Matthew Hunter is working hard to get his life back on track. After returning from Iraq in January of 2008, the former 1st Cavalry Division soldier stationed at Fort Hood, Texas, began showing signs of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). He was drinking too much. He couldn’t handle going to a crowded place, like a grocery store or a restaurant. He wasn’t finding any joy in being home with his wife and daughters.
Things were not going well, and Christina Hunter was worried about her husband as well as the future of the family. The problems got so bad that he entered a 30-day treatment program for PTSD and alcoholism in Denton, Texas, paid for by the Army.
“After he got out, money was tight, so we moved to Rivera, Texas, with my family,” she said.
Christina began looking for work because her husband was still dealing with his issues. He was sleeping all day. He never wanted to talk about his time in Iraq. He couldn’t bring himself to look for a job. The living situation was less than ideal, with 10 people living in a small, two-bedroom house. The nearest VA Center was in Corpus Christi, a round-trip of 120 miles. The VA counselor there referred the Hunter family to the Operation Homefront-Texas in San Antonio.
“At first, I approached OH to help with the bills, but then I found out about all the other things they had for families like us,” Christina said.
Nancy Scull, the director of client services at Operation Homefront-Texas, helped the Hunter family.
“We started with the case on July 7, and funds totaling nearly $1,600 were given to the family on the 14th of July,” she said. “They needed help with their car payments, auto insurance and their cell phone bill.”
This past July, the Hunters moved from Rivera to Operation Homefront Village-San Antonio. OH Village enables families to live together for free near Brook Army Medical Center, where many residents undergo treatment for physical and psychological issues. In addition to furnished, rent-free lodging, OH Village offers a host of free services to help families transition out of the military and into civilian life.
Matthew now sees a psychologist and attends a weekly men’s support group. Christina is actively looking for a job and getting the girls, now 5, 2 and 10 months, settled into a new routine.
“We can live here six months for free, and it is really helping us get back on our feet,” she said. “We meet with a financial counselor every Monday. The medical care is right here for my husband.”
Best of all, the couple has space to rebuild their lives.
“We have a two-bedroom apartment, so we all have a little more room than we had at my parents' house,” she said.
The Hunters know the road ahead is not an easy one, but Operation Homefront has helped them make a fresh start. Matthew is feeling more like his old self and is doing some volunteer carpentry work in OH Village. He hopes to pursue a carpentry career.
“Everyone has been so willing to help us, and it has been such a blessing to me and my family,” Christina said. “I tell people all the time to donate to OH. You want everyone to be able to have the same opportunities that we were afforded here. It has been the best thing that has ever happened to us.”