Laura Longmire

Share your military spouse story:
Being a military spouse was the last thing I expected, even though I grew up in San Antonio, surrounded by family members who proudly served. I met my husband in the most unexpected way: I was set up with his roommate as a date to Ring Dance at the USAF Academy! I took a friend with me, and by the end of the weekend we had swapped dates, and eventually both married each other's dates. While humorous (and true!), this unexpected scenario taught me a lot about military spouse life. Over the past 23 years, I've learned to pivot, adjust, and be flexible as we grew and moved our family around the country, my husband serving in an official capacity, and our kids and I serving our airmen whenever and wherever possible. I cut my teeth as a military spouse in the early days after 9/11, and learned from mentor spouses that building an in-person community and stepping up when others are struggling is essential. Despite the chaos and turmoil of war, I was blessed with wonderful friendships that have stood the tests of time and distance, because we were willing to show up for one another while our spouses were flying in and out of war zones. I've carried those invaluable lessons of friendship and mentorship with me to each of our assignments, trying to be a voice of encouragement for spouses who feel lost, lonely, or overwhelmed. Whether it was as a command spouse, Key Spouse Mentor (now Support Liaison), or just coming alongside others, I've had the opportunity to get to know so many amazing members of our community, and help guide those who have a heart for being involved with and supporting their spouse's career and unit, so they too can mentor others. Whether it was during the early days of naivete, when I barely understood how the Air Force was organized, or further on in my husband's career when I'd gained wisdom and insight, I've seen the incredible opportunities military spouse life has to offer, and have a heart for helping others find the beauty in the unexpected.

Share an example of your leadership experience within the military community:
Being a military spouse has offered multiple opportunities for me to learn and grow as a leader. As a command spouse and Key Spouse Mentor, I was able to connect with and mentor the spouses of our squadron on a deeper level. From organizing a dual-squadron spouse field day, to helping plan and organize children's and family events for the operations group, welcoming new babies, and coming alongside spouses when they received difficult news, I was able to be stretched in the best way possible. As part of a squadron that had participated in 2-month deployment rotations for over two decades, it was essential to find ways to encourage spouses who were battle-weary themselves. I've also had the opportunity to be a spouse mentor at an AETC Command Course, allowing me to share the wisdom I've gleaned from my experiences with younger spouses who are stepping into leadership roles themselves. I was able to share resources and answer questions for tomorrow's lead spouses.

Describe your involvement in the military community:
Over the past 23 years, I've been privileged to participate in numerous spouse clubs and mentorship roles. As someone who grew up hearing stories about her grandfather flying in the Berlin Airlift, and the incredible strength of my grandmother during those years, I knew from the start how important it is to get involved with the community. One experience as a military spouse has had far more impact on me than any other: volunteering at the USO in Dover, in 2003-04. These were the early days of OIF, and troops were leaving through Dover on a constant rotation. I am incredibly grateful I was able to do something as simple as help feed our Honor Guard after they completed a dignified transfer in the middle of the night. It was a truly poignant moment, and one I will never forget. Getting to talk to and serve our members before they headed to war or escorted a flag-draped coffin was truly life-changing, and gave me a unique perspective on the value of supporting those who serve.

Describe how you support your community:
Currently, I am supporting our base community by advocating for a Spouse Space where military spouses can gather and socialize, study, or telework. Studies show that in-person connection is needed now more than ever, and military spouses are underemployed at a significantly higher rate than civilians. By providing them with a place on-base to get together, it creates a sense of community and safety that is often lacking outside the base gates. I've created a proposal and have been in communication with base leadership, and we are currently looking for a physical location that will meet the needs of our spouse community. I'm also a member of our base housing advocacy group. This allows me to be a bridge between the base housing residents, the base housing representative, and the housing company. Being part of this group allows me to help residents voice concerns about any issues they're dealing with in housing, and insure they are handled in an appropriate and timely manner.

What do you advocate for? Why?
I am an advocate for community and relationship building among military spouses and families. I have experienced the difference it makes when military families feel encouraged, cared for, and included, and when they don't. Our lifestyle is a unique one that can only truly be understood by those who have walked a similar path. When we create a sense of belonging and purpose among military families, we create a stronger military overall. Our warfighters are able to do their jobs well, having confidence that while they may have left their family in a place that's unfamiliar, it can still be called "home". We live in an age where more relationships are cultivated online than in-person, and people are considered more connected than ever. However, so many of our younger spouses feel extremely disconnected and are actively seeking ways to be involved. When we create opportunities for authentic connections, we create a sense of purpose and empowerment that can't be replaced by technology.

How have you spread the message of your platform/advocacy?
Because encouraging other spouses is so important to me, I take every chance I get to mentor spouses to show up when and where they can, with confidence. I know from experience that being involved allows us to have understanding and empathy for others' struggles and needs. Additionally, I take every opportunity I can to share the military spouse message. For example, I was a guest on the podcast The Daily Hostess. We discussed the value of gathering people and creating community on base, finding and creating joy in the unexpected moments, and showing up for one another even when it's hard. I've also had the opportunity to be interviewed for an article in Chesapeake Family Magazine. I was able to talk about how our family has survived holiday deployments and tips for other military families in the same situation. I also shared ways for others to come alongside those facing such a deployment to offer encouragement, thus creating a sense of belonging even during times of separation.

What do you hope to accomplish with the AFI Military Spouse of the Year^® title?
If I were the AFI Military Spouse of the Year, I would seek to build connectedness within the military spouse community. By advocating for Spouse Spaces to be the norm rather than the exception, my hope is that there would be an unparalleled sense of belonging among military spouses, no matter where they go. Creating these spaces is one way in which the military can evolve its morale-based services to meet the needs of the current generation. I would seek to be a source of light and encouragement to other spouses who desire to participate in events, but for whatever reason have been made to feel like they don't belong or fit in. We know that military spouses and families are the backbone of those who serve. As we face uncertain times, every military spouse should feel like they have the resources to grow in strength and resiliency, and every service member should be able to serve with the confidence that those they're leaving behind are in good hands.