The Mighty Military Spouse

As we just celebrated the mother of all American holidays, I can’t help but feel a sense of pride in being a military spouse, especially an Army one! My pride in this fact does not always manifest itself in an over-the-top “We can do it” mantra (but in all honesty, I have flexed my bicep during a few solo PCS moves and deployments). I don’t always feel like a mighty military spouse.

Lately, that pride I feel comes from getting to know my fellow spouses and their unassuming strength and courage. It comes from seeing their sacrifice and service and the way they handle things with grace and with grit.

Whether you have three or 30 years under your belt as a military spouse, I hope you’ve found the following two things to be true in your own personal experience:

  1. This life we live comes with unique challenges and rewards.
  2. The people on the journey with us are inspiring.

If you find yourself agreeing with these truths, then please read on… for you’re among the Cadre of Mighty Military Spouses!

Who Exactly is a Mighty Military Spouse?

All of us! We come from all walks of life but we share one important thing: we love and are committed to a member of the U.S. military. You could run a small country with the underused talent of military spouses. We’re doctors, nurses, teachers, lawyers, health and fitness professionals, writers, journalists, business consultants, counselors, small business owners, stay-at-home parents, social workers, as well as former service members and leaders.

I had an incredible opportunity this past year to work on a project that celebrates the unique role of the military spouse. Each year, a group of volunteer U.S. Army War College student spouses creates a useful reference promoting self-reliance as well as enhancing individual and family well-being.

This year’s project, titled The Mighty Military Spouse, draws on personal experience and countless hours of detailed research. We developed a series of videos and a complementary Resource Guide that military spouses can use to educate themselves and others as well as mentor, coach, and advise military spouses and families in their communities.

Topics covered include self-care strategies, dealing with PCS moves and crises, guiding teenagers through multiple moves while applying for college, developing and maintaining friendships, and leaving a lasting legacy.

The materials listed below have come a long way from our initial brainstorming meeting back in August 2017. Putting 40 Mighty Military Spouses in one room created enough energy to warrant a hurricane naming from the National Weather Service!

With so many resources available to our modern military community, we wanted to create something personal, accessible, and applicable to a wide range of Mighty Military Spouses. Simply put, we wanted to give our community a starting point for discussing ideas and finding ways to support each other.

Because we are all mighty in our own way and our lifestyle is not for the faint of heart.

 

The videos and an electronic version of the Resource Guide are available on the US Army War College Military Family Programs site. Each topic is a stand-alone opportunity to gain knowledge and insight from some seasoned spouses and what they have experienced.

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Kathleen Palmer

Kathleen Palmer

Kathleen is an educator and project seeker from Texas. In her 25 years as an Army wife, Kathleen has taught and coached in six different states and Germany. Kathleen has a big heart for both Army families and soldiers having served as a Soldier for Life counselor in both Germany and Korea. Her favorite part of Army life is her acquired community of battle buddies! Kathleen loves words (both speaking and writing them) and has contributed to AWN, NMFA, The Fort Hood Sentinel, The Army Spouse Handbook, Inside Abu Ghraib, Memoirs of Two US Military Intelligence Officers, and The Army War College at Carlisle. Her favorite writing piece about being an Army wife is “The Lady in the Grey Suit” that was published in 2015 in Proud to Be: Writing by American Warriors (Vol.3). You can find her on Instagram, Facebook, or on her website, https://www.lifeismessylovebig.com Just like Kathleen, the site is a WORK in Progress!

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