COLUMBIA, Md. — He joined the Navy to serve his country, putting his pursuit of a college degree and his family on hold, when the global pandemic began taking its toll on Austin Gilley and his wife, Sharon.
“I was out at sea and when I had made a phone call, she was telling me, ‘Things are just flying off the shelves, and it’s barren,’” said Austin.
Soon, they would learn Austin’s service would carry additional sacrifices.
“I ended up in the hospital when I was pregnant with Henry and no one could come see me in the ICU,” added Sharon.
A second child pushed the Gilley family to the brink just as Austin finished his hitch and tried to re-enter the work world.
Enter Operation Homefront—-a national nonprofit devoted to preventing homelessness amongst veterans and military families as they transition back into lives as civilians.
“We want military families …