Tiffany Kelley

Share your military spouse story:
My journey as a military spouse didn’t begin with anything extraordinary. If I’m being honest, when my husband & I married in 2008, I had no interest in the military spouse life. I was thriving in my career as an insurance agent & had been a single mom for nearly a decade. But within the first year of our marriage, deployment arrived—and it was that deployment that changed our lives in ways I never expected. Just 3 months into his deployment, I underwent surgery. I never engaged with the network of resources available to me. I told myself I didn’t need help—I had it covered. However, complications from the surgery landed me on life support, a message was sent to my husband’s unit overseas. Unfortunately, he couldn’t return & I found myself with no one to advocate for me or my family. My mother flew from Texas to Florida to care for my 10-year-old son, taking guardianship and him back to TX. I fought for seven weeks to recover & eventually, was able to reunite with my child. Four months later, my husband returned from deployment & we had what we now jokingly call the "talk". I told him I was done with military life. I wanted him to separate & we would move back to Texas where I could resume my career & be closer to family. But life had other plans for me, thanks to the incredible spouses at Hurlburt Field. They welcomed me, mentored me & showed me a path I never imagined. I joined the Hurlburt Spouses' Club and, with my newfound time, was appointed as Key Spouse for the 1SO Security Forces Squadron. Those two experiences set me on a new trajectory, one that led me to where I am today—nearly 16 years of serving military spouses and families. My story has had its share of ups and downs, but the most meaningful moments have come from serving others. From holding board positions in the Spouses' Clubs, mentoring as a Key Spouse/KS Mentor, chairing the Navy Ombudsman program, & volunteering within local communities, each duty station has left a lasting imprint on my heart.

Share an example of your leadership experience within the military community:
Over 16 years, I have held several leadership roles across 4 spouses’ clubs & serving as a Key Spouse/ Mentor for 6 squadrons under 11 Commanders. Currently, I serve as President of the Robins Spouses’ Club, where I oversee all social and philanthropic initiatives. My leadership experience includes time at NAS Sigonella Sicily, where I served as both an Ombudsman & a Key Spouse Mentor. I was honored to be elected Ombudsman Assembly Chair leading 14 Ombudsmen, fostering connections & providing crucial support to 6000 Military & family members. Currently, I serve as Operation Homefront Team Captain. Most recently, I’ve led two major events benefiting over 300 families: the Back to School Brigade and Holiday Meals for Military Families. Leading 54 volunteers, we were able to provide over 170 children with free school supplies, alleviating the financial burden. In November, we distributed meals to 173 military families, more than $37,000 of donated food & 150 turkeys from local vendors.

Describe your involvement in the military community:
I tell everyone "I'm a hometown girl, and the Air Force decides where I call home". All that really means is I identify gaps or missing resources that I believe are vital for military spouses & families. I started a deep dive into the culture at Robins AFB & the surrounding communities. My findings were simple - the community was ready to support but no one knew how to connect everyone. I immediately sought approval from the spouses' club for a quarterly grant to ensure Heartlink could be scheduled & lunch could be provided for attendees. I became a staunch advocate through the local community where my efforts were lauded by base & community leadership. I was recognized as the 2024 AFMC Joan Orr Military Spouse of the Year awardee & selected for the Assoc of Defense Communities Mil Spouse Leadership Initiative. I also attend monthly events Chamber of Commerce to build relationships with community partners which has led to partnerships with City of Warner Robins & local civic leaders.

Describe how you support your community:
My platform is built on the principle that "a well-informed spouse is a successful spouse." There is no shortage of resources, programs, & organizations that support military spouses. I’ve had the privilege of volunteering for the most respected & well-established orgs. However, all our efforts fall short if we don’t effectively connect military spouses to the vast network of resources available to them. In 2025, it’s alarming that many service members still withhold critical information from their spouses, excluding them from resources & opportunities. Our community continues to be burdened by outdated regs, which require the service member’s permission for their spouse to be contacted, informed, & properly equipped to navigate this lifestyle. These restrictions feel like remnants of a bygone era—echoes of 1940s gender roles & limitations. We can't hope to advance the well-being of military spouses while these antiquated regs persist, leaving them underserved. It’s time for change.

What do you advocate for? Why?
I'm passionate about connecting spouses to each other, building community inside and outside the fences of the installation. I want spouses to know they do not have to do this life alone. After all, it's heavy sometimes and between careers, kids, spouses careers, PCS'ing, EFMP, it's ALL consuming. I advocate for it because I know firsthand just how life-changing it can be to be entirely disconnected from everything that is available and everyone who is out there willing to help make this life a little better. I have been identified multiple times as a Super Connector in our community. From volunteering within local/installation level orgs to Hiring Our Heroes and Operation Homefront to increase connectivity to resources that expand military spouse employment initiatives and helping families with food insecurity, I advocate for bridging the gap while ensuring spouses and families have the best opportunity to thrive NOT just survive.

How have you spread the message of your platform/advocacy?
I have engaged with local news outlets to bring awareness to various outreach events along with speaking engagements at local Chamber of Commerce and Military Affair committee meetings. I brief at every Heartlink and connect with Family Advocacy to support their efforts for healthy families and ensure these agencies are supported through local community grants. I also serve as a key leadership spouse on our Community Action Team briefing spouse climate and changes in the spouse community that can be addressed the local and installation level. I have been invited to speak at various events in local and state level agencies to discuss military spouse obstacles to employment and lack of childcare options.

What do you hope to accomplish with the AFI Military Spouse of the Year^® title?
Military spouses often tell me, "You can't say that," but what they don’t realize is that if we don’t acknowledge the challenges of this life, no one will understand. We are allowed to say it’s tough, just as much as we should celebrate the highs. My hope is to raise awareness that military life is extraordinary—a journey full of unexpected experiences. To truly thrive, we need to dig deep, connect, belong & engage with opportunities we didn't know existed. As spouses, we are often on the front line, supporting those who serve. It’s our responsibility to ensure we’re equipped to navigate this life effectively. By speaking out & sharing the unfiltered truth, we help each other connect, support & empower one another. It’s a privilege to offer strength to our community through advocacy efforts. Being selected as the AFI Military Spouse of the Year 2025 would be an honor—not just for recognition, but to have a platform to amplify the voices of spouses who feel unheard.