“I wanted to make my God, myself, my mother and my grandmother proud,” veteran Claudia Lane said. “Joining the Army was a great way to make that happen.”
Lane, 38, enlisted in 2005 and served for eight years. Throughout her career, she was stationed in Washington and Texas and was deployed to Iraq.
“Deployment was really hard on my body,” Lane said. “Because of the rocky terrain, I deal with chronic ankle instability. And because of the heavy training, I developed sciatica.”
Lane, who has an 11-year-old daughter, Carmen, was also diagnosed with Post Traumatic Stress (PTS) and is unable to work because of it. Lane’s two emotional support dogs, Chloe and Bentley, help her with daily tasks. She also meets with a case worker at The Warrior Alliance, who suggested that Lane apply for assistance through the VFW’s Unmet Needs program.
“The grant came right on time and covered my electric bill,” Lane said. “The support meant everything and was literally the difference between us going with or without daily essentials like electricity. Without it, I couldn’t make dinner. My child couldn’t finish her homework. We’re extremely thankful.”
Lane hopes those in a position to do so will donate to the VFW and help another veteran in need.
“You have no idea how much of an impact you will make,” she said. “We will never forget this — how it changed a bad situation to a good one.”
Learn more about the VFW’s Unmet Needs program.