Jeanette Gil

Share your military spouse story:
When most people think about the military life, they think about moving every couple years and constant change, I have not had that typical experience. I have only PCS'd once in fifteen years. When I married my husband he was stationed at Holloman Air Force base in New Mexico. That is where we were married, where all three of our kids were born, and where we called home for eleven years. It might seem like that is the easier scenario, when other families are moving every three to four years, but everyone else is still moving every few years. We stayed but our friends still left. We still had to start over while remaining at the same base and that can be very lonely. When it finally came time for it to be our turn and we received orders to PCS to Ramstein Air base in 2021, I was ecstatic. A new adventure and opportunity for me and my family was so exciting. It was extremely hard to leave the only air force home we had ever known but we have loved our time overseas.

Describe any leadership positions or provide an overview of your leadership contributions within the military community.
While at Holloman Air Force base, I had not heard of any military groups or joined any key spouse groups. For the first year and a half stationed at Ramstein, I enjoyed my time as a stay at home parent. While in New Mexico, I always worked, so I was having a great time being with my kids and having that time with them that I didn't have before but I still wanted to contribute and get involved in the community here some how. I first started volunteering at the USO Warrior Center and helping the wounded, ill, and injured military patrons of Landstuhl Reginal Medical Center. I joined the Ramstein Enlisted Spouses' Association as the Ways n Means Chair, was then voted on as the 1st Vice President and I currently serve as the President of the association. Leading the people of this amazing group and serving the people of the military community stationed here has been one of the most fulfilling and rewarding things I have done as a military spouse.

What programs or projects are you currently involved in that support the needs of military families?
I dedicate my volunteer time to being the president of the Ramstein Enlisted Spouses' Association and to the USO Warrior Center. Through RESA I work with Dodea schools, The USO, and Landstuhl Army Fisher House and help run our RESA Thrift Store. I co-chaired our annual Quartermania Fundraiser which raised funds for the KMC First Sergeant Angel Tree Fund, co-chaired our RESA Lemonade Stand to raise money for our scholarship program. With the USO Warrior Center, I contribute by cooking meals for the service members, baking cupcakes and cookies that are then handed out to the patients of the hospital, and assist with the operations of the center itself.

What moments best reflect your impact on building inclusive community among military spouses?
Now that I have been a military spouse for 16 years and have lived this life for some time now, I truly love this community and the people in it. It is not an easy life to live, so I have made it my current goal to support new spouses that are learning their way and experienced spouses such as myself. Through the Ramstein Enlisted Spouses' Association, I have contributed to creating our socials and activities (Events include Book Club, True Crime & Craft, Bunco Nights, etc.) to be welcoming and inviting to the spouses of our community. I recently started a program called Sip & Support which will focus on providing a space for spouses to come and hang out in an environment that makes them feel supported and to talk and share with spouses that get what they are going through.

Identify your main advocacy effort and describe your personal connection to the cause.
My main advocacy effort would be to provide support and a sense of community to my fellow military spouses. There can be a negative view of spouse groups and my goal is to change that. I work hard to make sure that when people come to anything that RESA puts on that they feel like we are truly happy to have them there, because we are. Going through this lifestyle alone is not sustainable. Mental health for spouses and the active duty members is a huge concern of mine and I will always advocate for those people and do everything I can to make sure they know someone is there for them. It is close to my heart because I have felt those times of being lonely and feeling like there is no one there to ask for help and I will do my best to help as many people as I can to not fee that way.

Summarize your advocacy outreach strategies, including any events, media involvement, or other communication efforts.
I have used RESA to reach a large number of people in our community. Through our different outreach programs we have helped spouses, military children, and the active duty members themselves. Our social media involvement has made it possible to reach members of our community that had not heard of us. For example, for Thanksgiving in 2025 we partnered with a local middle school and created a food drive to help families and single airmen in the dorms, and handed out gift cards to grocery stores as well as providing turkeys and bags full of items to help with making a thanksgiving meal. At any of our events, I take the time to talk with everyone and ask how they are doing, not just for small talk, but to really listen and offer that support in any way I can. No one wants to feel alone and being someone that people can honestly speak to goes a long way.

What do you hope to accomplish with the AFI Military Spouse of the Year^® title?
I hope to continue to change the view of military spousal groups and show the next generation of military spouses how crucial these groups are to the community. I also want to continue to advocate for the mental health of military spouses and show them how important they are and that they are not alone. I hope to show everyone the importance of volunteerism and inspire them to get involved in their local spouse groups or USO centers. The groups I am a part of would not be possible without volunteers. It is important to have those resources available but also to do your part to contribute back to the organizations that have helped you. This is how we grow and how we are able to continue that support for the community and have a lasting impact in the future and for the generations that come after us.