Presented by: Tara Crooks & Starlett Henderson

Tara Crooks

Spouse of a US Army Active Duty service member 15 years Stationed in Denton, TX (FEMA Region 6) Springfield, MO Army posts

– Fort Sill, OK– Fort Hood, TX– Korea (unaccompanied)– Fort Stewart, GA

Tara Crooks

MAJ Kevin Crooks Daughter, Wrena (12) Daughter, Chloe (6) 3 Deployments – 1 Afghanistan and 2 Iraq Passion – Empowering military families Hobbies – decorating, crafting, gardening Concerns – stability/deployment, children, strong marriage Celebrations – strong family, strong marriage, happy home

Starlett Henderson

US Army Veteran (Active and Reserve components) Spouse of a GA Army National Guard member 18 years Stationed in Falls Church, VA (Nat’l Guard Readiness Ctr.) Calumet, MI Army posts

– Fort McCoy, WI– Fort Lewis, WA– Fort Huachuca, AZ– Fort Stewart, GA – Fort Leonard Wood, MO

Starlett “Star” Henderson

MAJ David Henderson Son, Thomas (17)  Daughter, Tara (9) 5 deployments – 1 Afghanistan, 2 Iraq, and 2 Bosnia Passion – Empowering military families Hobbies – church, motorcycle riding, reading Concerns – finances, military children, nation's future Celebrations – strong marriage, home-business, higher-ed

Crooks & Henderson

Co-Founders www.ArmyWifeNetwork.com – Army Wife Talk Radio

Live (and on demand) 90 minute internet radio program

– Field Exercise™ conferences

– Field Problems™ Q&A column

– Loving A Soldier Blog www.LovingASoldier.com

– Expert Columns & Resource Database

– Co-Authors of 1001 Things to Love about Military Life

– Social Media AWN App, Toolbar, Twitter, Pinterest, YouTube Facebook fan base of nearly 60,000+

Diversity Of The Military Spouse

Family Status– 56.6% of the Active Duty force is married. – 93.1% of Active Duty Spouses are females. – 42.7% have been married for less than 4 years and 70.8% for less than 10

years

Age Range – 73.2% of Active Duty Spouses are 35 years of age or younger. – Civilian spouses are, on average, 31 years old.

Family Background– 31.7% of spouses are very satisfied and 53.6% are more or less satisfied

with the way things are going personally.

And then there is home state, education, income, ethnicity…

Sources: 2011 Demographics: Profile of the Military Community and : 2010 Survey of Army Families VI

Source: 2009 Quadrennial QOL Review, MOS

Common Ground

Being an extension of the military, we are involved too. We lead our civilian lives; we also lead extensions of our Soldier's lives.

We learn about the military. We read about it, speak of it, and maybe even dream about it. We know what all of the acronyms mean, and we don't even have to think twice when confronted with military time.

We find ourselves swelling with pride every time we hear the National Anthem. Every time we see a uniform, our hearts yearn for our own Soldier, and our prayers extend to whoever is loving this one.

Concerns of a Military Family

Concerns of A Military Family–“Age of Overwhelmedness”–Loneliness–Depression–Understanding–Children–Finances–Time–Marriage

From a Military Family…

On loneliness…– We were probably a sad sight to the other passengers peering out their

windows … the three of us standing there on the platform crying as the train tortuously pulled away.

On staying connected…– The biggest challenge is working out where to get services and staying

connected when you need something. On marriage difficulties…

– I never imagined I would end up not having more children with this man, contemplating divorce and facing a reality of divided custody with our son.

On deployment …– I feel like I have been spinning my wheels trying to get us all ready for this

huge life change, and I feel alone in my thoughts…

Celebrations of a Military Family

Celebrations of a Military Family–Pride–Strong Marriages–Family–Structure–Stability–Security–Adventure–Friendships

From a Military Family…

On family…– Sure, I worry about deployment and separation but kids are resilient and

she is learning how families can stay connected and love each other despite their location.

– The challenges, handled with the right attitude, have taught us self-reliance but also cooperation in order to get the job(s) done.

On deployment…– It’s made us a stronger “unit” because we force ourselves to communicate

despite the separation.

On friendship…– In the military, friends are our chosen family.

On pride…– And pride? There is nothing, nothing on earth, like knowing that your family

is fighting for what the flag stands for, all wrapped up in Red, White, and Blue.

To Whom do Families Reach Out?

Family Readiness Systems Service members Other spouses Official Command Media

Michele Bush Kimball, Ph.D., "Communication about military issues among military spouses."

Where to Get and Stay Connected

Military Spouse Central Military One Source Military Spouse Magazine Operation Homefront Faith Deployed National Military Family Association Army Family & MWR Programs Blue Star Families Army One Source Military.com’s Spouse Buzz

All of these reputable organizations All of these reputable organizations

have FB Pages, which BSF’s Military Lifestyle have FB Pages, which BSF’s Military Lifestyle Survey found is one of the most popular,Survey found is one of the most popular,

frequently used social media sites.frequently used social media sites.

AWN Best Practices

Normalization– “You are normal!”

Sense of community– Spouses helping spouses– Cultivated engagement & relationships

No question too small or too large– What is (insert duty station here) like?– What can be included in my soldier’s care package?– Why am I nervous about reintegration? – How do I handle my soldier’s PTSD?

Social Media Integration– Near Instant Feedback– Personal and Expert Response

The Neighborhood Knows No Boundaries

We believe that while the road is tough, it is traversable, and the journey of a military family has inherent value

measured in enriched life experiences, pride, and sense of honor.

-- Crooks and Henderson

Won’t You Be Our Neighbor?Won’t You Be Our Neighbor?

QUESTIONS?