Katelyn DeSplinter

Share your military spouse story:
I grew up in a military community. Something my mom instilled in me at a young age was to "leave it better than you found it". She meant that about every aspect of life and she set a clear example as to what that meant. In regard to military spouse life that meant being there for other military spouses and their children at any given moment and volunteering countless hours. She was my example for what this life is supposed to look like, and I couldn't have asked for a better role model. Therefore, when I married my husband, I knew what I needed and wanted to do. I wanted to leave a positive mark on whatever I was involved with. I was the SFRG advisor for my husband's company at my first duty station with him, and I like to think I made a positive impact. When we PCSd to Fort Johnson (formally Polk) I joined the Spouses' and Community Club board where I was the scholarship chairperson. Our second year, 2023, I became the President of the Fort Johnson Spouses' and Community Club. This last year has been difficult to say the least. We had to rebuild the club and I couldn't have done that without my amazing friends and fellow board members. We fought hard and are still fighting hard to ensure the survival of this club. The club can do so much good for the spouses at Fort Johnson and the surrounding area. Since the beginning of the club countless lifelong friendships have been made, community support has been given, thousands of dollars in scholarships and grants given, and much more. Thats why it is important to me to keep fighting for The Fort Johnson Spouses' and Community Club and it's why I'm trying to leave better than I found it.

Share an example of your leadership experience within the military community:
Currently, I am the president of the Fort Johnson Spouses' and Community Club (FJSCC). With the title of President, you inherit a lot of responsibility. FJSCC was on the verge of dissolving when I became president. Through perseverance, networking, and support from my board members we prevailed and are starting to see the fruits of our labor. It has not been a smooth process and there have been disagreements along the way. I feel that I kept a professional and diplomatic attitude when problems arose.

Describe your involvement in the military community:
I have been a part of the military community for a long time. As a child I remember volunteering with my mom at events. My favorite events were always the Christmas parties. When I was younger, I would help my mom pick out toys to donate and as a teenager my high school jazz band played a set every year. As a spouse I have been to many ceremonies and events to show support for my husband and other soldiers. I was the SFRG advisor for my husband's company when he had command and I have been heavily involved with the spouses' club at our current duty station. With the club I was the scholarship chairperson my first year and I am now the president. With the club I have logged over 285 volunteer hours within the last year. This involves awarding scholarships, working at ODYD, donating items to help first responders, social media for the club, networking, and more. However, I would not have been able to do any of this without the support and encouragement of my board members.

Describe how you support your community:
I support my community by building up others. I try my best to be encouraging and kind to everyone I encounter. I believe the world would be a better place if everyone said one kind thing a day. My goal in life is to change the world. That used to weigh heavily on me until I realized that you could change the world for somebody. The best way to do that is to show kindness and encouragement.

What do you advocate for? Why?
I advocate for inclusiveness and mental health. I want every spouse to feel included no matter their gender, race, religion, etc. We all need to take care of each other because you never know when you may need to lean on each other. We are all away from our families and often away from our service member. Mental health is very important to me as well. Unfortunately, I have lost too many friends and have struggled with certain aspects myself. I think it is important to take care of our mental health and I want to erase the stigma around it.

How have you spread the message of your platform/advocacy?
I have spread the message of my passion by face-to-face communication and social media. I and other board members of the spouses' club are always trying to bring spouses together by holding sub club events, commenting on posts, and sharing local events on our page. As for breaking the mental health stigma I am open to talking to others about my experiences and often share resources to those that need them through face-to-face or electronic communication. The key to sharing this is networking. Which helps spread resources further and brings the community closer together.

What do you hope to accomplish with the AFI Military Spouse of the Year^® title?
If I would the AFI Military Spouse of the year title I would hope to bring more Fort Johnson spouses together and raise the importance of mental health awareness.