Kayla LaFond

Share your military spouse story:
I am a Navy spouse of almost 10 years and met my sailor when we were in college. My indoctrination to the military spouse world was not smooth nor easy. I received an information packed overview which lasted two hours. However, I could only remember the Fleet and Family Support Center (FFSC) in which they provided me with a base map and this thing called an LES that I was told to keep an eye on regarding pay. At our first duty station, I struggled to find full-time employment and my teaching license partially transferred to Virginia. I went into our next duty station with hopes of a positive change but found myself underemployed and alone due to my husband’s deployment within the first month of the move. Things changed when I finally asked for help and met someone from FFSC. They took the time to provide resume insight and provided me with all the resources I had been missing in the first three years. The San Diego FFSC took a chance and offered me a job within Transition and Family Employment. I knew I didn’t want another spouse to struggle to find fulfilling employment or not utilize the free resources that were at their fingertips. Since then, I brought the knowledge I obtained from employment at FFSC in both San Diego and Virginia and now serve as the Virginia Military Spouse Liaison under the Virginia Department of Veterans Services. My work advocating for military spouses has taught me a lot about the ever-changing military life cycle of each branch. This provided me with a different perspective on how to service the needs of our diverse community of spouses. Virginia has a lot more to offer for our spouse community. Ultimately, an informed and supported spouse can positively affect mission readiness, the transition of the service member to Veteran, and a supported Veteran.

Share an example of your leadership experience within the military community:
As the Virginia Military Spouse Liaison, I was fortunate to lead two Regional Military Spouse Liaisons. Together, we showcased the programs and our work towards meaningful legislation for the betterment of all military spouses in the Commonwealth of Virginia. Teamwork is important to me as a leader because it illustrates how our collaborative efforts changed the dialogue of military spouses. Through my work and desire to learn, I was selected in 2023 to participate in the Military Spouse Leadership Development Program (MSLDP) with the Military Spouse Advisory Network. It is an honor to learn the dynamics of effective leadership and provided me with techniques to help others when it comes to conflict resolution and communication.

Describe your involvement in the military community:
As the Virginia Military Spouse Liaison, I spearheaded Virginia in recognizing the month of August as Hidden Heroes Month in partnership with the Elizabeth Dole Foundation. Hidden Heroes Month is focused on bringing resources to our military/Veteran caregivers and recognize the sacrifices they make to give the service member/Veteran the care they need. Aside from my current professional role, I am a board member of military spouse club attached to Naval Station Norfolk and serve as the Public Affairs Officer (PAO). As PAO, I assist with promoting events the group hosts and mentor board members on achieving success in their role on the board. I volunteer with the local Navy CORE chapter to plan and execute successful events hosted. Navy CORE focuses on bringing community and education to our Navy military spouses to help them thrive, not just survive.

Describe how you support your community:
It’s important to me to make sure all types of military spouses are represented in any new Virginia legislation proposed and help change the laws that may exclude our demographic. If laws were inclusive, there wouldn’t be spouses without benefits they have rightfully earned. To make a change, I listen and learn from other’s experiences that I have not had the opportunity to learn during my spouse’s military career. I’ve had the unique opportunity to learn from other military branches, caregivers, survivors, and Veteran spouses. This is one of the ways I help give military spouses a voice or provide a starting point for us to make changes together.

What do you advocate for? Why?
I advocate for all military spouses across the Commonwealth of Virginia, regardless of their sponsor status to include surviving spouses and caregivers. We must see the military spouse unemployment rate lowered which can only be achieved by sharing our stories and seeing solutions executed. Virginia has a rich military history, and a dense population, with all the military branches represented. This is the perfect place to start making the right changes for our military families to get the support they need. I want to make sure every spouse knows the benefits and resources to help them make educated decisions for their families. No family should struggle as they navigate through military life.

How have you spread the message of your platform/advocacy?
In my professional role, I have spoken with news media and presented at the Association of Defense Communities Installation Innovation Forum. I’ve presented at various military installations, regional Military Affairs Councils, and naval commands about the work I do for the Virginia Department of Veterans Services and to uphold the mission to make Virginia the best state for our military spouses. In addition to the public speaking engagements, I created the first military spouse newsletter for my organization and an employment resource guide for military spouses that lists all local, regional, state, and national resources that are all free of charge for various the types of military spouses.

What do you hope to accomplish with the AFI Military Spouse of the Year^® title?
With the AFI Military Spouse of the Year title, I want to raise awareness of my position within Virginia in hopes that other states will follow suit. This is a crucial role that can assist with changes across the country for all our military-connected families. This will also enhance the significance of our combined voices to create positive change regardless of where the spouse lives. I will continue to share my story with other military spouses in hopes of empowering others to not be afraid to ask for help. Sometimes it's when we ask for help, that we learn something new about ourselves that can lead to something amazing.