U.S. Army Veteran Surprised with a New Mortgage-Free Pulte Home in Savannah Through PulteGroup’s Built to Honor® Program

This year, PulteGroup is celebrating a decade of delivering mortgage-free homes to wounded veterans

SAVANNAH, Ga.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Sitting down for what she thought was going to be an interview about her military service, U.S. Army Sergeant Keysia Calmese had no idea she was about to get a life-changing surprise: she will receive a brand-new, mortgage-free Pulte home through PulteGroup’s Built to Honor® program. She becomes the latest deserving veteran to receive a home through Built to Honor, which is celebrating its 10^th anniversary this year.

Sergeant Calmese, who was injured during her time of service and three deployments to Iraq and Afghanistan, is a single mother to her 11-year-old daughter, works full-time and serves as a youth ministry leader and church teacher in the community.

“Our team is honored to be able to give back to our nation’s heroes by doing what we do best: building incredible homes,” said Matt Raines, president of PulteGroup’s Coastal Carolinas division. “We are thrilled to be able to help Sergeant Calmese establish permanent roots in Richmond Hill and hope that this home provides a foundation for her and her daughter to live out their dreams.”

The Calmese family’s new home will be located in the Heartwood community by Pulte Homes in Richmond Hill. Built specifically for them, the new construction single-family two-story home will be 2,703 square feet, with 3 bedrooms, 3 bathrooms and a covered lanai. The home will be ready for the family to move in before the end of the year.

“I’m just overwhelmed with thankfulness and joy and just grateful for this opportunity, and for all the people who came together to bless me,” Sergeant Calmese said. “I’m so excited about this new adventure. I can’t wait.”

PulteGroup is building the home in partnership with Building Homes for Heroes®, a national non-profit organization devoted to bringing renewed hope and service to injured veterans. This will be the ninth home dedicated in the Coastal Carolinas region through the program.

U.S. Army Sergeant Keysia Calmese

Army Sergeant Calmese comes from a family of military members and retirees. She joined the Army in 2002 because she wanted to follow in her family's footsteps and to defend her country. After serving for 14 years, including three deployments to Iraq and Afghanistan, Sergeant Calmese was honorably discharged in January 2016 with a 100% service-connected injury rating.

During her years of service and deployments to war zones, including deployment to Baghdad in 2003 during the first stage of the Iraq War, she was involved in many combat situations that attributed to her injuries. On one of the convoys, her unit came under attack by enemy fire, and she was thrown in the 5-ton truck, which caused her to sustain major injuries to her back and knees. On that same deployment, Sergeant Calmese lost her very good friend from high school in a firefight, which resulted in her having PTSD symptoms. As a result of years of service, she has been rated as totally and permanently disabled by the Department of Veterans Affairs.

For her service, Sergeant Calmese has been awarded several military honors, including the Afghanistan Campaign Medal W/ 2 Campaign Stars, Army Commendation Medal (2nd Award), Army Achievement Medal (2 Award), Meritorious Unit Commendation, Army Good Conduct Medal (4th Award), National Defense Service Medal, Global War On Terrorism Service Medal, and Iraq Campaign Medal W/ Campaign Star.

About Built to Honor®

For the last decade, PulteGroup’s Built to Honor® program has recognized and thanked returning military personnel who have been injured during their term of service by providing mortgage-free homes to veterans and their families. Launched in 2013, the program has built and donated 76 homes, gifting more than $35 million in value, across the country. Built to Honor works in partnership with nonprofit organizations to identify veteran candidates. For more information about Built to Honor, go to builttohonor.org. Follow Built to Honor on Twitter: @BuiltToHonor and Facebook.com/BuiltToHonor.

About PulteGroup

PulteGroup, Inc. (NYSE: PHM), based in Atlanta, Georgia, is one of America’s largest homebuilding companies with operations in more than 40 markets throughout the country. Through its brand portfolio that includes Centex, Pulte Homes, Del Webb, DiVosta Homes, American West and John Wieland Homes and Neighborhoods, the company is one of the industry’s most versatile homebuilders able to meet the needs of multiple buyer groups and respond to changing consumer demand. PulteGroup’s purpose is building incredible places where people can live their dreams.

For more information about PulteGroup, Inc. and PulteGroup brands, go to pultegroup.com; pulte.com; centex.com; delwebb.com; divosta.com; jwhomes.com; and americanwesthomes.com. Follow PulteGroup, Inc. on Twitter: @PulteGroupNews.