Diana Smith

Share your military spouse story:
My military journey started when I met my spouse during college. He had just completed BM-A school and was arriving at his first duty station. Throughout my college career, we dated, providing me with insights into military life. Following my college graduation, my husband proposed, initiating wedding planning and a PCS. We relocated to Duluth, MN in 2008. This was my first experience with deployments and duty rotations in a confined environment. I quickly grasped the importance of building a military community and effective communication. Our first child was born in Minnesota, highlighting the gaps in resources for parents within the military context. This knowledge accompanied us to our next duty station in Greenville, MS, where resource accessibility was even more restricted. Our second child was born there, prompting me to advocate more ardently for my family's needs. In Greenville, I honed my skills in advocating for resources, in the military world as well as personally. Raising a Jewish family held great significance for us. Now with a young family, we sought a place that would accommodate our religious needs as well as our career goals. We were thrilled when we received orders to Virginia, facilitating our family's integration into a vibrant Jewish community. This journey has underscored the importance of advocacy, communication, and strategic planning in navigating the unique challenges of military life while prioritizing our family's cultural and religious values. When I was asked to be the Ombudsman for my husbands unit in 2020, I immediately jumped at the opportunity to be a resource and liaison, something I had lacked in so many of the previous units we had been a part of. I found that it also brought my husband and me closer together as I was able to better understand his world from a different perspective. Having been in this military life for twenty years now, I feel compelled to share what I've learned and serving others brings me so much joy.

Share an example of your leadership experience within the military community:
As a leader, I've embraced this value since my college days as the president of my sorority. Following graduation, I became a national sorority consultant. Balancing this with being a military spouse added complexity, as we navigated PCS moves, including one to northern Minnesota. These challenges emphasized the need for flexibility and proactive communication. Serving as an ombudsman for a Coast Guard unit in Virginia during the COVID-19 pandemic underscored the vital role of clear communication for mission readiness. Currently I'm an ombudsman for three units, driven by a passion for supporting military families. In 2021, I took on a leadership role at the Armed Services YMCA, establishing a pioneering PreK program for military kids in Hampton Roads. Leading this effort, I've not only provided education but also created valuable resources, earning recognition as a Purple Star School. My leadership journey reflects a commitment to service, adaptability, and community engagement.

Describe your involvement in the military community:
My military community involvement began as a spouse and evolving into roles as an ombudsman and teacher/staff member supporting military families. Actively engaging in monthly ombudsman calls and collaborating with command leadership ensures I meet unit needs. As an ombudsman, my weekly work provides crucial resources to units. Contributing to a lactation room project and sending encouragement notes from my PreK class to Navy ships abroad showcase my diverse initiatives. As a lead teacher in a military family-focused school, I prioritize educational and holistic support. In my role as lead teacher in a school that services military families, I strive to create a holistic approach to supporting children and their parents. Collaborating with organizations like PEATC and participating in the Ready Region Southeast strategic planning meetings further underscores my commitment to the childcare needs of military families in my area. These roles keep me attuned to military family needs.

Describe how you support your community:
My military community involvement began as a spouse, attending unit functions and base events in the various places we lived. It evolved into roles as an ombudsman and teacher/staff member supporting military families. Actively engaging in monthly ombudsman calls and collaborating with command leadership ensures I meet unit needs as well as volunteering at base events and assisting when asked. As an ombudsman, my proactive weekly work provides crucial resources, exemplified by coordinating gifts for 105 deployed members over holidays. Contributing to a lactation room project and sending encouragement notes from my PreK class to Navy ships abroad showcase my diverse initiatives. As a lead teacher in a military family-focused school, I prioritize educational and holistic support. Collaborating with organizations like PEATC and achieving Purple Star School status highlights my commitment. These roles keep me attuned to military family needs, enabling varied and impactful support.

What do you advocate for? Why?
I am a passionate advocate focusing on education and empowering parents in the military to champion the needs of their children. I firmly believe that every child deserves access to affordable, high-quality education. Given the frequent relocations experienced by military families, I advocate for consistent and supportive educational environments, recognizing that a solid educational foundation is essential for a successful future. Emphasizing the diverse needs of students, I advocate for resources that assist those with behavioral and learning challenges, ensuring every child has the opportunity to excel academically and emotionally. My advocacy revolves around fostering educational environments that embrace diversity, encourage individuality, and instill crucial life skills such as self-regulation and school readiness. My "why" is the belief that if individuals and families are willing to serve our country, the nation should reciprocate by offering necessary support and resources.

How have you spread the message of your platform/advocacy?
I spread information by developing and disseminating resources through the Armed Services YMCA of Hampton Roads facility. Essential materials are made available for families to borrow. Additionally, I share crucial resources through newsletters and on various social media platforms within multiple groups I engage with. Active involvement extends to attending base events across the area and participating in unit meetings within the Coast Guard and Navy community. I actively participate in surveys and strategic planning meetings that involve educators in early childhood programming within our region. This engagement allows me to contribute to shaping educational initiatives and programs, aligning them with the unique needs of military families and students. By actively participating in these initiatives, I strive to bridge the gap between military life challenges and education, ensuring that families and students receive the support and resources they require.

What do you hope to accomplish with the AFI Military Spouse of the Year^® title?
I am committed to raising awareness about the educational obstacles encountered by the military community. Additionally, I aim to leverage this platform as a powerful means of advocating for increased state and federal funding, with a particular focus on early childhood education. I hope it can help bring more resources and support to local communities highlighting educational and behavioral health needs of our military communities. Concurrently, my objective is to enhance understanding within the military community regarding the distinctive needs of military families and personnel, fostering improved command comprehension and teamwork. It is my fervent hope that these efforts will serve as inspiration for others to engage in volunteerism, assume roles such as ombudsmen or Family Readiness Group (FRG) board members, and empower themselves to effectively advocate for the well-being of their own families and communities.