Celestina Ambrose

Share your military spouse story:
I learned that being a military spouse means fighting battles no one sees — and never backing down when it matters most. When orders moved our family from Florida to high-elevation Wyoming, my 18-month-old daughter Milah began to struggle. At age two, doctors diagnosed her with severe central sleep apnea — she stopped breathing 125 times every hour. The cause was the altitude. The solution was simple. The fight was not. For eight months, I became a warrior for my child. I moved her across state lines alone, lived out of suitcases, gathered medical proof, and kept pushing when every door closed. When the system wouldn’t listen, I climbed higher — to doctors, commanders, the Governor’s office, and the Inspector General — until someone finally did. We returned to Florida. Milah is breathing. That fight changed me. Today, I serve by standing guard for military families, building the support I once needed, and proving that love is the strongest force we carry.

Describe any leadership positions or provide an overview of your leadership contributions within the military community.
I lead by building what is missing and standing where families need someone most. As a Key Support Liaison for the 45th Security Forces Squadron, I serve as a bridge between families and leadership, ensuring spouses are informed, connected, and supported during both routine operations and crisis situations. I rebuilt communication systems to reach more families, welcomed new spouses, organized monthly gatherings, and created safe spaces for connection and trust. I founded Hearts on Standby to provide tangible support for military families, including food assistance, holiday meals for those on duty, family wellness events, and emergency outreach. Through partnerships with nonprofits and local organizations, I expanded access to mental, physical, and community wellness programs. My leadership is rooted in action — listening, advocating, and building sustainable systems so families feel seen, supported, and never alone.

What programs or projects are you currently involved in that support the needs of military families?
I am deeply involved in creating consistent, meaningful support for military families across multiple touchpoints of military life. Through Hearts on Standby, I lead programs that provide food pantry assistance, holiday meals for service members on duty, emergency outreach, and family-centered events that reduce isolation and strengthen connection. These efforts meet families’ practical needs while building long-term community. As a Key Support Liaison for the 45th Security Forces Squadron, I support families through structured communication, onboarding of new spouses, crisis support, and ongoing outreach that strengthens trust between families and leadership. I also host monthly spouse gatherings and lead a military spouse Bible study that fosters peer connection and resilience. Through Blue Star Connect Outdoors, I organize wellness-focused outdoor experiences that promote mental health, stress relief, and family bonding, helping families reconnect in healthy, accessible ways.

What moments best reflect your impact on building inclusive community among military spouses?
One of the most meaningful moments in my outreach was when a spouse responded to a message I almost didn’t send. She hadn’t attended events, wasn’t on social media much, and felt forgotten by the system. We met for coffee, and she told me it was the first time anyone had reached out just to ask how she was doing. That connection led her to join gatherings, meet other spouses, and eventually reach out to someone else herself. That is how I build community — one message, one conversation, one open door at a time. As a Key Support Liaison, I focus on reaching spouses who are often missed: night-shift families, new arrivals, parents overwhelmed by transition, and those hesitant to engage. Through Hearts on Standby, I create inclusive programs like food pantry support, family events, and wellness gatherings that remove barriers and stigma. My impact isn’t measured in crowds — it’s measured in spouses who no longer feel alone.

Identify your main advocacy effort and describe your personal connection to the cause.
My main advocacy effort is ensuring military families are heard when systems fail them. This comes from lived experience. When my daughter Milah stopped breathing 125 times an hour due to severe central sleep apnea caused by high altitude, I spent eight months fighting for the military to listen to medical truth. I moved her across state lines alone, gathered evidence, and escalated through leadership, the Governor’s office, and the Inspector General before we were finally allowed to return to Florida — where she now breathes safely. That fight taught me how easily families can be overlooked, and how dangerous silence can be. Today, I advocate for spouses to speak up, ask for help, and trust their instincts. Through Hearts on Standby and my work as a Key Support Liaison, I help families navigate systems, find resources, and feel supported — so no one has to fight alone for what their family needs most.

Summarize your advocacy outreach strategies, including any events, media involvement, or other communication efforts.
My advocacy outreach is built on clear, consistent communication across distinct roles. As a Key Support Liaison, I communicate directly with spouses/families through structured messaging, and in-person meetings to ensure timely, accurate information flows between families and leadership. Separately, through Hearts on Standby, I lead community outreach by promoting family support programs, food assistance, holiday meal delivery, and wellness events through social media, partner networks, and community channels to reach families who may be disconnected or hesitant to engage. In my work with Blue Star Connect Outdoors, I coordinate and communicate outdoor wellness events with nonprofit partners, using digital promotion and grassroots outreach to connect families to stress-relief and connection opportunities. Across all efforts, I use storytelling and consistent messaging to advocate for military spouses and amplify their voices within and beyond the military community.

What do you hope to accomplish with the AFI Military Spouse of the Year^® title?
If selected as AFI Military Spouse of the Year, I hope to use the platform to amplify the voices of military spouses who are often unheard and to strengthen the systems meant to support them. My goal is to elevate real stories, highlight practical solutions, and help spouses feel confident advocating for their families without fear of being dismissed. I would use the title to expand awareness of the everyday challenges military families face, build partnerships that bring tangible resources to bases and communities, and encourage leadership to listen to the lived experiences of spouses. Most importantly, I want to model what is possible when service is met with support — showing spouses that their voice matters, their story has power, and they are not alone. This title would not be an honor I carry alone, but a platform I use to serve others more effectively.