Home Building / Adaptation Projects in California
Odin Ayala
Branch: Army
Rank: Sergeant
Home: San Diego, CA
Army Sergeant Odin Ayala was on his third deployment when he lost both of his legs in an IED blast in Kandahar, Afghanistan on September 14, 2011. While on a search and seizure mission, he stepped on an IED resulting in the traumatic amputations of both of his legs above the knee, and the index finger on his left hand. Medically evacuated by helicopter, SGT Ayala was treated at the Craig Joint Theater Hospital in Bagram before being transported to Landstuhl, Germany.
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Jason Hallett
Branch: Marine
Rank: Lance Corporal
Home: San Diego, CA
Marine Lance Corporal Jason Hallett was one month into his first deployment when he lost both of his legs above the knees, his left arm above the elbow, and the thumb and middle finger on his left hand in an IED blast in Sangin, Afghanistan on October 23, 2010.
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David Lyon
Branch: Army
Rank: Staff Sergeant
Home: San Diego, CA area
Marine SSgt. David Lyon was on his 5th deployment when he lost both of his legs and suffered severe damage to his right arm and hand while working at a blast site in Salaam Bazaar, in the Northern Helmand Province on Afghanistan on May 17, 2010.
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Brian Jergens
Branch: Army
Rank: Sergeant
Home: Hollister, CA
Army Sergeant Brian Jergens was on his first deployment when he lost both of his legs, below the knee, suffered a severe traumatic brain injury, hearing loss, internal organ damage, a broken neck, and damage to his right elbow in an IED blast in Uruzgan Province, Afghanistan on August 7, 2011.
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Wallace Fanene
Branch: Army
Rank: Staff Sergeant
Home: Winchester, CA area
Army SSG Wallace Fanene was on his 2nd deployment in September 2007 when
he lost his right leg above the knee and his right arm below the elbow
in an IED blast in Kirkuk, Iraq.
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Travis Greene
Branch: Marine
Rank: Corporal
Home: San Diego, CA area
Marine Corporal Travis Greene was on his third deployment when he lost both of his legs in an IED blast in Ramadi, Iraq on December 7, 2005, the 64th anniversary of the attack on Pearl Harbor. While assisting with the med-evac of an injured Marine from an IED blast that hit a 7 ton truck, Cpl. Greene and his teammates were beside the vehicle with a stretcher when another bomb detonated beneath the vehicle.
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David Mayer
Branch: Army
Rank: Specialist
Home: Corona, CA
Army SPC David Mayer was on his second deployment when he lost both of his legs when the convoy he was riding in was attacked in Al-Hillah, Iraq on March 14, 2008. On route to a mission in Baghdad, SPC Mayer's vehicle was struck by an Explosively Formed Penetrator, causing SPC Mayer, to be thrown into the gunner's cage, severely injured by shrapnel. David and two other soldiers suffered serious injuries leaving each of them a bilateral amputee.
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Justin Bond
Branch: Army
Rank: Sergeant
Home: Hanford, CA
Army SGT Justin Bond was shot in both knees during an ambush in Fallujah, Iraq on September 4, 2004, causing injuries so severe that his left leg required amputation above the knee. An active Army veteran, SGT Bond re-enlisted immediately following the attacks on 9/11.
Jacque Keeslar
Branch: Army
Rank: Sergeant First Class
Home: Fallbrook, CA
While on a mission to remove a local terrorist cell in Al Anbar Province, Army SFC Jacque Keeslar was thirty days from the completion of his 12 month tour in Iraq when he was severely injured by an explosion. The IED that was detonated directly underneath his Stryker, pinned him in the vehicle’s gun station and pulverized his legs.
Wesley Leon-Barrientos
Branch: Army
Rank: Corporal
Home: Bakersfield, CA
While maneuvering around a suspected bomb, the truck which was carrying CPL Leon-Barrientos rolled over a pressure plated bomb causing an explosion to rip through the vehicle. Sitting directly behind the driver, Wesley lost his left leg and right foot in the blast and suffered severe calf injuries as well as a broken jaw. After being airlifted by a Blackhawk Chopper, CPL Leon-Barrientos fell unconscious and awoke two days later in Germany where he was stabilized for transport to Walter Reed where he remains today.
Evan Morgan
Branch: Marines
Rank: Corporal
Home: Bakersfield, CA
U.S. Marine Evan Morgan was on his second tour of duty in Iraq when a Humvee he was riding in was struck by a roadside bomb. The 23-year-old lost both legs and the sight in his right eye in the explosion.
Juan Beltran
Branch: Army
Rank: Chief Warrant Officer
Home: Pico Rivera, CA
Chief Warrant Officer Juan Beltran, a husband and father, already had a home. Severely injured in Iraq while piloting an Apache helicopter, Juan came home a quadriplegic. Trying to move around his home in a wheelchair was almost impossible. Although Juan's house had 2 bathrooms, neither was wheelchair accessible to him and we needed to remodel his master bathroom to make it ADA compliant and accessible.
News and Updates
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Home for a hero
The house in southwest Bakersfield may not have a roof yet, but it already has army Corporal Wesley Barrientos' name on it.
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Local solider having home built
Corporal Wesley Barrientos say this is a dream come true, he told 17 News he is honored to be part of the Homes for our Troops organization.
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Move to North County will bring wounded veteran full-circle
Former Big Bear resident, injured in Iraq, will receive new home courtesy of nonprofit group
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Iraq Veteran gets new home
The community and a national organization are giving back to a local Iraq war veteran by building him a new home. Monday was groundbreaking for Marine Crpl. Evan Morgan's home.
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3 Westlake Village pals want to help seriously injured vets
Three Westlake Village pals plan to walk from Mexico to Canada this summer to benefit military veterans who can't walk at all. Or see. Or hug a loved one.
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Fine Living: A home for those who fought for ours
'WHEN YOU think of Independence Day, you think of American flags being proudly unfurled," Vicki Thomas of Homes for our Troops says. She's right - American flags, picnics, fireworks and the ability to live freely.
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Veteran Injured In Bomb Blast Gets New Home
A local wounded veteran of the war in Iraq is about to get a new home.
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A time to heal
Former Marine rises from devastating injuries suffered in Iraq to follow road to recovery
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METALCON Selects Recipient of 2007 Steel Structure
U.S. Marine Corps Cpl. Evan Morgan, age 23, has been selected as the recipient of the 2007 METALCON International steel-framed home.
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ASU students give vet new home
METALCON Intl and Evan Morgan
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