Krisanne Colgrove

Share your military spouse story:
I’ve been a military spouse for ten years, moving across five bases. Our journey began long-distance, then marriage, and soon after a move to England. Thrilled yet terrified, I left my job, dog, and familiar life. Employment was tough, but I received a job at the base Child Development Center, then DoDEA, following my passion for teaching. Fast forward expecting our first baby, we moved to Mississippi. 2020 were received an assignment in Italy amid COVID-19, navigating quarantines and 6 months in temporary lodging, where our first baby celebrated his first birthday. Life abroad is beautiful yet isolating, deployments, illness, and a child's needs tested us. In Germany, I carved space for myself through volunteering with the PTA and my husband’s Key Support Liaison team. Through service, I reclaimed my identity, nurtured my passions, and learned being a military spouse is not just sacrifice, it’s growth, with a path to thrive not just survive.

Describe any leadership positions or provide an overview of your leadership contributions within the military community.
I have had the joy of serving the military community through my roles with the Ramstein Elementary School PTA and the 1 CBCS Air Force Commander’s Key Support Liaison (KSL) team. Through the PTA, I help organize events, support programs, and bring families together so everyone feels welcomed and connected. As a KSL, I enjoy supporting and encouraging fellow spouses by sharing resources, offering a listening ear, and walking alongside them through deployments, moves, and the ups and downs of military life. These roles allow me to lead with heart building connections, strengthening community, and reminding families they are never alone. My leadership is rooted in kindness, service, and a genuine desire to support others wherever I can.

What programs or projects are you currently involved in that support the needs of military families?
Through my involvement with the Ramstein Elementary School PTA, I am currently planning Month of the Military Child (MOMC) recognition activities and Read Across America initiatives. These efforts are designed to celebrate military-connected children, foster a love of reading, and increase literacy engagement across the school community. I also support fundraising efforts that benefit PTA and school activities, helping create meaningful experiences for students and families. In my role as a Key Support Liaison (KSL), I am currently supporting spouses and families through an active deployment by providing resources, encouragement, and a steady point of contact. I also enjoy mentoring other spouses who are new to the KSL team, helping them feel confident and supported as they step into their roles. These efforts focus on connection, compassion, while supporting military families in ways that bring people together.

What moments best reflect your impact on building inclusive community among military spouses?
Some of the moments that best reflect my impact on building an inclusive community among military spouses are often the quiet, meaningful ones. Welcoming a new spouse and families at school or unit event, checking in with someone during a deployment, or connecting a family to resources they didn’t know existed, my focus is on making people feel seen, supported, and included. Through my time with the PTA and as a Key Support Liaison, I’ve helped create spaces where spouses feel comfortable asking questions, sharing experiences, and building friendships regardless of rank, background, or how long they’ve been part of the military community. Mentoring new KSLs and supporting families through challenging transitions has reinforced my belief that inclusion starts with kindness, consistency, and showing up. These moments, big and small, remind me that community is built when everyone feels they belong.

Identify your main advocacy effort and describe your personal connection to the cause.
My primary advocacy effort is supporting military families stationed overseas. Having lived abroad with my own family for the majority of my marriage, I understand the unique challenges that come with being far from extended family, familiar systems, and cultural norms, often during times of heightened stress such as deployments, global crises, and what seems like never ending transitions. My personal experiences navigating milspouse life, raising young children far from home, asking strangers to be emergency contacts and building community in unfamiliar environments have shaped my commitment to advocating for connection, access to resources, and inclusive support networks for overseas military families. Through my work with the PTA and as a Key Support Liaison, I help families feel informed, supported, and less isolated, ensuring they know they are not alone no matter how far from home they may be.

Summarize your advocacy outreach strategies, including any events, media involvement, or other communication efforts.
When it comes to advocacy outreach, honestly I have no formal strategies and I am more of just following my heart and instincts. I focus on being present, listening, and responding to the current and changing needs of our community. Through my work with the PTA and as a Key Support Liaison, this means connecting with families personally, offering support when they need it, and creating opportunities for community connection and engagement as they naturally arise. While I may not follow a strict “how-to” guide, this approach has allowed me to build authentic relationships, foster trust, and create meaningful support networks. I have planned and executed family connection info sessions to bring base wide resources to squadron family fun activities. Planned and executed a cheer trolly for DoDEA teachers during the recent government shut down to brighten their day, remind them they are seen and appreciated for everything thing they do for our community.

What do you hope to accomplish with the AFI Military Spouse of the Year^® title?
More than recognition, this title would allow me to inspire others to serve their communities, mentor new and veteran military spouses, and grow networks that strengthen resilience and belonging across our military family community. My goal is to make every military spouse and family feel seen, valued, and encouraged to embrace their own leadership and advocacy. If honored with the AFI Military Spouse of the Year title, I hope to amplify my efforts to support and connect military families with each other and supports. I want to use this platform to shine a light on the unique challenges and triumphs of military life, advocate for accessible resources, and create opportunities for spouses to feel empowered, supported, and included and maybe so someday my boys will look back and want to do "some cool stuff like Mom".