Brittany Contreras

Share your military spouse story:
My journey as a military spouse began two years into my Marine Corps career when I met my husband. We deployed to Fallujah in 2004, supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom, which forged a bond that would define our lives. Shortly after, we married and started raising our family. Twenty years later, we’ve navigated countless deployments, moves, and life changes while building a life full of purpose, growth, and resilience. Together, we earned degrees, professional licensures, and achieved many milestones while balancing military life’s unique demands. The challenges of deployments, relocations, and the emotional toll of service have shaped us, but our commitment to each other and our family has carried us through. Raising our three children in this dynamic environment has instilled in them the values of resilience, adaptability, and service, lessons they’ll carry for life. Today, I’m a mental health counselor supporting service members and their families. This work is close to my heart because I understand the challenges military families face. I also hold several community roles, collaborating to create programs that strengthen military families’ resilience. Whether through mental health support or combating isolation, I’m passionate about equipping military families with resources to thrive. The strength of the military community has been a lifeline. It’s a community that understands the highs and lows of this life, and the shared experiences have been invaluable. Through every deployment and move, I’ve learned that we don’t just survive, we thrive, supported by each other. This journey has shaped me and fueled my drive to advocate for military families’ well-being. My story is one of resilience, determination, and the unwavering belief that community is key to thriving in adversity.

Share an example of your leadership experience within the military community:
My leadership style focuses on empowering others, recognizing strengths, and fostering connections. I bring others to the table to expand ideas, knowing diverse perspectives lead to better outcomes. While stationed in Okinawa, Japan, I enhanced a spouse peer support network during COVID-19 isolation, organizing virtual and in-person meetings for spouses to share resources. By identifying strengths, such as fitness or mental health support, I connected individuals, building a strong community. We invited guest speakers to cover various topics, increasing access to support. As the program grew, spouses took ownership, offering emotional support and organizing social events. This taught me that leadership in the military spouse community is about recognizing strengths, empowering others, and fostering connections. I’ve continued this approach in my current role, creating monthly spouse groups based on trends, ensuring spouses receive support while building a stronger community.

Describe your involvement in the military community:
Throughout my journey, I’ve adapted my volunteer and professional roles to meet the needs of my family and the military community. I’ve served as a team mom, youth sports coach, and PTA member to create positive environments for military children and strengthen connections between families and schools. I’ve provided childcare during deployments, volunteered for suicide prevention initiatives, and worked with the Navy Marine Corps Relief Society. I have also provided professional and financial counseling to military families to help navigate career challenges and develop financial literacy. Additionally, I was involved with Stroller Warriors to help build social connections for military spouses and families. In my current role as a mental health counselor, I support military families in building resiliency skills and accessing essential resources. I also volunteer at the USO, supporting spouse groups and family meetups.

Describe how you support your community:
I consider myself a jack of all trades due to my diverse professional and personal experiences. This versatility allows me to connect with others at spouse events, offering valuable input and linking them to resources that support their success. I take pride in providing mentorship and guidance, helping the new generation of military spouses navigate challenges and build resilience. My ability to draw from a wide range of experiences enables me to offer unique perspectives and foster a sense of community, ensuring that military spouses feel supported and empowered. I accomplish this by not only spearheading such events, but engaging participants, listening to their needs, linking them resources and maintaining the relationships along the way.

What do you advocate for? Why?
I advocate for the holistic well-being of military spouses and families because I understand the unique challenges of military life. Military life can be incredibly hard, and the toll on families is significant. I believe that fostering resilience through support services and strengthening available resources can build a more resilient force and improve overall well-being. Throughout my journey, I’ve adapted to each new duty station, taking on roles that support the well-being of military families. Whether through mental health support, financial counseling, or building community connections, my passion for advocating for military families has grown. These efforts have played a key role in my own family’s success. It takes a multifaceted approach to thrive in military life, and by focusing on the mental, emotional, and practical well-being of families, we can better equip them to succeed personally and professionally.

How have you spread the message of your platform/advocacy?
I’ve advocated for the military spouse community through a variety of channels, including public speaking at workplace events, spouse gatherings, and volunteer functions. I engage with command functions to improve support for military families and utilize social media to amplify awareness, foster connections, and share resources. Beyond these formal efforts, I focus on building personal relationships, offering guidance and support through one-on-one conversations, mentorship, and listening to the unique challenges each individual faces. By genuinely connecting with others, I aim to make a meaningful difference in their lives. My approach ensures that military families feel heard, supported, and empowered to thrive despite the challenges of military life.

What do you hope to accomplish with the AFI Military Spouse of the Year^® title?
I aim to build stronger relationships and create a unified approach to resilience for military spouses and families. When I first joined the military community, resource utilization was a point of pride, but over time, I’ve seen a shift in awareness and reluctance to seek out available programs. This change is concerning, as these resources have greatly impacted my success, and many are led by military spouses who understand our challenges. I’ve seen a gap between the increased need for resources and decreased use of services, highlighting the need for a more proactive, inclusive approach. As the needs of our forces evolve, support systems must adapt to ensure military families have optimized resources to foster resilience. I also aim to encourage a culture of help-seeking over avoidance, promoting the idea that it’s not just about surviving military life, but thriving. Through these efforts, I hope to strengthen the overall well-being of military families nationwide.