New HVAC System a Lifesaver for Army Veteran
Army veteran Walter Hansen thought the IED blast he survived in 2013 while deployed in Iraq would be the worst he experienced while serving his country.
But in 2018 a routine transport turned almost deadly when he was stranded in the Afghanistan desert to fight for survival with no food and little water for seven days.
A communication mistake during a transfer between bases while he served with a small special operation unit resulted in the group being left.
Walter has Stage 3 kidney disease because of the dehydration he and his fellow soldiers suffered. The injuries compounded and took their toll.
“The writing was on the wall,” Walter said. “I’m 57, and keeping up with the younger (soldiers) was too much effort.”
“It was lifesaving. I’m blessed by the donors’ generosity and can’t say thank you enough.” – Walter Hansen, Army veteran
He medically retired as a lieutenant colonel in February 2024.
Walter and his wife of 24 years, Angelica Garcia-Cortes, moved back to his hometown of Dickson, Tennessee, to be closer to his parents and for the mild climate.
Because he lives with chronic kidney disease and diabetes, hot climates are dangerous for him. Walter and Angelica moved into a house in Dickson. Along with their adult son, they have a daughter, who is a senior in high school. A third child, Samantha, died eight years ago. She would have been 22.
Though Walter is fluent in four languages and has a master’s degree in linguistics and a bachelor’s degree in foreign languages, he is unable to work because of his injuries. The family lives on his disability pay and Angela’s income.
In June, they were hit with the unexpected cost of home repairs when their HVAC system stopped working. It was the hottest month their region had experienced since Walter lived there. The temperature inside the house was getting into the high 90s, causing Walter to worry more about his wife and daughter than his own health.
“It was just breaking my heart to see them sweating and suffering in the house,” he said.
The estimates to fix the system were beyond what the family could accommodate.
Walter was considering applying for a loan when another veteran told him about Operation Homefront’s Critical Financial Assistance Program® (CFA).
Generous donors to the CFA program enabled Walter to fund the more than $7,000 needed to replace his home’s HVAC system.
“It was lifesaving,” Walter said. “I’m blessed by the donors’ generosity and can’t say thank you enough. Just an amazing thing they are doing for all veterans.”
He added that because he is a heat casualty – the term the Army uses to describe heat-related illnesses – he is susceptible to heat injuries and needs to stay in a controlled environment.
Walter is the third of four generations on his paternal side who have served in the military. His grandfather was killed in action in WWII. His father served four tours in Vietnam. Walter joined the Army Reserve, and his son served in the Army.
During Walter’s 32 years of service, 18 were active duty. He served in Desert Storm, again in Iraq, Afghanistan, Korea, the Pentagon, and Syria.
Since 2011, Operation Homefront has provided more than $41 million through its Critical Financial Assistance program to help military families stay strong, stable, and secure.
