Cydnee Wardle

Share your military spouse story:
My story starts when I was on spring break from college and I was walking on the beach on Camp Pendleton (I have family that is military), I run into this Marine who asks if we need help picking up seashells, I went back to school finished up that semester then moved to California that summer and never looked back. After back to back deployments to the middle east and having a baby while my husband was deployed we got the exciting news of my husband going MECEP (enlisted to officer), we jetted off to Michigan where he got his degree, GO BLUE! Through the moves and deployments, the spouse groups, the volunteering, the job changes within the marines, AAV to Intel, to Air Intel, to Intel Officer, really kept us on our toes and we have moved 7 times and had the pleasure of being stationed at Camp Pendleton, Miramar, Michigan, Quantico, MCAS Beaufort and now my husband is at MacDill with Centcom. With three kids we are always on the go and there is never enough time in the day. I have always had a desire to encourage and empower military spouses, with us always moving, starting over, missing job opportunities, schooling, and not being close to family and friends the need to connect and have a positive experience is where I fell in line with "Live like a local, connecting Military families quicker" This concept is to help military families get plugged into the local spots around the duty station, I am also a local realtor that believes in service over sales and supporting the military family in whatever option best works for their family, whether thats base housing, renting or buying. Being a PCS Pay it Forward Ambassador I have had the opportunity to serve 100's of military families. I also wanted to empower military spouses and veteran owned businesses by doing headshots and branding photos for these spouses, with constant change and moves, I know how hard it is to keep up with those things within your business and what better way then to refresh, connect and empower.

Share an example of your leadership experience within the military community:
Leading the Spouse to Spouse networking group, bringing military owned and spouse owned businesses together to collaborate and support each other. I have been involved with multiple spouse groups over the years, got the TBS volunteer group going in 2018 , and a FRA back in California.

Describe your involvement in the military community:
I have been involved with multiple spouse groups over the years, got the TBS volunteer group going in 2018 , and a FRA back in California. PCS Pay it Forward Ambassador for multiple bases.

Describe how you support your community:
Providing housing options, neighborhood profiles, connecting military families with the resources the base has to offer. Running the local Spouse Spouse Networking group, and joining volunteer opportunities at the base. My vendor lists are all military affiliated, I strongly believe in supporting military spouse and veteran business and giving them the opportunities to thrive.

What do you advocate for? Why?
I advocate for Military Spouse owned businesses, It is not easy always having to pick up and start over, I empower and encourage them, I know how hard it is, shoot I run my own personal business in two states as I am not willing to give up what I built, and teaching them and advocating for these spouses is important to me. As a spouse we are continually giving things up to move with our spouse and family, so why not give them the tools and encouragement to not give up on their business.

How have you spread the message of your platform/advocacy?
Social Media, a magazine article, word of mouth.

What do you hope to accomplish with the AFI Military Spouse of the Year^® title?
I hope to utilize it to be able to just encourage and empower these spouses to keep kicking butt at what they're doing and to not give up!