Brittany Bauman

Share your military spouse story:
I was told for years that my job was the homefront. As a young, newly minted military spouse I took this to heart, trying to work wherever we landed, always hiding that I was a military spouse, for fear that it would cost me the job. Nothing was ever permanent (or well-paying). Then something shifted - I realized it's not either/or, it's and. I can support my husband’s career AND grow my own. I went back to school and landed a job where my company knew I was a military spouse from day one. It was life-changing. Never one for breaks, I completed my MBA and earned my PMP while navigating 2 PCS moves, a deployment, countless TDYs, and working full-time. I am now in a role that directly supports and elevates military spouses professionally. Aside from being a wife and mom, supporting fellow military spouses is what brings me the most joy. Beyond my professional work, I serve as a Key Support Liaison in my husband’s unit and serve as PTO vice president, because community matters, too.

Describe any leadership positions or provide an overview of your leadership contributions within the military community.
Professionally, I lead initiatives that help military spouses build real, portable careers. I work directly with military spouses to help them recognize that the skills they use every day, including positive leadership, strategic problem solving, and maintaining stability through constant change, are exactly what employers look for in project managers. I also identify and elevate no-cost training and certification programs that remove the financial barrier to professional development and make career growth possible, even during the busiest seasons of military life. I build partnerships with large organizations to create military spouse-focused events that strengthen networks, build community, and connect attendees with professional opportunities. Through national speaking engagements and community events, I highlight military spouses as an educated, capable talent pool and challenge the outdated belief that spouses cannot build meaningful careers.

What programs or projects are you currently involved in that support the needs of military families?
I am currently involved in several efforts that support military families, with a strong focus on military spouse career mobility and employment outcomes. I identify and showcase programs that provide no-cost training and certification opportunities, then help spouses understand the steps, eligibility, and how to follow through successfully. Additionally, I work with large organizations (for example, Leidos) to deliver spouse-focused events that strengthen networks, build community, and connect spouses to professional opportunities. I engage directly with spouses to help them translate lived leadership, change navigation, and problem solving into project management capabilities employers recognize and value. Finally, I serve as a Key Support Liaison, providing trusted communication and resource connection for spouses and families, especially during TDYs, deployments, and major transitions.

What moments best reflect your impact on building inclusive community among military spouses?
My passion is helping military spouses turn the leadership they have built through military life into careers with staying power. I support our community up close through one-on-one and group engagement, helping spouses put language to their experience, align it to project management roles, and pick a clear next step. I also use speaking opportunities and online outreach to spotlight spouse talent for employers and point spouses to credible career resources. Beyond helping spouses on an individual level, I support overarching military spouse employment efforts. I rebuilt my organization's MyCAA offering from the ground up to ensure all eligible spouses can pursue the full range of PMI certifications without the financial burden. I also work with external organizations to host military spouse-centered engagement that encourages connection, reduces isolation, and leads to professional opportunities for military spouses stationed across the world.

Identify your main advocacy effort and describe your personal connection to the cause.
My main advocacy effort is supporting military spouses who want to pursue professional careers, helping employers recognize the competitive advantage military spouses bring, and advocating for programs that remove barriers to military spouse employment. My connection comes from experience. Like many spouses, I pieced together jobs wherever we landed and kept the “military spouse” part of my life quiet because it felt like a liability. For years, I believed I had to choose between fully supporting my service member and building a career of my own. After a decade of prioritizing my husband’s career, I realized I did not have to choose. That realization drives what I do today. I support spouses through mentorship and program development, helping them translate their unique experience into clear, employer-ready skills. In parallel, I work with organizations to recognize and elevate military spouses by reinforcing the capability, adaptability, and value they bring to the workforce.

Summarize your advocacy outreach strategies, including any events, media involvement, or other communication efforts.
I keep my outreach simple: be easy to reach, respond like a real person, and give spouses something they can actually use. Most of my day-to-day advocacy happens where spouses already are, social media, email, and phone calls that turn “I do not know where to start” into a clear next step. I also show up publicly through fireside chats, speaking engagements, and panels, where I share resources, elevate military spouse talent, and help spouses put words to their leadership in a way employers recognize. These conversations give spouses a real story to connect to, so they can see what is possible and feel less alone in the process. In parallel, I work directly with community partners and companies to create spouse-centered engagement that builds connection, strengthens networks, and leads to real opportunities. Across all of it, my goal is the same: keep the message honest, practical, and true to what spouses are navigating.

What do you hope to accomplish with the AFI Military Spouse of the Year^® title?
With the AFI Military Spouse of the Year title, I want to use the platform to drive one outcome: helping reduce military spouse underemployment by connecting spouses to the right resources and real career opportunities. I would focus on three things. First, amplify practical, no-cost training and professional certification options and make them easier to navigate, so spouses can take action quickly. Second, strengthen the business case for military spouses as a talent solution by helping spouses translate their experience into language organizations recognize, and by advocating for spouse-friendly practices that actually work. Third, build more connection points where spouses can see what is possible, grow their networks, and feel supported through transitions. Ultimately, I would use the title to propel the military spouse employment conversation forward, moving from awareness to outcomes, and helping more spouses build meaningful careers with stability, growth, and purpose.