The Power of the Military Spouse Tribe

By Robin Kelleher, President and CEO of Hope For The Warriors

 

Seth Godin once said: “A group needs two things to be a tribe: a shared interest and a way to communicate.”

Which makes the United States military family perhaps the largest, most caring, and most diverse tribe in the world, particularly military spouses. Sure, the military may drop you hundreds or even thousands of miles away from your home and family, but they do a really great job of surrounding you with a new one.

This large, extended military family is your tribe, and I encourage you to love them fiercely. And
understand, they will love you back.

Thanks to my military spouse tribe, this year Hope For The Warriors, the organization I co-founded along their side has reached a milestone: on Sept. 11, we recognized 14 years of dedicated service to service women and men, veterans, Gold Star families, and military families. The anniversary gave me a chance to reflect not only on the impact we have, but the friendships I forged when we moved to Camp Lejeune in 2002. That’s where my journey began as my husband had his first of three deployments to Iraq.

Less than a year later, tragedy struck my tribe at Camp Lejeune. My best friend’s husband and my husband’s best friend was severely wounded in Iraq. It was in that moment and the weeks and months later that my tribe and I, who were supporting each other through the deployments, challenged ourselves to address the unmet needs of our military families.

In 2005, around my kitchen table, we drafted the vision of Hope For The Warriors. 

Today, Hope For The Warriors operates across the United States and is 59 team-members strong. Our staff is 63% veterans and military spouses. We have maintained a culture of family and purpose above recognition by being dedicated to restoring a sense of self, family, and hope for veterans, service members, and military families. Our committed staff focuses on the well-being of the entire family. We are boots on the ground directly addressing the ever growing and changing needs of the military family. 

What started as a Run For The Warriors race then snowballed into military spouse support groups, military spouse scholarships, and Warrior’s Wish has turned into sustainable programs that offer life-changing opportunities for the warrior community. 

Over the last 15 years, Hope For The Warriors has served more than 33,500 military families across the nation and world with a variety of programs focused on clinical health and wellness, sports and recreation, and transition. Hope For The Warriors has awarded 150 scholarships to military spouses and caregivers and more than a million dollars in Warrior’s Wishes. 

I believe our work is even more important today as we address the effects of COVID-19 on the military community. We are a nimble organization and have quickly altered some programs during this difficult time without missing a beat. Working remotely, we are providing numerous virtual services, most importantly, addressing mental health needs created by isolation and fear.

With 15 tough years in the rear-view mirror and the uncertainty of our world, I encourage you to celebrate and lean into your military spouse tribe. I can guarantee your life will be changed and your friendship will be empowering to those around you. Together, you are a force to be reckoned with when it comes to raising a family, pursuing important careers, and making an impact in the world because you are strong, resourceful, and most importantly, resilient. 

 

Robin Kelleher Bio: 

Robin Kelleher currently serves as President and CEO of Hope For The Warriors®, the organization she co-founded in 2006. Robin’s entrepreneurship, leadership, and passion has led this highly successful once-grassroots effort to national heights, significantly impacting the wounded and fallen communities. 

Robin is responsible for developing and implementing the strategic direction of the organization, providing budgetary and mission-focused guidance to the growing staff of Hope For The Warriors®. She works directly with the board of directors and plays a key role in developing the board, ensuring the future of the organization. She maintains complete oversight of all operations.

Robin is a member of the Washington Board of Trade and the Forbes Executive Nonprofit Council, and she sits on the Military Family and Veterans Service Organizations of America (MFVSOA) Board of Directors and on the Advisory Council of Blue Star Families. 

Robin has worked extensively with military families, caring for family units during multiple deployments as the wife of a Marine. Additionally, her experiences as the daughter and granddaughter of United States soldiers (dating back to World War II) have given her a unique insight into the needs of our service members and their families. This perspective has allowed Robin to develop key programs specifically designed to restore the family unit.

Previously, Robin founded and operated two successful for-profit businesses and one nonprofit organization. She holds a bachelor’s degree in business and economics from Randolph Macon College and successfully completed the Executive Leadership course at Duke University in 2012. Robin resides in Northern Virginia with her family.