Military Service Runs Deep for Liza
“I joined the military because I wanted to help others and be a part of something bigger than myself.”
WHAT MOTIVATES YOU TO GIVE BACK TO OUR MILITARY FAMILIES AND VETERANS?
Serving is reciprocal. I grew up an Air Force brat and then enlisted in the Army and served 23 years in the preventive medicine career field. I have learned that I get as much from serving as I give.
Whether in the military or as a civilian, my strength has always been my reliability and optimism.
With HR, my role with Operation Homefront is to assist staff with their work-life challenges so they can focus on the military families we serve.
I am humbled when people thank me for my service, but for me, serving is my way of helping others and giving back to my country.
As a military child, I moved around a lot, and as a soldier, I was stationed stateside and overseas. Living in so many places gave me more appreciation for a wide variety of cultures. I am grateful for all my military experience and for those who serve because I understand the sacrifices they make.
WHAT IS YOUR MESSAGE TO MILITARY FAMILIES ABOUT OPERATION HOMEFRONT?
We understand your challenges, and we are grateful for your service. Almost every person at Operation Homefront has a connection to the military.
My family faced our own challenges while serving in the military. Throughout my career, I had to deploy or complete unaccompanied tours overseas and leave my husband and son behind. We were fortunate to have my mom and my in-laws as a support system. We weren’t alone.
Not all the families we serve have that support, and Operation Homefront bridges some of the gaps with programs designed to support the whole family.
We know it’s difficult for service members to ask for help. We at Operation Homefront lean into helping the whole family with programs designed specifically for the needs of military families.
- Back-to-School Brigade® lifts burdens with one-stop shopping and free backpacks and school supplies for busy families with strained budgets. Holiday Meals for Military® and Star-Spangled Babies® Showers bring joy at times that can lack sparkle when you’re far from family.
- Our Critical Financial Assistance Program® can keep a financial hardship like a car repair from exploding into something worse like loss of a job because a veteran can’t get to work. That could spiral into deep debt or the inability to pay for food and utilities. When needs change or in emergent situations such as the federal government shutdown, we adapt quickly in response.
- Our various housing programs give families space to find their path forward as civilians, and many become homeowners because of those programs.
WHAT IS YOUR MESSAGE TO SUPPORTERS OF MILITARY FAMILIES AND OPERATION HOMEFRONT?
We are grateful for your generous support of our mission to build strong, stable, and secure military and veteran families by improving their financial, emotional, and social well-being.
Because of you, we can work every day toward our vision of having every military and veteran family strong and resilient and supported through the gratitude and generosity of the American people.