Operation Homefront Village Gives Airman Breathing Room
When Bria Buchanan Walker says her stay in an Operation Homefront Village allowed her to breathe easy, she knows of which she speaks. Severe asthma forced her to medically retire from the military with no plans and no place to go.
“It would have been so difficult to even think about breathing,” the retired Air Force senior airman said. “It’s already so suffocating to get out of the military on short notice and without family support. This gave me time to breathe, figure out next steps, and save money without having to worry about paying my bills.”
Those next steps now include a house she is having built in San Antonio, Texas, which the Chicago native now calls home.
A security officer, Bria had hopes of becoming an Air Force officer, but a deployment to Hawaii exacerbated her asthma to the point that she could not continue to serve.
A single mother to Kendrick, now 6, Bria originally joined the military to give him a stable and secure future.
When she suddenly found herself discharged and her father died from COVID-19, she had nowhere to turn. A previous sergeant pointed her to Operation Homefront. The Transitional Housing-Villages program provides rent-free, fully furnished apartments for service members who are transitioning out of the military.
“I just thought it was unbelievable and quite refreshing to know that there are people who care outside the military who you can lean on and will help out,” Bria said. “It cushions you a little bit to realize it’s not so scary after all to be a civilian.”
Besides living rent-free in the San Antonio Village and having appliances and utilities provided, Bria said Operation Homefront and its donors were always doing special things for the families, including a visit from Santa. She moved in in April 2021 and out at the end of March 2022.
She was able to build $10,000 in savings, reduce debt from about $346,000 to a manageable $35,800, and buy a home.
Bria is now in a pharmacy tech training program and sees a path forward. She wants Operation Homefront donors to know their generosity makes an impact.
“A lot of people get out and don’t have anyone to turn to, so the kind-hearted people out there who want to help are really appreciated,” Bria said. “We need that extra push that lets us know people care.”
