Rashaun joined
the Air Force in 2008 because he was confident that serving his country was
something he could become passionate about. During his service, Rashaun served
in Hawaii, Iraq, Turkey, Korea and Afghanistan.
Serving his
country brought Rashaun purpose, and when he left the Air Force in 2014, he
struggled to find his place in civilian life.
“When I was in
the military, everything was laid out for me. When I got out, there was no
instruction manual for how to live daily life. Without the structure I was used
to in the military, it was a hard transition,” Rashaun said.
After leaving
the Air Force, Rashaun lived in South Field, Michigan. He jumped around from
different shelters as he found himself living on the streets. He remained
homeless and unemployed for a year, despite his consistent efforts to get back
on his feet and find a job.
“Employment
was the biggest barrier I faced,” Rashaun said. “I thought I would be able to
get a job after leaving the military, but it was much harder than I expected.”
Rashaun found
HVAF when researching organizations that assist veterans. He moved to
Indianapolis and entered the HVAF program last April, at which point he was
connected with Case Manager, Kascha
Koelling. At HVAF, Rashaun was
provided with temporary housing at the Jackson property and he exhibited
dedication and commitment within his job search.
“I went to
every job fair and took every opportunity that HVAF gave me during my search
for employment, and I was able to get a job after 1 month,” he said.
Because of his
determination and hard work, Rashaun has been working as a full-time security
guard at Securitas for the past month. He enjoys the structure of his duties on
the job because it reminds him of his past work in the military. He is thankful
for his job that is keeping him
busy, and he is currently working with HVAF staff to find permanent housing.
“Rashaun continues to remain focused on
improving his life and becoming stable after all of the hardships he has
endured,” says HVAF Case Manager Kascha Koelling. “He has lost a lot after
coming home from his deployment, so he hopes to rebuild his life and make it
better.”
