Althea Raiford joined the Navy during Operation Desert Shield. Over a 20 year military career, Althea was deployed as a Navy Seabee to Kuwait and Iraq, where she maintained security for base camps and was a convoy commander.
Along with her brother Matthew (Army), Althea inherited family land in coastal Georgia, making the siblings the sixth generation of African-American farmers to farm the land. Through the Farmer Veteran Fellowship Fund Althea was awarded with a Bob Woodruff Farming Fellowship.
With her grant, Althea was able to purchase a hoop house and trees for her orchard. These purchases have enabled the siblings to grow their farm and create a foundation for future Raiford farmers.
