Home At Last

It wasn't a million dollar lottery win, although it might have felt like it. There weren't any well-known celebrities followed by clowns and confetti celebrating the lucky draw of the family's name.

This “lottery” cost more than a $2 ticket, and therefore is best said as a “Thank you for your service.”

Benjamin Carter and his family are the recipients of a home through the Military Warriors Support Foundation.

The presentation of the keys to the home was made Tuesday, June 21, in Sidney, with Sidney City Mayor Roger Gallaway, Councilman Brad Sherman and City Manager David Scott in attendance.

“I want to welcome you to Sidney,” Gallaway said. “We're certainly glad to have you.”

Military Warriors works with finance companies to acquire homes that can be renovated for service men and women returning home.

After the presentation of the ceremonial “key” and the house keys, the family, city officials and representatives from Wells Fargo and Military Warriors Support Foundation toured the updated home. The spacious home has new appliances, interior painted and ready for a family to move in.

“I'm overwhelmed, hard to take in at the moment,” Benjamin Carter said during his tour of his family's new home.

The home comes through the Military Warriors “Homes4WoundedHeroes” program. The Homes4WoundedHeroes program awards mortgage-free homes to combat-wounded veterans and unmarried Gold Star spouse whose loved one was killed in action. In addition to the home, each recipient receives three years of family and financial mentoring.

Requirements to apply for the Homes4@woundedheroes program including the applicant must be a veteran wounded during combat (a Purple Heart recipient) or wounded during combat training from any American military conflict, be an unmarried Gold Star Spouse of a veteran who was killed in action or killed during combat training; 2. must be honorably retired or separated from the military or within 90 days of discharging; 3. must intend to use the home as the family's primary residence with priority given to applicants who do not currently have a mortgage.

The program has awarded more than 900 mortgage-free and gift-tax free homes and more than 130 payment free vehicles to Wounded Heroes and Gold Star families in all 50 states.

The Carters are Benjamin, his wife Julie and their daughter Irelynd. He was born in Springfield, MO., and grew up in Carney, OK. He enlisted in the U.S. Army earning the rank of Master Sergeant and the Military Job Duty Title of Armor Senior Sergeant. He served from 1997 to 2017. He enlisted because he decided he needed to make himself more disciplined.

While in the Army, he was awarded several commendations including the Purple Heart, Combat Action Badge, Bronze Star Medal with Oak Leak Cluster, Army Commendation Medal with 4 Oak Leak Clusters, Army Achievement Medal with four Oak Leaf Clusters, Iraq Campaign Medal with four Campaign Stars.

Military Warriors Support Foundation is a 501(c)(3) non-profit charity, founded by LTG. Leroy Sisco (Ret), in 2007. The organization's mission is to provide support and programs that facilitate a smooth and successful transition for our nation’s combat wounded heroes and Gold Star families.