Jennifer Kain

Share your military spouse story:
I am a 16-year Air Force spouse, community connector, and an expert hammock napper. Each season of military life has deepened my passion for supporting military families and strengthening homefront readiness. I met my husband the summer before our senior year of high school at a community service project. We married at 19 during our sophomore year of college, full of dreams and plans. However, balancing full-time work and school became overwhelming, especially as the economy faltered. In 2009, my husband joined the Air National Guard, seeking financial stability and tuition assistance—but what we found was so much more. In the early years, we welcomed two children, and I left college to support our family while my husband pursued his career. Those times were tough—financially and emotionally. I asked for 20 pounds of flour one Christmas because we couldn’t afford much else. The hard work paid off, and he was commissioned as an Active Duty officer. But the transition was challenging—a payroll error left us unpaid for four months while relocating to his training base. Thankfully, our community stepped in, paying our water bill and turning the service back on while my husband was at Officer Training School. Their kindness left an indelible mark on us. We were inspired to foster connection wherever we were stationed. At Cannon AFB, we hosted weekly community dinners to bring people together. During my husband’s pandemic deployment, I supported squadron families to ensure they felt connected despite isolation. I joined a barrier analysis team while OCONUS to advocate for military families and improve readiness. Currently, I manage a pilot program addressing childcare challenges for military families in Florida. Each step of this journey has been fueled by the resilience, compassion, and determination we’ve gained through our military life. And after all this time, I finally returned to school, completing a chapter I once set aside to serve our family and community.

Share an example of your leadership experience within the military community:
2024 has been a season of leadership growth and opportunities. As 1 of 15 spouses from across the DoD selected for the Association of Defense Communities’ Military Spouse Leadership Initiative, I aid in the discussion on the role of military spouses in Great Power Competition and their impact on building lasting solutions within defense communities—both inside and outside the gate. In the spring, I was honored to be selected for the Military Spouse Leadership Development Program through the Military Spouse Advocacy Network, supported by a referral from the USAF Vice Chief of Staff. The knowledge gained through Harvard’s National Preparedness Leadership Initiative certification has strengthened my ability to lead through complex challenges. As Project Manager for Operation Child Care’s HomeFront Help, I play a key role in pioneering innovative solutions for military childcare gaps.

Describe your involvement in the military community:
I have served as a Key Support Liaison under six commanders across two MAJCOMs, both CONUS and OCONUS, supporting military families through deployment support, community connection, morale events, and resource referrals. I was honored as AFSOC's first Key Spouse of the Year, which led to opportunities to speak at the AFSOC Squadron Leadership Course and attend Air University’s Leadership Development Course (LDC), where I became the first spouse to contribute to its capstone project. As Bazaar Chair for the Mildenhall Spouses’ Association Board, I raised funds to support the base community. I was invited to lead a family readiness workgroup within the AFSOC Women’s Initiatives Team, later stepping into the role of lead spouse for the team. I also co-created a wing-level Athena initiative, collaborating with the POTFF team to strengthen OCONUS military family readiness. Just before PCSing, I chaired the UK Key Support Liaison Symposium.

Describe how you support your community:
Bringing people together is my superpower. Military spouses often find themselves far from home and without their usual support networks, making isolation a real challenge. With every new duty station, we have the opportunity to build a community that welcomes and supports one another. As a Key Support Liaison, I prioritized ensuring every spouse felt seen and valued. I counseled teams in developing rosters and tracking touchpoints to ensure no spouse was overlooked. In my barrier analysis work, I contributed to a briefing on inclusivity disparities in the Key Spouse Program, helping shape its rebranding efforts. Connection is the heartbeat of military spouse life—essential for morale and homefront readiness. Whether hosting dinners or organizing morale events, I create spaces for spouses to connect. Beyond the personal level, I advocate for policies, programs, and infrastructure that ensure no military family is left behind—because true community is built at every level.

What do you advocate for? Why?
Some might call my platform Military Family Readiness, but I prefer the term HomeFront Readiness. The care and support of HomeFront are essential to mission efficacy and maintaining our lethal-ready force. HomeFront Readiness isn’t limited to service members with spouses or children; it extends to the total force—Active Duty, Guard, Reserves, DoD civilians, and their families. Every homefront looks different. The needs of a single service member in the dorms differ from those of a single parent on active duty or a family navigating their first OCONUS assignment. Today’s military family is not one-size-fits-all; our support systems must evolve accordingly. As I step into my role with the Operation Child Care Project and HomeFront Help Pilot Program, I have the opportunity to address a critical piece of readiness—ensuring military families have access to safe emergency childcare and support during non-traditional hours.

How have you spread the message of your platform/advocacy?
While I may not have extensive media engagement, my advocacy has been deeply embedded within the DoD, ensuring that military spouse perspectives are heard at all levels. I’ve had the opportunity to brief senior leaders on HomeFront Readiness initiatives, mentor AFSOC leaders in the Squadron Leadership Course, represent Dagger Athena at the USAF DEIA Conference, and lead a session on "Spouses' Ties to Readiness" as part of AFSOC’s barrier analysis work group. Beyond these formal speaking engagements, sometimes impactful advocacy happens in smaller, face-to-face settings where real stories and experiences drive meaningful change. Whether on Zoom calls, in conference rooms, or at roundtable discussions, I engage directly with leaders and support teams to identify HomeFront Readiness roadblocks and strategize solutions. These conversations shift mindsets, helping decision-makers understand the true needs of military families and the critical value of prioritizing their care.

What do you hope to accomplish with the AFI Military Spouse of the Year^® title?
As an AFI Military Spouse of the Year®, I hope to amplify the conversation around HomeFront Readiness, connect with fellow military spouse advocates, and drive meaningful change for military families. This platform will allow me to highlight innovative solutions—like HomeFront Help—that are reimagining support for military spouses and families. By fostering collaboration and bringing awareness to new approaches in readiness and care, I aim to ensure that military families receive the support they need to thrive.