Elise Hibler

Share your military spouse story:
My military spouse story started in 2011 when my husband, who is also my high school sweetheart. joined the Marine Corps. We were struggling teenagers with a one-year-old. The decision to join was not easy as we knew it would lead to being away fro one another for a good amount of time. Military life is nothing new to me as my mother and father served in the Air Force, my mother retiring at 20 years. After attending boot camp and his MOS school we were stationed at MCAGCC 29 Palms. This is where we would have our other two children in the three years we were there. We also went threw our only combat deployment at 29 palms as well, this was before our youngest child was born. Upon deciding to reenlist we were told we would move to Okinawa Japan in 2015. Once there I truly began to volunteer, as it was the best way to get out and be apart of the local community. While in Okinawa my husband was away on training to other countries most of the time leaving me alone with our 3 children. Being able to explore the island was something that changed our lives. In 2018 we left Okinawa to come to Camp Pendleton where my husband is currently an MCT instructor at the School of Infantry West.

Share an example of your leadership experience within the military community:
I believe the best example of my leadership experience is with my position as President of Leadership Education Seminar Camp Pendleton (LES). In this position, I am working with 9 other positions to plan and execute a 3-day leadership seminar. This is something that has made me grow as a leader due to having to communicate effectively and problem solve at the drop of a hat. Being able to put on a free event for military spouses by all volunteers is challenging but the reward of seeing all the skills and knowledge being learned is worth it. Being able to bring others together for one goal is a beautiful thing.

Describe your involvement in the military community:
My involvement in the military community began while being stationed in Okinawa. I was on the command team and would help plan and execute family days, homecoming events, and taste of home events where we would cook for our single Marines living in the barracks. Here aboard Camp Pendleton, I am the current President of Leadership Education Seminar Camp Pendleton which is a volunteer-run leadership seminar for all military spouses. We host a 3-day seminar that is free and helps them grow in there personal and professional development. I also volunteer with my husband's command and give a Marine Corps 101 and what's next brief to families attending MCT graduations every week. This is an amazing opportunity to supply information and resources to these new families. I am also an MSAN (Military Spouse Advocacy Network) mentor as well where I get to provide one on one mentoring to new military spouses.

Describe how you support your community:
I support my community threw education. I believe that the best thing you can do for military families is to give them the most resources and information you can. By hosting LES I am doing this for spouses who are leaders in their community as well. By giving the Marine 101 and what's next class at MCT I am helping educate Marine families on what they should expect from this point further for their Marines. With MSAN I am being able to provide information on resources to new spouses so that they can start this crazy journey off on the right foot.

What do you advocate for? Why?
I advocate for education. With the right resources and the opportunity to get the correct information military spouses can do anything, they need to. We spend a large amount of our time away from our service members and we need to be able to handle anything thrown our way. The best way to achieve this is through education.

How have you spread the message of your platform/advocacy?
I am able to spread this message threw public speaking as well as threw Facebook and email, with MSAN. Being able to talk in front of others about educating our families is important. Being able to give this information is even better for me. I love being able to provide information to my families at MCT and to all the spouses as LES. I truly enjoy being able to get in front of military families, especially Marine Corps ones, and share information that can help their life be just a little easier.

What do you hope to accomplish with the AFI Military Spouse of the Year^® title?
I would hope to accomplish getting more awareness about the education and resources that are available for military families. I also think that it is vitally important for families to be engaged in their service members' jobs and have an understanding of what they do. To accomplish that we need to have a better family readiness structure. Our military members need to know their family members are taken care of and its time to show them that they really do matter to the community.