Gwendolyn Goode

Share your military spouse story:
I am a U.S. Army spouse to CSM Brian Goode of 30 years of the 32 he has been serving the U.S. Army. I am a mother of two daughters, Brielle 28 and BriAnn 26, who is serving in the United States Air Force for the past 3 years and is stationed at Ramstein Air Force Base Germany. I have endured now 5 deployments, 2 being OCONUS, during his service where I had to be the sole parent of 3 girls all while continuing to work fulltime for an employer and no family assistance. Even though my family didn't live near, I was very appreciative to be working for a company that is pro work-life balance. They understood when I had to be off or leave to care for my daughters in their extracurricular activities, whether it was for school or church. During his second deployment which was OCONOS to Kosovo for a year, we lost our oldest child who was 16 at the time in a tragic car accident. I had to be a mother to two young girls that didn't understand the loss of losing a sister. All the while I continued working full time, attending college and sought therapy to assist with my mental health. I still maintained my focus on being support for him and his troops all while maintaining the home front.

Share an example of your leadership experience within the military community:
I have supported each unit my husband became a Senior Leader in since 2007, by being a part of the Family Readiness Group. During that time, I arranged toy donations from local businesses to provide Toys for Troops during Christmas time for military children. I single handedly solicited from my employer and coordinated care packages for Christmas and multiple times throughout his deployments boosting morale and welfare of the troops and their families.

Describe your involvement in the military community:
I joined the Family Readiness Group as a volunteer, to assist military spouses on how to cope with military life. By sharing my story, I have been able to gain the confidence of soldier's spouses in all of my husband's previous units.

Describe how you support your community:
As a First Horizon employee for my company of 26 years, I serve as Military co-chair where we go out into the community to local high schools and shared with them about the different benefits of joining the military and what we as spouses do throughout the community with our program.

What do you advocate for? Why?
I advocate for the benefits of active military soldiers and their families, especially during deployment. I further, advocate for veterans who have served and not receiving their proper compensation for their service. Why? I feel as though if they have served their country honorably, their country should now serve them and not minimize their service by not awarding them their just deserts.

How have you spread the message of your platform/advocacy?
I have not engaged media platforms. However, I have expressed my concerns to the Veterans Affairs local Administration. I also, have addressed the current groups that I am associated with in hopes, that someone will get the proper platforms to address our concerns even if it is not me.

What do you hope to accomplish with the AFI Military Spouse of the Year^® title?
I hope to become a bigger voice and advocate for our soldiers and airmen who cannot express their concerns due to their current service to our country. They must be diplomatic and politically correct in how they approach certain situations and issues. As an advocate, and looking from the outside in, I can see things from a different lens and be able to address them without concerns of reprisal.