Sarah Copeland

Share your military spouse story:
On a Friday night in October of 2010 in Germany, I met a man in front of a bar - and the rest is history. My husband's first duty station was 20 miles away from my college campus and our paths crossed completely coincidentally, although some may call it fate. He PCSed to Japan in April of 2011, we dated long-distance for a little over a year, got married in 2012 and I packed 2 suitcases and moved halfway across the world to live with him. Leaving everything behind was both the hardest and easiest thing I've ever done, and a very big adventure. I landed in Okinawa on Thanksgiving 2012, knowing nobody but my husband and knowing nothing about the military. While all I cared about in that moment was to live where my husband lived, it quickly became apparent that I needed a community to be part of. I connected with a fellow German spouse in the commissary and was immediately included in a group. When we moved to the US (halfway around the world a second time), it was hard to leave people behind but they had taught me an invaluable lesson: How important it is to connect with people who get it! - And I've been doing that ever since. We've been at Offutt AFB for over 10 years now, had two kids here and consider it our home away from home - and even though only 2 trips my spouse has been on were qualified as deployments he's been "away" from us for over 5 years in total. It was during those times that I experienced the benefit of having a strong support network and being part of support networks for others. Is being a military spouse a challenging life? Sure, but it's also a rewarding one.

Share an example of your leadership experience within the military community:
Throughout my journey as a military spouse, I have found immense joy and purpose in fostering connections and building an inclusive, supportive community. Serving on the executive board of the Offutt Enlisted Spouses Club, both as President and Vice-President, and by being an active member as community-outreach chair and event volunteer throughout the years has been a privilege, allowing me to support and empower fellow spouses. It has been important to me to connect spouses with resources available to them, both through the military and the local community, so everyone can make informed decisions and have avenues for support for various life situations.

Describe your involvement in the military community:
I deeply appreciate the spouse community at Offutt AFB in its openness and willingness to identify issues, brainstorm solutions and implement them. Working with the Offutt Spouses Dining In committee has been an incredible opportunity for me to bring my skills into a setting where we bring people together, celebrate what unites us and create a welcoming, inclusive environment for all spouses of Offutt AFB. Knowing that I have been able to contribute to connections that are formed and communities that are built has been the best reward. Volunteering to support events in various planning positions for the Offutt Enlisted Spouses Club, aiming to connect with base agencies, and other private orgs has shown me just how important community is.

Describe how you support your community:
Volunteering and community building are at the heart of who I am. Whether it's advocating for others, creating spaces for connection, or being physically present to pack boxes, paint a wall, or cook a meal- I believe that when we work together, we can achieve extraordinary things. Being a "foreign" spouse myself, I have a big heart for spouses from all over the world. I have been able to help incoming spouses with obtaining their greencards, attending language classes, providing translation services where possible or connecting people with appropriate channels.

What do you advocate for? Why?
I believe that we all deserve the same access to the same resources and when a language barrier or accessibility barrier I am determined to help find or provide a solution. Whether a spouse has been married to a service member for 15 years or 2 months, we all deserve the same level of support and we all need someone to lean on. Nobody should need to be alone and everyone deserves a seat at the table. I think it's especially important to shine a light on voices that are typically not heard, including "new" spouses, young families, people with non-traditional work hours, and more.

How have you spread the message of your platform/advocacy?
Most of my interactions happen in person, whether it be by attending meetings, volunteering at events or classes, attending coffee connections or community walks. I believe it is in the one-on-one conversations that we build a space for people to feel safe and speak honestly about their struggles. Without that we can't know what is needed in our community and can't advocate appropriately. I support the advocacy of other incredible spouses here at Offutt, and around the globe and often connect with them to exchange ideas, resources and encouragement.

What do you hope to accomplish with the AFI Military Spouse of the Year^® title?
This nomination is a reflection of what military spouses do everyday everywhere, dedication to support and strengthening our community. I am humbled to represent this group of individuals and am grateful for the opportunity to build more connections.