Deana Watson

Share your military spouse story:
I have been a military spouse for over a decade and now serve as the Co-Community leader of the largest military organization in the real estate industry. Every single week we have the honor and privilege of serving and leading over 5000 other military affiliated real estate agents across the country. I know what it’s like to be a story of resilience in raising a child building a business and moving across the country while my husband serves.

Share an example of your leadership experience within the military community:
I am the Co-Leader of the largest military organization in the real estate industry and every single year we raise thousands of dollars for military organizations in place hundreds of wreaths in Arlington all while asking our community to join us.

Describe your involvement in the military community:
Every single day I am involved in the military community both inside of and outside of the military itself. I work with retirees, veterans active duty and spouses to help them build their business businesses beyond their time in the military service.

Describe how you support your community:
Throughout my tenure year as a military spouse, I have done everything from hosting coffee meet ups to build community to helping spouses with mental health while their service member is going through their own struggles. I also built a million dollar business while only hiring military spouses.

What do you advocate for? Why?
I advocate for military spouse, employment, and creating their own identities outside of their service members ranks, and time in service. I believe that the military spouse is one of the most resilient people on earth and if they so choose, also someone who can build massive businesses and create legacies for her family while their spouse serves our country. Many military spouses are not given a chance because of how frequently we move around the country with our service member however, these people are some of the most organized, resilient, gritty, and determined human beings that the workforce has ever seen.

How have you spread the message of your platform/advocacy?
I spread my message every single week through my leadership of the military community at Keller Williams Realty, as well as building businesses, only employing military spouses throughout my time in the business industry.

What do you hope to accomplish with the AFI Military Spouse of the Year^® title?
If I am able to carry the honor of military spouse of the year, I hope to use that title in that position to share the message of the possibilities that are out there for military spouses. I want each and every spouse who is serving alongside their service member to know that they don’t have to forgo their own identity to serve their spouse and our country well. I truly believe that the military spouse should be able to step outside of the shadow of their spouses position in our countries, armed forces and use that story to build a life that they may never have known existed for themselves.