Brittney Filion

Share your military spouse story:
Hi! I'm Brittney Filion! I've been married to my Coast Guardsman for 13 years, together a total of 15 years, and we've had one heck of a ride! We met in Savannah, GA, dated, got married, and transferred to Traverse City, Michigan 6 months later. I was a southerner navigating the coldest air station in the Continental US. I got laughed at quite a bit! Little did I know I'd get a taste of Kodiak, Alaska later on! We have been stationed in Savannah, GA, Traverse City, MI, Elizabeth City, NC, Atlantic City, NJ, Kodiak, AK, and currently in Mobile, AL. I am a Realtor with Keller Williams in Mobile and I pride myself in helping every single Coastie family that chooses me with buying or selling their home. I know the stress they are going through, and I do everything in my power to make their PCS experience as smooth as possible! I am a proud mom to 2 little boys, Charlie and Jackson (ages 7 and 3) and they are the light of my life! When I'm not running around chasing the boys or working, I currently serve as President of the Coast Guard Mobile Area Spouses' Club. Myself along with my board, manage 66 amazing, beautiful, talented, smart, funny, and brilliant women who have inspired me to be a better version of myself every day. While I was stationed in Kodiak, AK, I suffered from anxiety and even a little depression. We were already isolated on an island 6000 miles away from family, and then Covid hit our nation. I was pregnant, and I had to isolate myself for months to be safe. I will never forget that feeling. I decided that when we moved to Mobile, I was going to make it my personal mission to make sure every spouse I knew never felt that kind of isolation. Community is everything! Being President of the Spouses' Club has been such an honor. I give 110% of my time and resources to pour everything I have into making sure each spouse feels loved, included, and valued. Our mission statement is Friendship, Community, Service, and Support. We live this daily!

Share an example of your leadership experience within the military community:
As President of the Coast Guard Mobile Area Spouses' Club, I am the liaison between the Spouses' Club and Command. I attend morale meetings, meet with the Command Master Chief, help organize morale events, and create agendas for monthly club socials and monthly board meetings. I also help organize community service projects within the Mobile community. Our club socials are typically held on base and each event must be carefully planned and executed for success. All of it is volunteer based, and there are times I have pulled 12 hour days, but it is all worth it when I see the smiles and hear the laughter from the spouses around me.

Describe your involvement in the military community:
My entire life has been intertwined within the military community. I was an Air Force Brat from the time I was born until I was 20 years old. I grew up on Gunter Air Force Base in Montgomery, AL and witnessed my dad receive NCO of the year, as well as him getting orders to the Pentagon my senior year of high school. Talk about hard! Moving my senior year was no easy feat, but it did make me who I am today. Marrying into the Coast Guard seemed like I was going home in a sense. I remember smiling when I got my ID card again! At each Coast Guard station, I've made it my personal mission to be at every event I could go to, support new families that come in, get to know my fellow spouses, and give back to each community. When my husband would fly on search and rescue missions, there were times I wouldn't hear from him for days. It's much easier to deal with that kind of fear when you have a support system around you. Embracing the military community always gave me much needed strength.

Describe how you support your community:
I have always been passionate about community service. When I became President of the Spouses' Club, I wanted to grow the club and take it to new heights. This year has been the first year the club has joined forces with Sector Mobile, attended their morale meetings, and assisted with their morale events. In the past, the club only attended morale events/meetings at the Aviation Training Center. This was huge for us! I wanted to see aviation spouses and boat spouses come together like never before. For the first time, we had the CO of both the Aviation base and Sector speak at our welcome club meeting! We have volunteered at 2 food pantries, a 5k run for breast cancer awareness, and currently working on our next service project for the Mobile Humane Society. We have had guest speakers come and offer employment opportunities, as well as leadership roles. The club has tripled in size this year, and I believe it is due to our continued efforts in inclusivity and serving others.

What do you advocate for? Why?
I advocate for the silent ranks. The military spouses who go through so much that those in the civilian world couldn't possibly understand. Studies show military spouses are nearly double the general population to experience anxiety and depression. Spouses have to leave everything they know (family, friends, career, church, etc.) and navigate a brand new place over and over again. Feeling isolated during deployments, being the primary caretaker of children, and putting career dreams on hold, all while being away from extended family can truly be overwhelming. I want all military spouses to know one important thing: It's ok to talk about it and you are not alone! There is no one else that understands you better than your fellow military spouse. Whether you join a spouses' club, enjoy a playgroup with your kids and other spouses, or join a small group if you attend a church, it's important to understand how connection can truly make a world of difference.

How have you spread the message of your platform/advocacy?
I began my role as President of the Spouses' Club by attending a luncheon for an Admiral and 2 US Senators (Senator Katie Britt (R-AL) and Lisa Murkowski R-AK) at the Coast Guard Aviation Training Center in Mobile. Myself and a few fellow spouses discussed the 1% decrease in funding for homeland security and how that affects our families; housing issues; lack of career choices for spouses, and the shutdown of 2019 that left our servicemen and women without paychecks. Speaking with those that have the power to make positive changes to our livelihood felt empowering. I began our club welcome meeting with a speech focused on overcoming mental health struggles through community and connection. I shared the unfortunate statistics about anxiety and depression that plague military spouses, and the ways we can work together to combat it. Since that speech, I've worked hard to promote our club's mission on social media, community service events, and through simply being a voice for others.

What do you hope to accomplish with the AFI Military Spouse of the Year^® title?
I want to speak for my fellow spouses who don't feel they have a voice. I want them to know they are not alone and that someone is willing to discuss the hard truths that others won't when it comes to being married to a someone who serves this nation. We need to be able to stand up and say, "this is hard" without the fear of judgment or guilt. When we come together, we have the power to make changes to circumstances that need to be changed. We have the power to make a difference in not only our military communities, but our civilian communities as well. If we work together, not only can we overcome anxiety, depression, and other mental health issues, but we can help others overcome theirs. We can create a culture of inclusivity, empowerment, and hope for our spouses by telling our stories. We are all in this together! As Military Spouse of the Year, I will continue in my mission to advocate for the silent ranks.