Marie Burleson

Share your military spouse story:
I have been a military spouse for 20 years now. Together we have been through 4 major deployments and 3 stateside activations. Through this time we have managed to pay off all our debt, buy 3 homes and land, work full time civilian jobs, lead, have a family and be active in the SFRG. We both have been able to accomplish our educational goals with each others help. Being married into the military has thought me to be resilient in all aspects of life from home to work to family and beyond. Together we have faced all these things and it has only made us stronger as a family and as individuals.

Describe any leadership positions or provide an overview of your leadership contributions within the military community.
I currently serve as the SFRG Leader for my husband’s company. They have many you g soldiers that have never deployed before so I work closely with their families to ensure a strong line of communication and help make the transition during a deployment as smooth possible.

What programs or projects are you currently involved in that support the needs of military families?
In past years I have served as the SFRG Secretary and helped organize family days and dining out weekends for soldiers and their spouses or significant others.

What moments best reflect your impact on building inclusive community among military spouses?
There are not a lot of community support groups where we currently live.

Identify your main advocacy effort and describe your personal connection to the cause.
I advocate to not forget the men and women that are deployed. I strongly feel that our society has forgotten how important is to support our men and women all the time and not just when a tragedy happens.

Summarize your advocacy outreach strategies, including any events, media involvement, or other communication efforts.
I wear RED on Fridays, speak publicly about my pride for the military, and remind my children to do the same.

What do you hope to accomplish with the AFI Military Spouse of the Year^® title?
Bringing knowledge to my local community. There seems to not be a lot of support even though we are a small town.