Jewel Tyler

Share your military spouse story:
My spouse and I met later in my late 20s – as such I had completed my undergrad, owned a home, and had a career prior to our relationship. I knew little about the very real challenges of military life and was absolutely not prepared for the reality of those challenges. I at first was confident that my life would not be profoundly impacted by my spouses’ military career and was naively optimistic about the opportunity of seeing more of the world. I did not however, fully understand the impacts this lifestyle would have on my employment and the profound risk of isolation. We married one month into COVID and PCS’d a short 3 months later. I was forced to leave my employer while millions were also being laid off and businesses shut down – the first time in my life I had ever sought unemployment assistance. Due to strict base and state/local regulations, social gatherings were strictly prohibited. Isolation was an understatement. Unable to secure employment, my spouse and I made the decision for me to use all of my unemployment to go back to school to secure my MBA. Through his steadfast support and encouragement, I was able to complete my studies in just shy of 6 months. It took me no less than 500 job applications to secure a job after graduation. The challenges in obtaining meaningful work inspired me to volunteer my time as a co-lead for the Military Spouse Professional Network (MSPN) during out time at Cannon AFB After a relocation to Nellis, I recall messaging the leader of a local cookbook book club asking to join an event one night, admitting I had nothing to contribute. I cried in a parking lot to that same club organizer at the end of that event – expressing my sincere gratitude for welcoming me albeit having nothing to give. Her kindness and grace towards a complete stranger has stuck with me to this day and is the inspiration and motivation for my efforts in leading the Military Spouse Book Club (MSBC) – Nellis AFB | Creech AFB that I lead today.

Share an example of your leadership experience within the military community:
As a founder and program lead of Military Spouse Book Club, I led the merger of three different spouse book clubs across Southern NV and increased event attendance 600% YoY while doubling the frequency of events we hold. In 2024, I collaborated with three local authors to hold author Q&A/signings, I collaborated with booster clubs and nonprofits to purchase and donate over 30 books to military spouses, and secured free reader event admission for our members. Additionally, I identify and work with club members to leverage their interests and strengths and I give club members a platform to partner in efforts to enhance the club and provide valuable volunteer work experience. I have created space for members of the club to contribute to ideation and thought partnership, planning/hosting events and scouting/securing event locations, distributing marketing materials as a commitment to our partnership with other organizations, and designing and producing MSBC branded materials.

Describe your involvement in the military community:
I recognized early on that military spouses like myself face unique challenges and frequent relocations, isolation, and other demands unique to military lifestyle. These challenges can and do leave spouses yearning for connection and community. Through my work with MSBC I have created a space where the military community can come together, share their thoughts and experiences, celebrate their wins, mourn their sadness, and build lasting friendships. Beyond encouraging the reading of two books per month every month, the club meets twice per month – giving spouses and service members an outlet and space to step away from the demands of the military and to connect and bond with others in their community.

Describe how you support your community:
I have tirelessly sought to enhance the member experience and make this community one that is inclusive and has little to no cost or barrier to entry . I share resources with our members on how to sign up for library cards and how to access electronic library materials through apps like Libby. In the last year I have made hundreds of calls to base and local resources seeking partnership opportunities and funding for books for our members. Outside of partnerships with non-profits and other groups, MSBC is entirely self-funded by myself, my spouse, and the donations and/or volunteer efforts of members in our club. While we have been successful in partnering with many local organizations, we have also heard ‘NO’ from more organizations that I can even begin to count. Regardless, I will not hesitate to use my own funds from my full-time employment to purchase books for our club - MSBC supplied well over 100 books to military spouses and service members in 2024.

What do you advocate for? Why?
Having experienced feelings of isolation myself as a spouse after and as a product of relocation, I am highly motivated to dedicate both my time and excess income to efforts that encourage and support spouses both in their community and professionally. When stationed at Cannon AFB, I served as a co-lead for the Military Spouse Professional Network (MSPN), aimed at meeting each spouse and participant where they are in their professional journey and providing mentorship, career development resources, and encouragement. Some of these spouses I still connect with today and have shared their career journeys and successes with me even years later. Now at Nellis AFB, I have founded and grown MSBC, serving active duty and retired military service-members and spouses across Southern Nevada. My mission and vision is to promote personal and family resiliency through reading, access to community and support, and partnerships with base resources, non-profits, and authors.

How have you spread the message of your platform/advocacy?
In my efforts as a program lead and organizer of MSBC, I am responsible for various outreach efforts to include recruiting new members and growing our community via social media, driving collaboration and partnership efforts with local and national non-profits authors & event coordinators, regular communications/marketing of upcoming events to our internal and active members.

What do you hope to accomplish with the AFI Military Spouse of the Year^® title?
My passion for providing the space and opportunities for spouses to support one another, growing their connections with their community, and combating isolation – whether that be in their personal/social life, professional life, is deeply and intrinsically rooted in my own personal experiences as a spouse. In receiving the AFI Military Spouse of the Year title, I hope to continue to grow the efforts of the community I’ve built, give more credence and legitimacy to grass-roots efforts such as my own, and to give me the platform to advocate for more support and partnership from national organizations in support of self-funded and organized communities and groups that are providing tangible and real support to military spouses and service members alike.