Do you ever feel like a supporting character in this milspouse life? One of the many life lessons contained in the book, The Astronaut’s Wife, is that you are essential to the mission’s success. Embrace the fact that you are not a side story and jump in with both feet.

First things first – stop trying to do it all by yourself. You have to build your community and that means putting yourself out there and being vulnerable. Find people who you can be your authentic self around. What you are doing is important, even if you don’t get paid for it or society minimizes it.

This is the story of the astronaut’s wife—a journey full of unexpected twists and turns. While the love of her life orbited the Earth, Stacey embarked on a knock-your-socks-off adventure right here at home. Containing behind-the-scenes glimpses into a side of space flight that most of us will never experience, The Astronaut’s Wife is a funny, poignant, and meaningful exploration of living life to the fullest—no matter where you roam.

Stacey Morgan is always ready with a funny or thoughtful story from her own life. Whether it be holding down the home front during Special Forces military deployments, working for the Smithsonian, skydiving, teaching her teens to drive, taking roller-skating lessons, or blasting her husband into outer space. A women’s ministry leader for over fifteen years, Stacey is an executive leadership coach for MOPS International, a nonprofit focused on the unique needs of mothers around the world. She and her husband have four children.

Listeners, if you would like to check out more about Stacey Morgan, check out her website here, or connect with her on social media via Instagram. If you would like to learn more about Bloom, check out their website here, or connect with them on social media via Facebook, Instagram, or Twitter.

Resource Recon with Annie and Sarah R.

This week’s Resource Recon is brought to you from our ever-empowering, Band of Bloggers! Today’s featured post is written by Amanda Krieger, entitled: 3 Challenges of Reintegration (And 3 Possible Solutions).

I’ve been writing about deployment and reintegration a lot. It’s my life right now, and it’s harder than I anticipated. I thought it would be magically easy, since my husband and I had some key conversations to prepare us for the changes that occurred for all of us while he was gone.

I was wrong. (I originally entitled this post, ‘Reintegration is For The Birds,’ if that gives you insight into how wrong I was.)

But why? Why is it still so challenging, even though we did our best to plan our hopes and expectations?

Well, it’s simply because we changed our minds!

Empowerment Patrol Report with Amanda B.

Today we are showcasing Army Wife Network’s Everyday Empowerment recipient, Erin Byal. Here is a little about Erin:

My name is Erin Byal, aka “The Short Wife” and I am a blogger and content creator. I’ve been married to my marine husband for 6 years. We currently live in New Bern, North Carolina with our 2 golden retrievers, Kylo and Abby. We got married in Lincoln, Nebraska and soon after PCS’d for the first time to Quantico, Virginia. Since starting this journey of military life we’ve lived in Virginia, Pensacola, Florida, San Diego, California, and now North Carolina.

Being a military spouse has really formed so much of who I am.

You are worth celebrating. For this week’s Milspouse Empowerment Moment, Sharita reminds milspouses everywhere about the importance of milspouse celebrations. As milspouses, we are really good at celebrating our soldiers, but don’t forget to celebrate yourself or other milspouses. Sharita gives us tips on how to do this.

To hear Sharita discuss some ways to celebrate yourself or others, watch the Facebook video click here – or listen below.

This podcast has a giveaway! For a chance to win a free copy of the book Milspouse Strength, simply comment on this podcast or any social media post sharing this podcast. We will randomly choose a winner one week from when this podcast airs.

Have you ever wondered if you are the only one that is stressed out by this military spouse life? Within a month of changing from solider and military spouse to military spouse, Dr. Kendra Lowe experience a host of challenges to include loneliness, underemployment, stress, and more. This is what motivated her to study how significant the levels of stress are for military spouses.

Dr. Kendra Lowe found out that 1 in 4 military spouses at any given time are experiencing clinical levels of stress. And stress does not discriminate between seasoned spouses vs new spouses, spouses with soldiers that were deployed vs at home, etc. We are all vulnerable to stress.

And sometimes our coping mechanisms don’t work at new duty stations. You have to fill your toolbox as much as you can in order to find something that works at this time and this place. Don’t be afraid to put yourself first, you’re critical to the mission. So let’s work towards grounding ourselves, validating our stress, but also taking actions to take care of ourselves.

As a veteran, military spouse, and trained psychologist, Dr. Kendra Lowe’s goal is to help military families understand the impact of both positive and negative stress, healthy ways to respond to stressful situations, and ultimately how to transform stress into strength. She has an in-depth understanding of military communities with 6 years active duty service and 20 years as military spouse in the Special Operations Community. Dr. Kendra Lowe helps individuals break down individual stresses that weigh on their mind so they can feel in control of their life right now and develop the skills to change the way you see and respond to military life stress. And she is the author of the book – Military Strength: Changing the Way You See and Respond to Military Life Stress.

Listeners, if you would like to learn more about Dr. Kendra Lowe, check out her website here or connect with her on social media via Facebook or Instagram. Also, if you want to email Dr. Kendra Lowe, you can email her at [email protected]. You can also order Dr. Kendra Lowe’s book Military Strength: Changing the Way You See and Respond to Military Life Stress here.

Empowerment Patrol Report with Amanda B.

Today we are showcasing one of our volunteers who is an MRE winner, which by the way, that stands for Motivated and Ready to Empower. A huge congratulations to Army Wife Network Command Team Member, our Special Products Coordinator, Brooklyn Morgan.

Brooklyn is a Reading Interventionist for Kindergarten through 2nd grade, mom of two (soon to be three!), and wife of 13 years to her high-school sweetheart. She earned a BS in Early Childhood Education, MSE in Educational Leadership, an ESL and Dyslexia endorsement, and is currently working on her doctorate of education with an emphasis on educational leadership, technology, and autism.

Her husband joined the military later in life. Currently, he is a pharmacist in their hometown of Conway, Arkansas. When he was 31, he was sworn into the Army National Guard and shipped off to Basic Training in 2020. After BCT, he took some time to help his pharmacy with the COVID-19 pandemic, then left in the winter to complete the Accelerated Officer Candidate School in Alabama. He commissioned in April of 2021.

Brook loves Jesus, being a mom, cuddling her dog,

One little word can change a lot. For this week’s Milspouse Empowerment Moment, Chrissy explains why it is important to say yes – to different adventures, simple things, and more. Fear can creep in and stop us from saying yes. Chrissy reminds us to find the happiness and the power of yes.

To hear Chrissy discuss some of the possibilities that yes can bring you, watch the Facebook video click here – or listen below.

Military teens face many obstacles that include making friends, moving often, and enduring parental deployments. But perhaps the biggest challenge is the consequences of these obstacles and trying to maintain your mental health. There is a big community and support for military spouses and young military children, but there is a gap in the support when it comes to the military teen. Bloom saw this gap and set out on a mission of empowering the military teen.

Bloom has teamed up with the National Military Family Association (NMFA) to make sure military teens know that they’re not the only ones having these problems. As a part of this partnership, these organizations saw how ill-prepared people were who actually deal with military teens. So they created a field guide to explain how best to support military teens because intentional educated support is what they need.

The NMFA, the leading nonprofit in the United States dedicated to serving families who stand behind the uniform, and Bloom: Empowering the Military Teen, an organization run by and for military teens have teamed up to shine a light on the military teen experience and provide critical insight into some of the challenges and resources needed to ensure the force of the future feels the support they need to succeed.

Besa Pinchotti, Executive Director of NMFA, is an award-winning journalist and marketer whose passion for our military began during her time as a reporter and television news anchor. From Jacksonville, North Carolina to Kosovo, her assignments opened her eyes to the post-9/11 military experience, and its cycles of deployment, redeployment, and constant transition. During Besa’s time covering Camp Lejeune, she met a guy named Dave, whom she decided to marry despite warnings to “never marry a Marine.” Now 15+ years later, they live on Capitol Hill with their 3 kids.

Catherine Mader is a senior at Howell High School, stationed at Detroit Arsenal. In true Army brat style, she’s lived at Fort Riley, Fort Gordon, Fort Huachuca, Peterson AFB, Camp Arifjan, NCI the Hague, S.H.A.P.E., and Camp Humphreys. Catherine is Bloom’s Director of Human Resources and Administration, and Editor.

Listeners, if you would like to check out more about National Military Family Association, check out their website here, or connect with them on social media via Facebook, Instagram, or Twitter. If you would like to learn more about Bloom, check out their website here, or connect with them on social media via Facebook, Instagram, or Twitter.

Empowerment Patrol Report with Amanda B.

Today we are showcasing our AWN Empowers, Operation Gratitude, which was nominated as an organization for helping military spouses and families.

In March of 2003, Operation Gratitude sent its first four care packages to deployed service members in Iraq. Since its inception, the organization has provided opportunities for thousands of Americans to express their gratitude through hands-on volunteerism, in turn lifting the spirits of those who raise their hands to serve. Volunteers of Operation Gratitude are a generous group of grateful Americans who want to say “Thank You” to all who serve our great nation. Its mission is to Honor the service of our Military and First Responders by creating opportunities to express gratitude.

Thank you so much to Operation Gratitude for doing your part to empower military families around the globe.

Encouragement Minute with Juanda

There will be times in your life,

One of the most empowering aspects of this milspouse life is the opportunity to volunteer (And we know that first hand here at Army Wife Network as we are ALL volunteer powered!). Join Sarah R. for this week’s Milspouse Empowerment Moment as she shares all about the value of volunteering. From filling those pesky “gaps” on a resume and honing skills to contributing to something greater than oneself, the benefits of volunteering go well beyond the paycheck mentality. Join us today as AWN Communications Liaison, Sarah Robichaud shares her personal take on “The Value of Volunteering.”

Thank you to today’s sponsor, First Command Financial Services. With four out of five financial coaches coming from the ranks of military spouses or veterans, they’re uniquely qualified to help you pursue financial security. Visit www.firstcommand.com to learn more and find a financial coach near you.

For tips from Sarah on how to be your own advocate, watch the Facebook video click here – or listen below.

Do you have young kids? Are you not sure of how to talk with them about the challenges of this military life? Don’t worry, because Sesame Street for Military Families is here for you.

There is no such thing as a professional parent or a professional military spouse. Even if you have just read about how to handle a toddler meltdown, it can be easy to forget when you are face to face with a screaming toddler. But Sesame Street for Military Families wants you to know that no matter what you are going through, you are not alone.

Sesame Street for Military Families is a free, bilingual website where families can find information and multimedia resources on the topics of military deployments, multiple deployments, homecomings, injuries, grief, and self-expression. The program is now 15 years old and the goal hasn’t changed: to support our military families with young children ages 2-5 through all the milestones of their life. 

Tara Wright serves as Senior Content Manager in the U.S. Social Impact department at Sesame Workshop, the non-profit educational organization behind the beloved children’s show, Sesame Street. In her work at Sesame, Tara creates content for SesameStreetInCommunities.org and SesameStreetforMilitaryFamilies.org, with the goal to help kids, families, and the providers who serve them grow smarter, stronger, and kinder. Tara is a graduate of the University of Oklahoma, a Marine Corps wife, and mama to two young boys.

Listeners, if you would like to check out more about Sesame Street for Military Families, check out their website here, or connect with them on social media via Facebook. If you would like to contact someone from Sesame Street for Military Families, you can email them at [email protected].

News 6 with Jolene

Here is this week’s News 6 mashup of stories for the week of April 11, 2022, straight from AWN News 6 Correspondent, Jolene McNutt:

A Novel Diagnostic Tool in the Works for Helping to Detect Suicidal Ideation

In the past 20 years, 30,000 active duty service members committed suicide. The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) is hoping to test a novel approach to preventing suicide. The diagnostic tool is referred to as NEAT, or Neural Evidence Aggregation Tool, reported Federal News Network. Tom Temin of Federal News Network interviewed Dr. Greg Witkop to explain what NEAT is and how it may be helpful.

Celebrate Month of the Military Child!

April is Month of the Military Child and it is in full swing. When I think about military children, I immediately think of the 1.6 million military children that range from infants to teens. But what happens when those kids grow up?

Free Online Learning Platform for Military Spouses

Military spouses can access free online courses on learning platform Udemy through June 29, 2022. Courses are on-demand and flexible and will help you enhance your current skills, learn new skills and stay up to date on industry trends.

You can check out more of this week’s top stories here.

Resource Recon with Sarah R. and Amanda K.

This week’s Resource Recon is all about our latest Social Media Scoop. Each month,

April is the month of the military child and that allows us to pay tribute to the resiliency of our military children. This month brings awareness to some things military children deal with mentally and to show our appreciation for what they do. So for this week’s Milspouse Empowerment Moment, Amber will give you some things you can do during this month to celebrate military children. She also shares resources for virtual events for military children.

To hear all of Amber’s resources and ways to celebrate military children, watch the Facebook video by clicking here – or listen below.

Have you ever made plans that you had to change because of the military? Ever had to change careers after a move to a new duty station? That’s exactly what happened to Brunella Costagliola. What she once saw as an obstacle, in fact, turned out to be a trampoline that eventually led her to create MilKid MailKits.

When the pandemic hit and Brunella and her family had just moved, she noticed how lonely her children were. How do you make friends in a new place when you are stuck indoors? Brunella remembered being in a pen pal program when she was younger. That’s when she created Milkid Mailkits to help kids have a sense of belonging.

MilKid MailKits’ unique stationery is expertly crafted by world-renowned creator and longtime Disney theme park designer and illustrator, Valerio Mazzoli. Characterized by the military child symbol par excellence—the dandelion—every illustration captures the adventurous spirit, inspiring diversity, and barrier-breaking horizons of military life. A personalized pen pal list ensures children engage with like-hearted and like-minded peers, offering each other support, exclusive insight into a potential duty station, and countless fun activities that will keep them away from screens and practice the art of handwriting without even noticing! 

Brunella Costagliola is an AFI MSOY alumna, an award-winning author and bestselling editor, and President of The Military Editor® Agency, LLC. Her writing and editing agency caters exclusively to military authors and military-related manuscripts. She is the proud mother of her two children, person to three dogs, and a wife to a now-retired 100% service-related disabled Air Force veteran.

Listeners, if you would like to check out more about MilKid MailKits, check out their website here, or connect with them on social media via Facebook, or Instagram.

Resource Recon with Chrissy & Katelynn

This week’s Resource Recon is brought to you from our ever-empowering, Band of Bloggers! The blog is titled “The Helper” from our Band of Bloggers newest member, Justine Kaneris. She writes:

“Would you like to be my friend?

Is it just me or does meeting new military spouse friends feel like a personal job interview? (This is the same for me, when “dating” new mom friends.) Having been supporting my husband in his active-duty Army service for more than 16 years, I’ve made many amazing friends within each duty station we’ve visited. Often, I wish that each of the important relationships that have shaped my husband and my life thus far could all move to our little cul-de-sac here in Clarksville, Tennessee. That way, we can all live happily ever after, starting right where we left off and never needing to start over, ever again.”

She goes on to discuss how she has adapted to military life, using her personality traits as an advantage, and how she’s looking forward to sharing her experiences to help others that may be struggling to find their purpose in the shadow of the uniform of achievements and honors.

Empowerment Patrol Report with Amanda B.

Today we are showcasing our Everyday Empowerment Recipient, Kayla Parkinson, who was nominated for empowering other milspouses.

Kayla has been with her husband for almost 10 years and married for over 8 years. He has been in the Air Force for all but 6 months of those years. She has worked since she was 17 and has been in Business administration/management for over 8 years, but always felt like she was being called to something more. Kayla says she related so much to women around her at different stages in life, who were struggling with body image, mindset,

For this week’s Milspouse Empowerment Moment, Amanda B. is sharing her tips for how to master milspouse motherhood. After recently becoming a stay-at-home mom to her two kids, Amanda is learning to embrace the chaos. Amanda helps to remind fellow milspouse mothers to not give into mom guilt.

For tips from Amanda B. on how to master milspouse motherhood, watch the Facebook video click here – or listen below.