Chycaria Perna

Share your military spouse story:
I grew up as a military brat and later became a military spouse, so this life has always been part of my story. But what shaped me most wasn’t the moves or the schedules. It was learning how easily a woman can lose herself when she’s always adapting, supporting, and holding things together. Military life taught me resilience, but it also taught me how often women are expected to be strong without being seen. I went through seasons where I didn’t recognize myself anymore. I had to relearn who I was beneath roles, expectations, and survival mode. That journey back to myself changed everything. It taught me that strength doesn’t come from self-sacrifice alone. It comes from self-connection. From knowing who you are no matter what life asks of you. Today, I use my story to remind other women that they are more than the roles they carry. That they are whole, worthy, and powerful simply because they exist.

Describe any leadership positions or provide an overview of your leadership contributions within the military community.
I volunteered with NMCRS for four years after moving here, serving in multiple roles including Level II Caseworker, Communications Lead, and facilitator for the Budget for Baby workshop. In these positions, I supported military families through financial education, direct assistance, and community connection, often during times of transition or uncertainty. As I grew my photography business, I continued serving the military community by providing headshots and images for NMCRS New River, local spotlights, and military spouses re-entering the workforce. I have also donated my services to aligned causes. While my work is not exclusively military-focused, more than half of my clients are military-affiliated. My leadership shows up through service, empowerment, and creating safe spaces where women can be fully themselves. I mentor both formally and informally, guiding women through transitions and helping them reconnect with their confidence and inner strength.

What programs or projects are you currently involved in that support the needs of military families?
I currently support military families through ongoing, values-based service rather than formal programs. I regularly donate my time through photography and mentoring when I feel called to, often quietly and without public recognition. This includes offering sessions to military-affiliated families, providing guidance during personal or career shifts, and creating spaces where women feel seen, safe, and supported. While my work is not exclusively military-focused, many of the women in my communities are military-affiliated because of my own connection to the military. I recently had a military spouse participate in my Unleashing HER program, and I consistently share content, resources, and mentorship centered on confidence, identity, and navigating seasons of change. My work meets people where they are and supports them emotionally, creatively, and personally.

What moments best reflect your impact on building inclusive community among military spouses?
The moments that best reflect my impact on building inclusive community come from the way women show up and connect within my spaces. Both in person and online, military spouses have shared that they feel seen, safe, and less alone because of the environments I create. Friendships have formed, collaborations have emerged, and women actively support and encourage one another inside my communities. I intentionally remove hierarchy, comparison, and status from my spaces. Everyone is valued as they are, not for a role, rank, or label. As both a military brat and now a military spouse, I understand how isolating this life can feel. I have held space for women through divorce, new motherhood, pregnancy, marriage, identity loss, and personal reinvention. My work centers on belonging, emotional safety, and self-expression. I also adapt my mentoring and photography experiences to each individual, ensuring every woman feels included, supported, and met where she is.

Identify your main advocacy effort and describe your personal connection to the cause.
My main advocacy is helping women, especially military spouses, reconnect with who they are beneath roles, titles, and expectations. I focus on emotional well-being, confidence, and resilience because I’ve seen how easily women can lose themselves in seasons of service, relocation, deployments, and constant adjustment. I have personal experience with this both as a military brat and now as a military spouse. Military life often requires you to step up, hold everything together, and put others first. Over time, that pressure can quietly replace your sense of self with your sense of duty. I believe that when women are deeply connected to who they are, they move through life grounded, capable, and resilient. I advocate for seeing military spouses not only as supporters, but as whole, multifaceted individuals who bring strength, creativity, and leadership to their families and communities. That's why I create spaces, programs and experiences that center identity, belonging, and self-trust.

Summarize your advocacy outreach strategies, including any events, media involvement, or other communication efforts.
My advocacy outreach is community-based and relationship-driven. I primarily engage through my Facebook communities and personal profile, where I share content centered on confidence, identity, and resilience. I use photography as an empowerment and storytelling tool, helping women reconnect with themselves and see their strength. My programs, such as Unleashing HER, create supportive spaces where women connect, uplift one another, and often invite others through word of mouth. I have participated in panels and will be hosting my first in-person retreat this October.

What do you hope to accomplish with the AFI Military Spouse of the Year^® title?
If selected, I would use the AFI Military Spouse of the Year® title to amplify the emotional and human side of military life that often goes unseen. My goal would be to advocate for military spouses as whole individuals, not just supporters behind the scenes. I would use this platform to highlight the importance of identity, emotional resilience, and self-connection, especially during seasons of change. I want to help normalize conversations around isolation, self-loss, and reinvention, while also celebrating the strength, creativity, and leadership military spouses bring to their families and communities. Through storytelling, community-building, and accessible spaces for connection, I hope to help spouses feel less alone, more seen, and more grounded in who they are. My intention would be to use this title not just as recognition, but as a catalyst for deeper belonging, empowerment, and long-term impact.