Presented by: Tara Crooks & Starlett Henderson
Tara Crooks
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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
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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
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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
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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
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Co-Founders www.ArmyWifeNetwork.com
– Army Wife Talk Radio
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Live (and on demand) 90 minute internet radio program
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Field Exercise™ conferences
Field Problems™ Q&A column
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Loving A Soldier Blog www.LovingASoldier.com
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Expert Columns & Resource Database
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Co-Authors of 1001 Things to Love about Military Life
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Social Media
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AWN App, Toolbar, Twitter, Pinterest, YouTube
Facebook fan base of nearly 60,000+
Diversity Of The Military Spouse
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Family Status
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Age Range
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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
73.2% of Active Duty Spouses are 35 years of age or younger.
Civilian spouses are, on average, 31 years old.
Family Background
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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
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Concerns of A Military Family
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“Age of Overwhelmedness”
Loneliness
Depression
Understanding
Children
Finances
Time
Marriage
From a Military Family…
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On loneliness…
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On staying connected…
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The biggest challenge is working out where to get services and staying
connected when you need something.
On marriage difficulties…
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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.
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 …
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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
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Celebrations of a Military Family
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Pride
Strong Marriages
Family
Structure
Stability
Security
Adventure
Friendships
From a Military Family…
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On family…
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On deployment…
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It’s made us a stronger “unit” because we force ourselves to communicate
despite the separation.
On friendship…
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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.
In the military, friends are our chosen family.
On pride…
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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?
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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
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Military Spouse Central
Military One Source
All of these reputable organizations
Military Spouse Magazine have FB Pages, which BSF’s Military Lifestyle
Survey found is one of the most popular,
Operation Homefront
frequently used social media sites.
Faith Deployed
National Military Family Association
Army Family & MWR Programs
Blue Star Families
Army One Source
Military.com’s Spouse Buzz
AWN Best Practices
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Normalization
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Sense of community
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Spouses helping spouses
Cultivated engagement & relationships
No question too small or too large
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“You are normal!”
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
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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?
QUESTIONS?