Margaret Stolzoff

Share your military spouse story:
I grew up as a military child, with a father who was a veteran of the First Gulf War and proudly served his country in the Army and as a civilian for over 40 years. My mother was an incredible example of what a military spouse embodies. She taught me how to thrive in new environments, embrace change, encourage others, and build connections. I’ve had the fortune of being an Army spouse for 13 years. My husband and I have experienced deployments and significant time apart, including him missing the birth of our first child because he was deployed to Afghanistan. Moving abroad during the COVID pandemic came with many challenges, such as a personal health crisis, the stress of international relocation, leaving family, friends, and familiarity behind, and raising young daughters abroad without the support or comfort of a familiar community. What most people don’t know about me is that I wasn’t always positive and adventurous. I was diagnosed with a brain clot just two weeks before my family and I were to take the ROTATOR flight to our new duty station. Once we arrived in Germany, I had no desire to leave the house. I was filled with dread, depression, uncertainty, pain, and overwhelming loneliness. My husband told me about his friend's Facebook page "Kaiserslautern Day Tripper". We began taking our family on day trips that were perfectly laid out on their travel page. I gradually felt comfortable traveling farther, which led to international trips with our family. I slowly became more empowered and realized the adventures we were having and the memories we were creating were such a blessing. Eventually, Ollie and Nellie had to PCS. They wanted to keep their travel page going and asked if we would continue running their page. It was an honor that they believed in us, but it was intimidating. With their guidance and support, we’ve now created a valuable, relatable, informative, and free resource for the Kaiserslautern Military Community.

Share an example of your leadership experience within the military community:
* Wounded Warrior Project – Guest Speaker, 2024 * Red Cross Volunteer – Afghanistan Refugee Evacuation Volunteer, 2022 * Red Cross & WWP – Cleaning WWII Veterans’ Headstones in Luxembourg, 2024 * "Travel Tips & Tricks" – Ramstein Air Base Library Guest Speaker, 2023 * "Welcome to Rheinland-Pfalz" Events and Guest Speaker, 2022–2023 * Hike Leader for the "Ramstein Officers Spouses", 2023 * Cover of Military Families Magazine, April 2023 * Guest Writer at Military Families Magazine * FRG Leader, Fort Carson, Colorado Springs, 2012 * Key Spouse, JBER, Alaska, 2014 * FRG Leader, Fort Stewart, Georgia, 2017

Describe your involvement in the military community:
I create spaces for connection, community, and adventure by empowering military service members and their families thrive. I provide free, practical advice and share resources that help families connect with their local community. I have led free events at the Ramstein Air Base Library and worked with local non-profits and newspapers. I have contributed to the Wounded Warrior Project by sharing tailored tips for the wounded warrior community, ensuring accessibility and thoughtful planning for their unique needs. I’ve also gone on air with AFN Kaiserslautern to discuss travel advice for our local military community. I have volunteered with the Red Cross during the Afghanistan Refugee Evacuation and helped clean WWII veterans’ headstones at the Luxembourg American Cemetery. It was also an honor to be featured in Military Families Magazine. Being a guest writer and sharing travel advice for the Kaiserslautern Military Community on a larger platform was incredibly rewarding.

Describe how you support your community:
* I have contributed to the Wounded Warrior Project by sharing tailored tips for the wounded warrior community, ensuring accessibility and thoughtful planning for their unique needs. * I have led free events at the Ramstein Air Base Library. * I have worked with local non-profits * I volunteered with the Red Cross during the 2022 Afghanistan Withdrawal at Rhine Ordinance Barracks and Ramstein Air Base, providing comfort to Afghan families * I led a hike for the "Ramstein Officers Club" in April 2023. * Featured in "Military Families Magazine" and contributed as a guest writer * In places such as the commissary, BX, and airport, we often have individuals approach us. They thank us for our guidance and express gratitude for the support we provide. Moments like these make all the work 100% worth it. Knowing that my family can make a positive impact on the community and truly help individuals and their families when they need it most is what inspires me to keep sharing.

What do you advocate for? Why?
I advocate for empowering military personnel and their families to thrive—not just survive—while navigating military life. Military life often comes with unique stressors, including feelings of isolation, cultural adjustments, and the complexities of living far from family and familiar support systems. I believe every military family deserves the tools, motivation, inspiration, and community they need to embrace this journey and make the most of the opportunities military life offers. Through initiatives that encourage exploration, community building, and connection, I aim to help military families view military life as an opportunity for adventure and growth. By fostering a sense of belonging, comfort, and empowerment, we can create a thriving military community that supports one another, embraces change, rises above obstacles, and makes the most of the extraordinary experiences we have as a military family.

How have you spread the message of your platform/advocacy?
* AFN Kaiserslautern Radio Show * Kaiserslautern Day Tripper page on Facebook and Instagram * Military Families Magazine cover and guest writer * Our family has been featured in local German newspapers * Volunteering with the Wounded Warrior Project * Partnering with Welcome to Rheinland-Pfalz * Partnering with local businesses to connect the military community with the local community

What do you hope to accomplish with the AFI Military Spouse of the Year^® title?
Through this platform, I aim to empower military service members and their families to thrive—not just survive—by exploring their duty stations, building connections with local communities, and finding joy, comfort, and unique opportunities in military life. My goal is to bridge cultural gaps, foster connections, and provide free and accessible resources to make transitions smoother and adventures more accessible. I want to expand programs to ensure all incoming families feel immediately supported, create more opportunities for community-building, and advocate for accessible travel solutions for our warriors and their families. The title of Military Spouse of the Year would allow me to reach more families, share more resources, and elevate the voices of military members, spouses, and local community members who work tirelessly to strengthen the bonds between our military and local communities.