Volunteer Opportunities Archives

This Military Spouse Grabbed The Rare Opportunity To Volunteer At The Winter Olympics

February 26, 2018 By Guest Contributor Leave a Comment

by Christine Maxwell, Guest Contributor

Jordan Talbot is a military spouse, mom, former competitive snowboarder and devoted Winter Olympics fan. Instead of being only a fan and spectator of the 2018 Olympic Games, Jordan took full advantage of her accompanied assignment to USAG Yongsan, South Korea, with a once in a lifetime opportunity to work as an Winter Olympics volunteer at Pyeongchang.

After the Closing Ceremony, I had the chance to catch up with Jordan. She dished out how she got this gig, who she met, and how you can get involved in the next Olympic Games!

How did you find out about this volunteer opportunity with the Olympics?

Basically, as soon as I found out that we were headed to South Korea, I was on the U.S. Olympic Committee’s website to see how I could work or volunteer at the Olympics. I used to be a competitive snowboarder and coach (I still teach, when duty station allows) and I’m a big Winter Olympics fan.

Former competitive snowboarder and coach? It sounds like being a Winter Olympics volunteer was a perfect fit for you. Did you have to apply or be interviewed to be a volunteer?

There was an online application followed by a phone interview, very EARLY on a Saturday morning because of the time difference. There was also a background too.

Oh no, the background check is the bane of our military spouse existence…so. many. addresses.

Yes, luckily I had my husband’s most recent SF86 (security clearance questionnaire) for all our addresses!

You and your family are stationed at USAG Yongsan which is in Seoul, but the Olympics were in Pyeongchang. Did you have to commute every day?

I volunteered at the Team Processing Center at a hotel near Incheon Airport, outside of Seoul. It took about two hours of transit each way, using subway, airport express train and the hotel shuttle.

Wow, subways, trains, and shuttle buses, oh my! What was your schedule like?

Our shifts were about eight hours long over eight days. I only worked during the actual processing of athletes but other volunteers also assisted with set up and tear down.

I will also be volunteering for the Paralympic Team Processing in March 2018.

As an Olympic Processing Center Volunteer, what did your duties include?

I worked to get the U.S. delegation outfitted in their Polo Ralph Lauren opening and closing ceremony “looks.”

What about those lovely fringed gloves? Did you help them with their gloves?

Yes! When they came through team processing, we helped to layout everything that they needed to get dressed from the boots, to the bandanas, to those fringed gloves. Along with lots of size swaps and tailoring, we also had to get the OK from the stylists from Polo Ralph Lauren.

Then the athletes have fun trying on all the different extra items while we got them packed up and ready to go. We would wish them well and send them on their way to finish team processing which consisted of some administrative things as well as lots of great swag from Team USA sponsors.

Did you receive any cool perks as a volunteer?

We got a couple of great T-shirts but honestly the best “perk” was just getting to know so many different athletes, particularly from sports that I don’t follow.

Meeting them makes watching the Olympics much more personal.

Meeting the athletes makes watching the Olympics much more personal.

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Any memorable moments with Olympians that you will never forget? We want the scoop!

Well, I can’t name any names (Team Processing Volunteer Code) but one that stands out was an alternate athlete who was so excited to be there, even though he was not guaranteed to compete. He was a lot of fun to be around, he literally left a huge trail of smiles in his wake.

Related: I Feel Like I’m At A Theme Park With People From Around The World, One Military Spouse’s Experience at the 2018 Winter Olympics

I enjoyed seeing some coaches and athletes I knew in my previous life and it was great to be able to tell them good luck in person.

I did meet quite a few famous athletes (and ended up eating lunch with one) but really, they were all great. A few stuck their heads into the warehouse to see what we were doing and thank the volunteers. All of the athletes were gracious and fun to be around.

I hope it wasn’t all work and no play, did you get a chance to see any events? Do you have a favorite event?

I saw halfpipe snowboarding, snowboard cross and hockey. I also had tickets for parallel GS snowboarding and curling. The Snowboard Cross team was a lot of fun when they came through team processing too.

I took my three year old daughter to see the women race because I want her to see what fearless women can do and experience the Olympics!

Did you volunteer with people from other countries or were you pretty much strictly working with other Americans? Any other military spouses?

There were a few volunteers from Korea but generally most volunteers were Americans living in Korea or Americans that travel all over the world to volunteer for the Olympics. One guy was on his 5th games! I met a few people that I know I will stay friends with for a long time.

I also volunteered with a couple of other military spouses, Francis Lukeman also from Yongsan and Ed Torsney from Camp Humphreys.

Any advice to military spouses who want to be volunteers at a future Olympics?

Yes! The United States Olympic Committee (USOC) has a ton of volunteer opportunities at games and locally in the United States (and they are headquartered in Colorado Springs). It was a great experience and I would do it again!

Awesome idea. MilSpouses stationed at any of the five military installations in Colorado Springs, Colo., have the unique opportunity to volunteer at the USOC.

The next Olympic Games are in Tokyo in 2020. If you have PCS orders to Japan, find out how to be a Tokyo 2020 volunteer by clicking here.

Christine Maxwell is an Army wife and toddler mom. She works as a Budget Manager in Higher Education and also manages HerMoneyMoves, a blog about personal finances, career and military family life geared toward military spouses and their families.

“… That Space Where You Can Do Meaningful Work But Not Give Up Your Family and Friends and Life. That Space, That Opportunity, Is What We Endeavor to Create.”

May 17, 2017 By NextGen MilSpouse Staff Writer Leave a Comment

NextGen MilSpouse is going beyond traditional career tips and tricks for military spouses! We are sharing the real stories of working military spouses (just like you!) and their professional success stories on Wednesdays.

Name: Carmen Westbrook

Years as a military spouse:

Tell us your job title/profession:

CEO of Aina Giving, a small startup that helps people actually DO something to take action to help the world.

We specialize in organizing parties and events where people take practical action – not just donate money – to help people in need all over the world. Our action mostly takes the form of hand-crafted projects that can be done at home to create items that are needed worldwide. We focus on projects for kids and adults, international and local.

Is this full-time, part-time, hourly, contract or freelance work?

Full-Time

How long have you been working in this career field?

2.5 years (well, I’ve been working with volunteering, nonprofits and event planning for 15 years, but I started my company 2.5 years ago)

Do you work in an office, telecommute from home (or Starbucks), or a little bit of both?

Telecommute from home

Tell us one thing you love about your job.

Hearing the stories and getting to know all of the amazing people that I get to work with every day – both the heads of the NGOs that we partner with and the regular, everyday people that take part in crafting a better tomorrow. I’m constantly blown away at the phenomenal lives and experiences of those “regular” people.

Are you looking to connect with career-minded military spouses? Join one of In Gear Career’s 20+ local chapters around the world. In Gear Career is a part of Hiring Our Heroes and the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation.

How did you get this position? Was it a resume, referral, job fair? Spill your magic.

I created my own job because I felt SO FRUSTRATED with the lack of options for women. After working in the business world (mostly NGOs) for years, I quit (my job) to stay at home with my children, but continued to work as much as I could on the side to help out.

For women that are stay-at-home parents, for women that are trailing spouses, for women that are just underemployed or unfulfilled in their jobs, there is no good in-between – that space where you can do meaningful work but not give up your family and friends and LIFE. That space, that opportunity, is what we endeavor to create.

What is your No. 1 tip for a military spouse on the hunt for a job?

Don’t get stuck with tunnel vision.

Listen, being a trailing spouse is HARD. It’s really, really HARD. There is no getting around that. But it’s also wonderful, and you get so many opportunities, and you live a really different, amazing life – and often you grow amazingly through that hardship and difference and new experiences.

So don’t tell yourself “if I do this, it’s going to be forever” or “I am NEVER going to be able to live the career I dreamed.”

Never and Forever are big fat lies – nothing is forever.

So if you are looking for a job and find one that doesn’t seem to fit, allow yourself to zig in that direction and remember that it’s not forever – and often those zigs are the things that take us down the path we should be on.

So don’t deny that it’s HARD because it is and we should all be for reals on that one. But try to lean into the good that comes from it, and remind yourself constantly that it’s not forever.

How do you feel about failure?

I am a total perfectionist, so I suck at failure.

However, when I saw my oldest kiddo start beating himself up for failing, I realized that I needed to change my own dialogue before he got too old to turn back from that road. So I told him something that I try to tell myself a LOT (although again – kind of stink at failure) is that God didn’t make us to be perfect. If he’d wanted us to be perfect, believe me he could have made that happen. But he didn’t.

So why is that?

I think it’s because our imperfections, our mistakes and our terrible decisions are what make us grow closer to God and grow closer to ourselves.

We can’t hate failure and mistakes, because it makes us who we are and it makes us KNOW who we are.

What’s the biggest challenge you’ve faced while trying to maintain a career while living the military lifestyle?

Sleep.

What is the best piece of career advice you’ve ever received? Tell us the worst too, while you’re at it.

Best: Take care of yourself first. There will always be more work to do, but you have to take that time every day to care for yourself. Yoga, running, meditation, cooking, taking that 20 minutes to read every evening — make that priority number one.

Worst: You need to focus on running a business that produces a specific product, because that’s how it’s always been done. So go get your MBA, learn how it’s always been done, and then follow that same path.

Who is in your support squad (i.e. spouse, neighbor, bff) and what role do they play in supporting your career?

My hubs is the best. He’s a very comforting type of husband, so he’s constantly cheering me on.

But my biggest squadette is Kristin, my co-founder. Not only because she was a pro basketball player and so TOTALLY gets how to have an awesome team (something that I stink at), but because she balances me out. She calls me on it when I have a dumb idea. She won’t let me bowl her over with the strength of my personality (both Leo’s, I don’t know how that works but it does). She’s the best.

I also have a complete pantheon of AMAZING girlfriends that give me pieces of their souls, experience and life every day. I have a few that are the most amazing rocks – Holly, Belen, Sheena come to mind (although honestly, there are more), and they just give me hope. Hope in everything, which is frankly all I think people need to make it through.

Do you and your spouse or partner split household tasks?

Since I’ve started my business, my hubs has SLOWLY found his way around to doing more. He’s very supportive, but when it comes to taking time away from HIS career…

He cooks dinner most weekends, so I get a break. He does all of the trash, and is now being amazing at teaching our kiddos to clean and do most of the tasks around the house. He’s the night owl, so he’ll tidy up at the end of the day and bring me the vitamins as I crash into bed.

I’m the morning person so I’ll make him coffee and start on breakfast for the kids.

Share your best life-hack for saving time or sanity during the work week:

I don’t look at the phone first thing in the morning.

I wake up at 5 a.m. (reference morning person above), and I do NOT allow myself to look at the phone. I have coffee, read for about 30 min or go for a run and THEN I look at the phone.

I heard somewhere that psychologically it makes you less frantic to not start the day being reminded of all the things you need to do, all of the people you need to reply to, and I’ve found that it gives me a lot of peace.

Tell us one piece of tech you couldn’t live without that isn’t your phone:

There’s tech other than phones???!!! No, seriously….um…probably my headphones. I listen to Italian podcasts to learn the language, business podcasts while I run, and I walk mostly everywhere here in Rome so I try to talk while I walk, and I try to do that on a headset so I don’t walk into traffic.

What’s your favorite app for making the most of your day?

WhatsApp. It’s the BEST.

Must-have song on your productivity playlist?

“Do Something” by Matthew West

If you had an extra hour in your day, what would you do with it?

Go lie down in the park and stare at the clouds.

If you were a superhero, what would be your super power?

Hmmmm…I don’t think I’d ever want to be a superhero – good grief, can you imagine that responsibility???!! Plus they all seem to mess up their personal lives. Nope, I’m happy to be just regular old me – although Black Widow is pretty badass.

If I HAD to choose, though, it would be the power to see the beautiful souls in every person. Because, honestly, people are amazing.

Are you a working military spouse? Do you want to share your career tips and tricks? Fill out the MilSpouses Who Work It Q&A today. Click here to complete our form.

Military Spouses Who Work It: Taylor Miller, Donor Engagement Coordinator

August 31, 2016 By NextGen MilSpouse Staff Writer Leave a Comment

Editor’s Note: Give us your lawyers, your accountants, your massage therapists. Give use your teachers, your engineers, your real estate agents.

Name: Taylor Miller

Years as a military spouse: 3

Tell us your job title/profession:

I am currently employed as the Donor Engagement Coordinator for the Foodbank of Southeastern Virginia and the Eastern Shore.

Is this full-time, part-time, hourly, contract or freelance work?

Full-time

How long have you been working in this career field?

4 months

Do you work in an office, telecommute from home (or Starbucks) or a little bit of both?

In the office

How did you get this position? Was it a resume, referral, job fair? Spill your magic.

My background is not at all in nonprofit work nor philanthropy. In fact, it’s nowhere close.

I have a B.S. degree in Safety and Environmental Management and worked in Risk Control for insurance companies.

After our last PCS, I struggled to find a job in our new duty station so I began volunteering at the Foodbank in Norfolk, Va. One thing led to another and 2 years later I have found a role that I truly enjoy.

The 2 years of regular volunteer tasks were almost an extended interview process.

My now coworkers were able to get a good feel for my personality and work ethic just as I was able to confirm that I truly valued this organization’s mission.

What’s the biggest challenge you’ve faced while trying to maintain a career while living the military lifestyle?

The biggest challenge that I’ve faced while trying to maintain a career while living the military lifestyle is the “unknown” that lies ahead.

With only 2 years at a duty station, what happens if it takes me 12 to 18 months to find a job?

What happens if we have to PCS sooner than expected? I am the type of person that is very set in their ways.

For example, I would have never changed my major in college because to me, that was failing and giving up (seems ridiculous, right?). Even after working for an organization that provided employment readiness assistance to military spouses, it took me a long time to realize that I was allowed to reinvent myself.

I wasn’t “failing” if I didn’t end up with a job in the career field that I went to school for and that was a hard thing for me to process. Once I came to the realization, I was able to expand my horizons and things started falling into place a bit easier.

Tell us one thing you love about your job:

The one thing I love about my current job is that every workday is different experience. Throughout my career reinvention, I have identified that is what is important for me to be both happy and successful as I don’t fair well with monotonous work.

In my previous roles, I worked for a commercial insurance company and was on the road daily inspecting different facilities and I loved it (it was like a field trip every day!).

Nowadays at the Foodbank of Southeastern Virginia and the Eastern Shore, I work with many of our donors to help them plan their food and fund drives. I could begin my day working with a 6 year old who is donating their money from their lemonade stand, spend my lunch speaking to a group about our mission and end it planning a 57-hour straight food drive before Thanksgiving.

It’s amazing how you can have very similar qualities in two very different jobs!

Share your best life-hack for saving time or sanity during the work week:

Meal plan. Meal plan. Meal plan.

But seriously, have you heard of the mason jar salads? It may be a fad for some, but to me, it saves my sanity.

On Sunday, I’ll make up an entire week’s worth of lunches that I’m just able to grab and go each morning. This ensures that I will at least get one healthy, nutritious meal in during the day especially on those nights where I may work late or my husband is not home and I simply just don’t feel like cooking.

The same goes for dinners. I always sit down on the weekend and write out every day for the following week. Then, I’ll go through and fill in each day with obligations that are already scheduled (i.e. “Wednesday – dinner meeting” or “Friday – Duty Night”).

This allows me to see how many meals I actually need to shop and prepare for without wandering through the aisles trying to figure out what to have for dinner and wasting too much food.

Do you and your spouse or partner split household tasks? How do you do it?

With my husband’s schedule it is near impossible for us to split household tasks, but when he is available, we do a good job at maintaining a balance.

Regardless of what time he gets home in the evening, we always come together over preparing, eating and cleaning up dinner. It’s our time to catch up on the day and share a bit of it together, so it feels more like a treat rather than a household task.

Are you looking to connect with career-minded military spouses? Join one of In Gear Career’s 20+ local chapters around the world. In Gear Career is a part of Hiring Our Heroes and the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation.

If you have children, how do you and your spouse or partner split parenting responsibilities?

Does a puppy count?

Tell us one piece of tech you couldn’t live without:

My iPhone

Favorite app for making the most of your day?

I’m going to go basic here and say Calendar. With multiple schedules and events each week, it’s nice to have everything in one place.

Must-have song on your productivity playlist?

Cage The Elephant – Ain’t No Rest for the Wicked

What is your No. 1 tip for a military spouse on the hunt for a job?

My No. 1 tip for a military spouse on the job hunt is to not be afraid to pursue a career reinvention. You are not failing by choosing to go down a different path than what you may have focused on in college.

For nearly the first 2 years of being a military spouse, I walked through the job hunt with blinders on because I was only looking for that perfect job…you know, the one I had prior to marrying into the military.

What I ended up realizing was that this prevented me from going out on a limb, taking a risk and ultimately finding my true passion which is nonprofit work. It is amazing what doors open up for you when you don’t limit the opportunities available.

And the best part? You will truly find yourself in the process.

Are you a working military spouse? Do you want to share your career tips and tricks? Fill out the MilSpouses Who Work It Q&A today.

5 Reasons to Join MilSpouse Nonprofits at Learning & Leaning In

June 28, 2016 By Guest Contributor Leave a Comment

by Josie Beets, Guest Contributor

I love being a military spouse. But when the challenges of military service outpace my love and patience, I’m lucky to be connected to organizations that link me to other military spouses struggling with similar issues.

These organizations provide a crucial service to our community and recognize that in the all-volunteer force, families are the ones who get drafted. We move from place to place with little say in our next destination, live far from our families, cope with multiple separations, sacrifice career goals – not just for love of country but for love of our service member.

Military spouses have learned to adapt and support one another through these challenges not only through military service-sponsored organizations (FRGs, Key spouse programs, etc.) but also through nonprofit work. There is no lack of spouse-oriented nonprofits serving military families, but many organizations are small and under-resourced, both in terms of money and volunteers.

On August 26, the Association of the U.S. Army and the Military Spouse JD Network will convene these military spouse-led organizations for a conversation about how to bring together our community to maximize our collective impact.

The event, Learning & Leaning In: Military Spouse Non-Profits Supporting Each Other, will be a daylong educational forum that will begin the conversation about expanding the reach of all military spouse-led organizations by taking a more global view of the mission, sharing expertise and finding ways to collaborate to make our spouse-led nonprofits more effective. Our community is stronger when we work together to advance our goals, and no one is better qualified to serve our community than one of us.

Here are the details.

Learning & Leaning In

Military Spouse Non-Profits Supporting Each Other

Friday, August 26, 2016

Association of the United States Army, 2425 Wilson Boulevard, Arlington, VA

But you’re probably asking why should you come? Because:

You are a military spouse leading a nonprofit that serves our military family community. Rather than sitting back, seeing the challenges of military life and throwing your hands in the air, you stood up to help your community.

You saw a need and filled it.

You’ve learned that helping our own military community is an incredible way to serve our country.

Now, we need you to come to Learning & Leaning In to build collaborations to make our military family community even stronger. This event is the beginning of a conversation about how we can work together to better serve and we need your voice.

You are a small organization looking to grow. You are the little engine that could! With tiny resources and a strong mission, you serve your military family community with passion. If only you had more structural support, connections to donors or a how-to-guide, you just know you could serve a bigger piece of the military community.

Learning & Leaning In will connect you with other military spouse-led nonprofits to create opportunities for collaboration — by sharing resources, we can amplify our good work.

You are a large organization looking to expand your programs and reach new audiences. You’ve already done the hard work of becoming an established, successful nonprofit. You have supporters, donors, leaders, and a community to support.

But maybe you’re looking for a way to reach a new audience. Maybe your program ideas need some inspiration. Learning & Leaning In is a great way to connect with organizations on the cutting edge of delivery of services and a great way to explore opportunities to work with other organizations to serve our community.

The community you serve has needs that you’re not able to fill. You’ve got a great organization that serves military families, but the community you serve still has needs that you’re not equipped to serve.

Maybe you serve professional military spouses, but don’t have the resources to connect them to child care resources.

Or you work with military spouses on mental health issues, but are looking for a broader provider of wellness resources.

Learning & Leaning In will provide you with connections across organizations that will allow you to better serve your community while tapping into the resources of the entire community.

You know we are stronger together. This week, my youngest turned four. Along with celebration and cake, a birthday in our house also means a lesson in sharing – if you want to have fun, you’ve got to share your new toys with your friends or this mamma will shut the party down.

If we want to have a successful, inclusive military family community led by military families themselves, we should be able to share resources, information, and talent. Learning & Leaning In is the first step in creating an environment of collaboration in the military family nonprofit community.

I hope you will join us at this event. Register here.

Josie Beets is an attorney, a military spouse, and the president of the Military Spouse JD Network (MSJDN), a bar association for military spouses.

Military Spouses Who Work It: Elizabeth Castro, Dual Language Teacher

June 22, 2016 By NextGen MilSpouse Staff Writer Leave a Comment

Editor’s Note: Give us your lawyers, your accountants, your massage therapists. Give use your teachers, your engineers, your real estate agents.

Name: Elizabeth Castro

Years as a military spouse: 15

Tell us your job title/profession:

I am a full-time 3rd grade Dual Language teacher with Boerne ISD. This is my 17th year teaching.

I am also the Blue Star Family Chapter Director for the San Antonio, Texas, area. I volunteer as well with my husband’s company (USMC Company H) as part of the Command Team Advisory board.

Previous to this post I had the opportunity to work with the U.S. Embassy in the Dominican Republic as the Community Liaison Officer. During our time there I was on the board of the International Women’s Club of Santo Domingo as Vice President and President.

I am very blessed that at each post I have been able to follow my passion and give back to the community we lived in. I love being a military spouse!

Is this full-time, part-time, hourly, contract or freelance work?

Teaching – full time

BSF – volunteer

How long have you been working in this career field? 17+

Do you work in an office, telecommute from home (or Starbucks), or a little bit of both?

Teaching is in the classroom. The volunteer work is from home.

How did you get this position? Was it a resume, referral, job fair? Spill your magic.

A few of my jobs have come from job fairs, someone I knew or simply having a wonderful interview.

What’s the biggest challenge you’ve faced while trying to maintain a career while living the military lifestyle?

It’s very difficult for a company to invest in you when they feel that you may be leaving in 3 to 4 years. As soon as a company starts to get to know you and sees your potential you get orders and are moving again.

It is also a challenge to maintain yourself professionally if you cannot work and keep up with the newest trends and technology.

Tell us one thing you love about your job:

I love teaching, working with others, keeping up with the latest best practices in education.

With BSF and command volunteering, I love helping other military families make adjustments and transition. I love seeing a family grow in their post.

Are you looking to connect with career-minded military spouses? Join one of In Gear Career’s 20+ local chapters around the world. In Gear Career is a part of Hiring Our Heroes and the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation.

Share your best life-hack for saving time or sanity during the work week:

On Sunday I try to plan out meals for the week, share my calendar with my husband (whether he’s home or not) and get laundry ready as well.

During the week I usually set aside about 20 minutes to re-look at our week and see if any adjustments have to be made. Communication is key in our family!

Do you and your spouse or partner split household tasks? How do you do it?

We definitely split chores. Our boys are 13 and 9. They are responsible for their bathroom, bedrooms and sorting their laundry. They also help out with dishes and taking the trash out. We have a dog and that is also their job.

My husband and I usually go room by room together and get it done. For meals if I cook, he cleans and vice versa.

If you have children, how do you and your spouse or partner split parenting responsibilities?

My husband has always loved reading to our boys at bedtime. He still has story time with both boys, even the 13 year old. With our oldest they read a novel together then have discussions about the book.

When he’s home he loves to take them to Boy Scouts, Jujitsu etc. I usually take them to their Religious Education classes.

I usually handle the homework with our youngest and he now assist our oldest. Our 9 year old is now old enough to pack his own lunch but still needs some assistance from me.

Tell us one piece of tech you couldn’t live without: iPhone / IPad

Favorite app for making the most of your day?

I use the note/reminder in my iPhone.

Must-have song on your productivity playlist?

Anything Stevie Ray Vaughn

What is your No. 1 tip for a military spouse on the hunt for a job?

Network, network, network!!! Volunteering can lead to a paid job and it can also go on your resume. Put yourself out there and get out of your comfort zone.

Are you a working military spouse? Do you want to share your career tips and tricks? Fill out the MilSpouses Who Work It Q&A today.

Military Spouses Who Work It: Anna Blanch Rabe, Executive Director

March 30, 2016 By NextGen MilSpouse Staff Writer 1 Comment

Editor’s Note: Give us your lawyers, your accountants, your massage therapists. Give use your teachers, your engineers, your real estate agents.

Name: Anna Blanch Rabe

Years as a military spouse: 2

Tell us your job: Executive Director, Ninth Judicial District Family & Children’s Court Services, Inc.

FCCS is a 501(c)(3) which, among other programs, operates the court Appointed Special Advocate (CASA) program for Curry & Roosevelt Counties in New Mexico. We serve over 180 children who have been abused and neglected.

I am an attorney by training but I’ve also worked in higher education as a lecturer/professor.

Is this full-time, part-time, hourly, contract or freelance work?

Full-time

How long have you been working in this career field?

3 months – this job. Being creative about my approach to work as an attorney and academic –10 years.

Do you work in an office, telecommute from home (or Starbucks), or a little bit of both?

Office (with some travel and outreach into the community).

How did you get this position? Was it a resume, referral, job fair? Spill your magic.

Volunteering, boldness, and preparation were how I got this job!

I volunteered for 12 months as a Court Appointed Special Advocate (CASA) with the agency before the opportunity came to apply for the ED job.

I also took opportunities to get to know this community, the legal profession here, and the people involved. I applied and completed the Citizens Police Academy which helped me meet local law enforcement, I called the local District Attorney’s Office and offered to do serve pro bono for 3 months with them to meet some licensing requirements to be admitted in another state.

This gave me the opportunity to meet the local legal fraternity, including judges, prosecutors and defense attorneys.

With the help of other InGear and MSJDN members I strengthened my resume and prepared well for my interview.

What’s the biggest challenge you’ve faced while trying to maintain a hustle while living the military lifestyle?

I moved continents to be with my husband and I am unable to be licensed as an attorney in New Mexico. Those are pretty big challenges right there.

But out of necessity often creativity emerges.

I need to be creative with staying up to speed in my field, creative with seeking to support my husband in the midst of a demanding full-time schedule leading a nonprofit and creative with the kind of work I seek out.

Sometimes the distance from professional development can be a big challenge, but with the support of my husband and the wonder of the webinar, I’m able to maintain professional competency and find 1 to 2 events a year where I can attend in person to grow as a person and connect with other military spouse professionals!

Tell us one thing you love about your job.

Being willing to seek out meaningful work – in this case leading an organization which serves some of the most vulnerable members of this community – is incredibly satisfying.

We all think we are in control of the lives we lead, and the military seems to mess with our plans – but the reality is, when we accept that life is never stagnant and the military is just one player in that drama, we can be free to dream a little bigger and seek out what is really important in our work and lives in each act!

I love the way that my husband is inspired by my work and how excited he is by seeing me do well in my own career.

Share your best life-hack for saving time or sanity during the work week:

I have a few: I use icalender across all my devices – this keeps me on track and my staff can also add appointments; I borrow audio books from the library to help me keep reading (one of my favorite things) and to keep learning – these are great for the long drives I often have to do here in New Mexico; I try to take “seven” each day just after I get to work – this is about taking a moment to breathe and steady myself for the day ahead, and about figuring out what is bothering me the most so that I can take some steps that day to clear that from my to do list.

AnyList is a list app that we use specifically for shopping lists.

Do you and your spouse or partner split household tasks? How do you do it?

Definitely! Although to be transparent my husband does way more than his 50%. We try to discuss meals for the next couple of days and then usually whomever gets home first starts dinner. We try to make double quantities so that we have leftovers for lunches. We really enjoy cooking together. Although, often while I cook he is taking care of dishes and the dishwasher (he is pretty particular about how it is packed).

Because my husband is so good about cleaning and because his schedule is pretty intense I found someone to do a deep clean every few weeks – to see him rest on his days off has been completely worth it!

We used to spend quite a bit of time taking care of the backyard, but we’ve found that finding someone to help us with yard maintenance once a month means we can focus on making our house a home and hanging out together. I usually take care of getting the cars serviced and washed because my schedule is more flexible.

We manage our finances together with the help of a great program and app, YNAB, which helps especially when there are TDYs, work travel or crazy schedules meaning a budget meeting isn’t as easy to do.

AnyList is a list app that we use specifically for shopping lists. I can share, email or text them.

I was in hospital a couple of months ago, and because my recovery coincided with a long TDY we found someone to help me a couple of hours a few days a week. The amazing lady we found has been an absolute god-send.

The bottom line is this: we don’t try to do any of it alone. With both of us working over 40 hours a week we know we need help. I can see us continuing to ask for help from each other and others to make our life work.

Tell us one piece of tech you couldn’t live without:

My tablet, with my phone a close second. Not only can I do most of my tasks on the move, I love that I no longer have to carry around a heavy laptop. My shoulders are grateful!

Favorite app for making the most of your day?

Things – this is how i manage my to-do list. I combine home and work. Life becomes much easy to manage and productivity much easier to achieve.

Are you a working military spouse? We want to hear how you work your career with military life. Click here to share your tips and tricks.

Must-have song on your productivity playlist:

“Whenever, Wherever” by Shakira

What is your No. 1 tip for a military spouse on the hunt for a job?

Be bold. Don’t be afraid to ask about internships or ask a leader in the community out for coffee to let them know what you’re looking for.

The local chamber of commerce is often a great source in smaller communities – they know what is happening among local businesses.

Volunteering or interning for a certain period of time (say 3 months) can be an incredible way to get a job offer, but don’t go in hoping for that necessarily. Seek experiences for themselves and give it your best. Being committed and reliable when you are unpaid will make a huge impression to people who don’t know you yet – the job offers will come.

52 Goals Week 9: Be Screen Free in the Evenings

February 29, 2016 By Jessica Hall Leave a Comment

I’m going to be totally honest with you – at all times I have at least two, if not three or four, screens of some sort on or near me. These devices are: cell phone, tablet, laptop and TV.

On a given evening my husband and I will be watching TV while playing different games on either our phone or computer. It’s how we unwind.

And sometimes I’m even doing work at night if I’m inspired or on a deadline.

We often eat dinner while watching TV or if we’re at the dining room table, we’re looking up answers to questions we may have or that interesting news story we came across earlier in the day on our phones.

And while we will commit to some screen-free evenings, like dinner or a movie without our phones, these nights are rare and sporadic. That’s why I’m excited about this week’s challenge.

This week is the week that you and your family will go an entire week with no screens EVERY SINGLE NIGHT as part of NextGen MilSpouse’s You Got This: 52 Challenges to Make 2016 Your Bitch.

Week 9 Challenge: No Screens in Evenings for a Week

Challenge Details: This week is all about unplugging at night. Now we know life is crazy and there are things that you need your computer or phone for – like homework for the kids or work for you – so you can set a time to start no-screen evenings, say 8 p.m., so that you, your spouse and your kids can get any necessary work or homework done for the next day. After that time though no screens. Shut them down. Put your phones in a basket out of reach or another room and get to some no-screen activities.

Your Deadline: March 7

Challenge accepted. I will be screen free starting tonight. #igotthis #2016ismybitch

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Bonus points if you don’t tell us what you did for your no-screen evening until the next MORNING on Twitter or Facebook. Don’t forget to post with the hashtag #2016IsMyBitch.

So you’re not on your iPhone. You’re not binge-watching Netflix. You’re not reading on your Kindle. So what could you do without screens for a week?

Here are 10 activities to get you through your no-screens-in-the-evenings week:

Game Night! This is one of my all-time favorites. Honestly, my husband and I could probably play a different game every night – that’s how many card and board games we own.

If it’s just you and your spouse, pick a 2-person friendly game to play for the evening or pick a few options if you feel up to it. You can also invite friends over for a larger game night, just be sure to let them know that it’ll be a screens-free evening and all phones must be checked at the door.

Have kids? Let them pick out a game or two that everyone can play together.

Try a new restaurant. Did a new place open in your town? Or maybe you just need an excuse for date night. Whatever the reason, check out the new restaurant and leave the phones off the table. Have conversations about your day, your plans for the future, maybe an upcoming vacation all while enjoying a fabulous meal out. (Pssst…this is a great way to incorporate the Week 5 Challenge #justsaying).

Cook together. This is another one of my favorite activities. Pick a recipe out of a cookbook, perhaps something you’ve never made before and cook together. You can divide and conquer the recipe or have everyone cook different aspects (e.g. you: main course, kids: salad, husband: side dish). This is a great way to involve everyone and you know that dinner will taste better because you did it together.

Read a book. Set aside time to just read.

I find myself with so many magazines and books laying around but choosing to binge-watch something on Netflix instead.

Take the time to sit back, relax and read with your family. Before heading to bed be sure to have a discussion about what you read and what you liked about it. Anyone learn anything new or exciting?

Arts and crafts night. Pick an activity to do with the family – be it coloring books (yes, even adults can color) or something you saw on Pinterest. If it’s an activity with step-by-step instructions, print them out ahead of time, so you aren’t frantically going online when your no-screen evening is beginning.

Volunteer. Find a local soup kitchen or other community facility with evening opportunities to volunteer. Check out VolunteerMatch and Idealist for opportunities.

Another great resource is your military installation. Check with volunteer coordinators, often located within MWR or Community Service offices.

Finally unpack those boxes. You know those boxes. The ones with things that you obviously don’t need or use that often from post-PCS that are sitting in a closet or your garage.

Go through them and decide what gets donated, tossed or kept. For ideas, check out our holiday purge post from the Week 1 Challenge!

Check out local museums. Some museums have late hours once a week or once a month. Make it a night out and check out the local art scene, science museum or whatever exhibits are nearby and open.

Go to a concert or comedy show. This option is most likely best for a date night option or for any of you DINKs out there – but what better way to get out and have some fun rocking out to music or laughing your night away? Buy and print your tickets in advance and have a blast!

Go on an outdoor adventure. This is best for the weekend. Challenge yourself for a whole day of no screens by heading to a local state or national park, hike a nearby mountain or have a day on the water (if you’re lucky to live somewhere warm right now).

Bring a camera to document the day, but leave those smart phones in the car. Do bring a phone with you in case of an emergency, but no Instagramming while on the trail.

Bonus points if you can make the drive without using your screens for entertainment. Enjoy the fresh air and exploring where you live!

No screens in the evenings for a week. 52 Goals in 52 Weeks #Make2016YourBitch

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Are you ready to go screen free for the week? What activities do you plan on doing with your family this week? What do you think will be the most challenging part of this week? Tell us in the comments below!

5 Reasons Why I Participate in On-Post Events

June 22, 2015 By Rachel Leave a Comment

When my husband and I arrived at our duty station, I was focused on spending all my free time with him. He was away from me for year beforehand and we literally just started cohabiting. It was a huge adjustment and I had to get used to sharing a home with him. I loved it though. We spent a year and a half in a long distance relationship, so the constant interaction was amazing.

Then, we reached our first separation. I quickly realized that I didn’t know anybody on post and I was very lonely. Although I’ve made awesome professional friendships by networking, I still wanted to start building more local connections.

That’s when I started looking at different organizations on post. In my mind, it was the perfect excuse to meet people. I got my feet dirty by becoming very active in a nonprofit that raises scholarship funds for military dependents as well as arranging other welfare activities throughout the installation and surrounding areas.

I’m currently still involved with this organization and I’m loving every minute. There are so many different benefits that come from participating in events on post. You don’t even need to “join” a club. By just attending, it’s a great way to get exposure for yourself by being seen and heard.

Here are my top 5 reasons why you should consider partaking in events on your military installation:

To make new friends. Honestly, the main reason I started attending events was to be around people. Right now, my husband and I are child-free and my only daily interaction is with the cat. In addition, we live off-post and I didn’t have an opportunity to meet other military spouses. Like I mentioned before, I really wanted to make friends that were local and thought that going to events was a way to insert myself in an organized situation without feeling awkward. I never realized that it would be a challenge to put myself out there, but that was really the only way I would get to know the people around me. Luckily, you’d be surprised on how un-awkward it is to participate in events. Most people in the military community are amazing and I’ve made it my goal to be as open as possible when I’m getting involved.
To help your kids make new friends too. Even though I don’t have kiddos at the moment, I can see this being very beneficial for them as well! A lot of events are held at community centers and this would be a great time for them to meet potential friends and create strong bonds. I witness it all the time when I am on post! I can also speak as a former military child that those activities are important and I have fond memories from all those special events, especially holiday-related gatherings.
To feel a sense of community. There is something to be said about joining together with people in your similar position. Bouncing off the point about the military community being amazing, it is also very welcoming. You are surrounded by men and women who have a good hold on how you must feel as a military spouse. I’ve attended spouse functions by Operation Homefront and the USO that really resonated with me as a participant. A fun outcome is that an on-post fundraiser that I help sponsored had a couple of ladies that recognized me from one of those events. It’s funny how your circle opens up and the feeling of community is a huge part of it.
To practice professional skills. As you’re connecting with others at these events, it goes without saying that you might talk about your life. Maybe you’ll chat about career aspirations? Or share your expertise to gain new business? There is also a big benefit for volunteering on your installation. It can contribute to your resume and build on your professional skills. For me, I utilize the skills I’ve learned in my career to help the organizations I volunteer for. I love being able to do what I love within my military community to make an impact, no matter how small.
To feel fulfilled. Lastly, in addition to practicing my professional skills while volunteering, it gives me a huge sense of achievement to contribute my time to the community. Even if you’re not exactly volunteering, getting involved in installation events in any way can give you a sense of fulfillment. Whether it be an ACS (Army Community Services) get-together for incoming spouses or your spouse’s company picnic, attending gives you some perspective in what’s going on in the community around you. Other attendees can gauge your excitement and it resonates. As a result, people remember you and your enthusiasm! So, whatever your reason to participate, it’s a positive for so many different aspects of yourself, from professional, relationships and personal feelings.

What are your reasons for participating or not participating in events on your military installation? Tell us in the comments section!

Resource Spotlight: Brave HEART (Heroes Equine Adventure & Riding Therapy) Program

November 26, 2014 By NextGen MilSpouse Staff Writer Leave a Comment

Editor’s Note: The monthly Resource Spotlight is an Q&A that provides information about nonprofit organizations who serve military spouses and their families. The purpose is to connect military spouses with available resources designed to help them thrive in military life.

Name of your organization:Brave HEART (Heroes Equine Adventure & Riding Therapy) Program

What’s the history of your organization? When was it founded?

In January of 2012, Jeff and Laura Unsworth had a vision that merged their love of horses with their desire to give back to the community, through the creation of a therapeutic riding program for military families. On a mission to make this a reality, they have combined a variety of outdoor activities (therapeutic riding, nature hikes, arts & crafts and more) in a peaceful and stress-free farm environment.

It has been said that “You must love soldiers in order to understand them and understand them in order to help them.” Jeff and Laura have been married and living the “military life” for over 20 years. They know firsthand the stress that can come along with military duty and deployments. Jeff has served in the active Army, as an enlisted soldier, as a traditional National Guard soldier, in both an enlisted and officer status, and as an active duty National Guard officer. He served overseas in Operation Just Cause, Operation Desert Shield, Operation Desert Storm, and Operation New Dawn.

Jeff and Laura recently celebrated their 20th wedding anniversary. It has been their horses that have helped them so much over the years, and they want to share this wonderful healing equine interaction with other military families.

Who is the founder? Laura J. Lane-Unsworth. Horses have been a source of enjoyment and strength in Laura’s life since the age of 5. From early lessons and showing to training young horses, Laura has spent a lot of time with these special animals. Some of her experience includes: Starting and training young horses, trained horses of different skill levels and disciplines for clients, retrained retired racehorses for hunters/jumpers and fox hunting, taught lessons to beginner and intermediate students, schooled polo horses, multiple awards won, in Hunters Under Saddle, Huntseat Equitation, Equitation Over Fences, and Open Jumpers and Foxhunted with the Potomac, Goshen and Wicomico Hunt Clubs.

How has the organization’s purpose evolved through the years?

Since we are still relatively new and growing, we are just beginning to refine our purpose. Jeff and Laura want the Brave HEART Program to be unique in 2 ways. First, for it to not only provide help and healing to the military member or veteran, but to their family as well. Second, the program offers not just therapeutic riding, but a customized variety of enriching outdoor activities that address not only the military service member, but that also work to rebuild, and reinforce the bonds of family relationships which are stressed due the nature of military service

Please describe the mission of Brave HEART: The Brave HEART Program is a program for military members and their families, including therapeutic activities. Our mission is to provide an environment where veterans, military members, and their families come together to facilitate healing and strengthen relationships through equine interaction and outdoor activities in a peaceful farm setting.

We appreciate the immeasurable courage, sacrifice and dedication of our military personnel and their families, and honor this by giving something back to them. We believe every military family is special– military service and overseas deployments take a toll on the service member and on the family, both during the deployment and after they return home. Each deserves the opportunity to enjoy the benefits of the American way of life, which they have worked so hard to support and defend. Our individual tailored farm visits, variety of activities, and friendly environment in a convenient location, are the keys to improving family relationships and strengthening family bonds.

What services does your organization offer?

The Brave HEART Program offers a variety of “adventure options” for service members and their families. From a short visit to a full day on the farm, each visit is custom fit for the individual service member or family. Headed up by Executive Director, Laura Lane-Unsworth, our team plans the activities for each visit based on a questionnaire and phone interview with the client. We take into consideration physical abilities, age, and special requests or interests of the client and the family. Making sure the itinerary for the visit meets the service member (and the family’s) approval before the visit takes place.

Activities that are offered at the farm:

Horseback riding (therapeutic riding, lessons or casual rides)
Horse grooming
Nature Hikes
Cookouts
Bonfire
Arts and Crafts

Which population(s) do you serve (spouses, veterans, children)? The Brave HEART Program differs from other therapeutic riding programs for veterans because it involves both the military member (active duty or retired), as well as his or her family.

How can NextGen MilSpouse readers support your organization? Please help us spread the word about this wonderful program. We would love it if you would “Like” and support our Facebook page. We will be posting information on future fundraisers! Thanks so much!

We do rely on donations to operate the BHP. A donation helps the Brave HEART Program provide life changing services to military member and their families. Brave Heart is a 501(c).3 tax exempt status. Donors will receive a document verifying their generous support and 100% of all donations go directly to Brave HEART Program.

If you prefer to mail in your donation, our mailing address is: Brave Heart Program, Inc., P.O. Box 3133, Hagerstown, Maryland 21741

Can military spouses volunteer with Brave HEART? Our doors are always open to those who are interested in volunteering at the Brave HEART Program. Volunteers are an integral part of our team. The minimum age for any new volunteer is 14 years old. Volunteers are chosen based upon their maturity, personal integrity, skills, patience, dependability, sensitivity and respect for our military members and their families. To volunteer your time and services, please follow the link on our webpage: www.BraveHEARTRiding.org

Anything else our readers need to know? One of our many goals is to help veterans and military members heal their visible and invisible wounds from war. We also want to help strengthen and build family relationships that will sustain them throughout the future. Because… Strong Families=Strong Military.

We watch this happen at the farm because when people spend time around horses, they learn to communicate without words and find a sense of peace with the world. Horses remind us how strong we are inside and how to overcome our fears. They teach us to love and be loved back. Horses bring out the best in people. As Winston S. Churchill once said…”There is something about the outside of a horse that is good for the inside of a man.”

For more information about Brave HEART connect with them on Facebook.

Does your nonprofit organization serve military spouses? Are you looking to spread the word?

Send an email to NextGen MilSpouse Content Editor Michelle Volkmann at michelle<at>msbnewmedia<dot>com to find out how your organization can be a future Resource Spotlight.