Mychael Cole Willon

Share your military spouse story:
My military spouse story is simple. Each day I see my husband proudly put on his uniform, I have another day to beam with pride about all he has accomplished, and reason to appreciate my place by his side as he serves our country, inspiring me to volunteer even more and do all that I can to support my fellow military spouses.  

Share an example of your leadership experience within the military community:
I am a member of The Military Family Advisory Network, and I work with their network to promote the message of military families’ needs and the challenges they face. As part of the advisory board, I attend regular meetings and conferences like the “Solutions Summit,” where we‘ve been able to make a difference in addressing some needs, for instance, by organizing food drives across the country. My family has been a part of those food drives in Virginia – showing up to support and to help deliver food to those in need.

Describe your involvement in the military community:
I served as a member of The Virginia Council on the Interstate Compact on Educational Opportunity for Military Children, which was formed to assist in easing the transition for military children into school as families deal with deployments and frequent moves. I am an Advisory Board Member of the Military Family Advisory Network, and continue to be a part of the Military Officers Association of America, sitting on the Currently Serving Spouse Advisory Council. I am a strong advocate for military students and their families within the education setting. At my sons’ high school I created a bulletin board to honor those employees within our school who serve, or have served in the military. I worked to identify a point of contact at the school for the Purple Star Schools designation and it was due to my commitment that our school was Recognized as a Purple Star School by the Commonwealth of Virginia.

Describe how you support your community:
Simply put, I get – and remain – involved. I have devoted my life to community service and volunteering with PTAs at every level; local, district, state and National, to be a voice for all children. I have extensive experience with two key populations, our families with special needs and our military families. Being the father of two sons with IEPs and the spouse of an active-duty army officer, I am hyper aware of the fact that these particular populations are often not as engaged as they can and need to be. I have positioned my volunteer work to be an active member dedicated to serving these groups by being appointed to two committees that represent the state of Virginia.

What do you advocate for? Why?
As a retired educator, I bring a unique perspective that allows me to advocate for students and families. I understand school systems, how they operate, and how parents and guardians can best position themselves to help their students. I recognize the importance of working for positive change in our schools, especially when it comes to helping special needs and at-risk students including Military families. I try to be the voice for those that cannot always speak for themselves. I have been on both sides of the table as a parent and an educator. As an educator and life-long learner, I continue to keep abreast of what students are entitled to and what they should have access to in their education, but many parents do not know what a student should be getting from an IEP or from regular classroom instruction. I help parents advocate for their child, ensuring they get services they need and deserve. A great feeling when you help those that do not always know what resources are available.

How have you spread the message of your platform/advocacy?
A primary focus of my advocacy attention is on issues regarding military mental health, housing, and food insecurities. Both social media and my social network come into play, but the most important and efficient way to get out the message is to network and to be in the places where people are who need the help and understanding. I join organizations and attend community events, volunteering at food banks, etc., to meet and reach other military spouses and families to help them to understand there is help available. I’m working in collaboration with others across different organizations to consolidate information onto one platform that will allow families in need to access the many different types of services all in a one-stop destination for efficiency in navigating all that the military (and the community) has to offer.

What do you hope to accomplish with the AFI Military Spouse of the Year^® title?
The most important thing will be to support and try to inspire others to know they are making a difference, that every military spouse is important, has personal value, and is not simply in the shadow of the person serving. They needn’t be seen merely as a reflection or, as in decades past, the support person at home, but as someone who can have their own career, be their own person, follow their own interests. And still, in so doing, they are supporting the mission of the country by association. Just as the person in the military takes the oath to “bear true faith and allegiance to the supporting the [Constitution],” the military spouse supports the same.