{"id":7641,"date":"2026-03-19T13:30:00","date_gmt":"2026-03-19T13:30:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/itsveterans.com\/?p=7641"},"modified":"2026-03-19T13:30:00","modified_gmt":"2026-03-19T13:30:00","slug":"the-native-american-direct-loan-and-one-veterans-journey-to-stability","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/itsveterans.com\/?p=7641","title":{"rendered":"The Native American Direct Loan and one Veteran\u2019s journey to stability"},"content":{"rendered":"

Originally published:<\/strong> 2026-03-19T13:30:00+00:00. Historical source article: benefits, rules, amounts and deadlines may have changed. Check the official source for current information.<\/p>\n

During Women\u2019s History Month, VA proudly honors the service, strength and resilience of women Veterans. Among them is a Native American Veteran named Lakeishia, whose journey reflects perseverance, courage and the power of earned benefits.<\/p>\n

Lakeishia grew up and lived on the reservation lands of the Mississippi Band of the Choctaw Indians in east-central Mississippi before joining the Army. She completed basic combat training at Fort Leonard Wood, Mo., and advanced individual training at Fort Bliss, Texas, as a Patriot missile operator\/maintainer. Later, while stationed in Germany, she helped train soldiers from allied nations. Her role required precision, leadership and technical expertise.<\/p>\n

As a woman and Native American in uniform, Lakeishia faced significant adversity, including racism and sexism. Yet growing up within her tribal community, where she witnessed poverty and addiction, instilled a deep resilience. \u201cI live by the Native American adage, \u2018Hold on to what is good, even if it\u2019s a handful of earth,\u2019 and that helps me overcome hurdles,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n

Like many Native American Veterans, Lakeishia wanted to return home after completing her service to the land where her ancestors had lived for generations. But when she did, she faced a new battle: housing insecurity. At one point, she left her children with her mother at night while she slept in her car. Longstanding housing shortages and limited access to mortgage financing on federal trust lands only exacerbated her situation.<\/p>\n

Historically, lenders have been reluctant to finance home purchases or construction on trust land, creating barriers to homeownership for Native Americans. In a moment of desperation, Lakeishia turned to social media for guidance. A cousin, who is also a Veteran, suggested she explore the Native American Direct Loan (NADL) program<\/a>. That suggestion changed her life.<\/p>\n

After connecting with an NADL coordinator and confirming her eligibility, Lakeishia applied for a home loan<\/a> and was approved. \u201cMy NADL coordinator helped me each step of the way, from explaining the process to applying for the loan and holding my hand through closing,\u201d she said. \u201cHe used plain language, so it was easy to understand the loan and next steps.\u201d<\/p>\n

Through the NADL program, Lakeishia achieved her dream. Today, she and her family live in a home of their own. She is pursuing a degree in accounting and no longer faces the uncertainty that once forced her into homelessness. \u201cI was proud to serve and defend my country,\u201d she said. \u201cAnd now that I am home, I am happy to accept the benefits, including the Native American Direct Loan, that I earned.\u201d<\/p>\n

VA remains committed to working with tribal communities nationwide to expand awareness and participation in the NADL program. Native American Veterans can learn more about the NADL program<\/a> or attend an informational session. Tribes can access training resources online<\/a> from the VA Loan Guaranty Training website under \u201cAvailable Training \u2013 Native American Direct Loans.\u201d<\/p>\n

During Women\u2019s History Month, Lakeishia\u2019s story stands as a powerful reminder: Women Veterans not only defend our nation, they lead, endure and build lasting legacies for their families and communities.<\/p>\n

\n

Source: U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs<\/a>. Its Veterans is an independent publication and is not affiliated with or endorsed by the U.S. government.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Lakeishia, a Native American Veteran, achieved homeownership stability with the help of the Native American Direct Loan (NADL) program.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":151,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[10],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-7641","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-u-s-veterans-news"],"yoast_head":"\nThe Native American Direct Loan and one Veteran\u2019s journey to stability - Its Veterans<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Lakeishia, a Native American Veteran, achieved homeownership stability with the help of the Native American Direct Loan (NADL) program.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/itsveterans.com\/?p=7641\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"The Native American Direct Loan and one Veteran\u2019s journey to stability - 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