Nelcy Avila

Share your military spouse story:
As a Transition Employment Assistance for Military Spouses (TEAMS) workshop ended, I asked whether I could substitute teach for DoDEA while training as a TAP Facilitator. Guilt answered first. I was newly arrived at Ramstein Air Base, aware other spouses were still seeking work. But reassurance followed. That week, I applied for an Employment Navigator role, interviewed, and received an offer while supervising students on a playground. I chose growth over restraint. Driving home, tears traced a familiar route back to the village where I had grown up as a military child, now returning as an Air Force spouse. My father’s voice echoed: Ganas is all you need. His legacy as a Mexican immigrant and 30-year Army veteran taught me perseverance and purpose. Months later, I began a doctorate in Organizational Leadership on a full scholarship. Today, helping service members navigate transition allows me to give back to the community that once carried me.

Describe any leadership positions or provide an overview of your leadership contributions within the military community.
I serve as the Senior Employment Navigator at Ramstein Air Base through the Employment Navigator and Partnership Program (ENPP). I provide vocational counseling to transitioning service members and spouses, helping them navigate the process of finding meaningful employment. I work with Ramstein’s Military Family and Readiness Center (MF&RC) and high school teachers to prepare seniors for interviews and support workshops on dressing for success and networking. I volunteer as the Education Advocate for the Military Spouse Advocacy Network (MSAN), supporting military spouses worldwide. Each week, I blog about competitive fellowships, scholarships, study abroad programs, skill training opportunities, and flexible degree options, helping spouses secure external funding to pursue their educational goals at no cost. I schedule live office hours to discuss academic progress, address setbacks, and help spouses navigate accommodations, temporary leave for relocations, or maternal leave.

What programs or projects are you currently involved in that support the needs of military families?
Each year, approximately 200,000 service members prepare to leave the military and attend Transition Assistance Program (TAP) workshops to gain information, tools, and training to support their post-military goals (Hundrup, 2024). I work to combat veteran and military spouse unemployment and underemployment with Ramstein’s MF&RC and USO Transition Specialist. Each day, I listen to clients’ post-military goals and help translate their skills into civilian careers. Since February of 2025, I have assisted over 70 clients in securing job offers with defense contractors in Germany and the U.S., and in fields ranging from education and business management to IT, human resources, and electrician apprenticeships. Outside of work, I partner with MSAN to publish a Scholarship Search course, a step-by-step guide designed to list military-affiliated scholarships. Since its publication in October 2025, 40 military spouses have completed the course.

What moments best reflect your impact on building inclusive community among military spouses?
The moments that best reflect my impact on building an inclusive military spouse community begin with listening. Overseas, I intentionally converse with spouses navigating barriers tied to citizenship, language, caregiving, or transition. At a local job fair, I met a foreign-born spouse fluent in four languages who felt stalled by limited employment options as a non-U.S. citizen. After talking through her goals, I encouraged her to enroll in the Onward to Opportunity program. Weeks later, she shared that she had begun a business management certification in human resources. Another defining moment came while supporting a retiring Air Force member overseas who was simultaneously adapting to life as a military spouse. Together, we developed his professional brand, and months later he secured employment with a defense contractor. That same care guided my advocacy for a foreign-born spouse in rural Kansas seeking academic accommodations while raising young children.

Identify your main advocacy effort and describe your personal connection to the cause.
My primary advocacy effort centers on helping military-connected individuals navigate higher education, scholarships, fellowships, study abroad, and employment opportunities. My personal connection began as a first-generation Latina applying for college while stationed in Wiesbaden, Germany, as an Army dependent. Education was foundational in my family, where knowledge was seen as something no one could take away. Guided by my Colombian mother, I learned to seek external funding within our military community. Together, we identified local scholarships, and at senior awards night I learned I had received the most funding among my peers, covering my first semester of college. That experience shaped my belief that preparation, adaptability, and creativity can transform rejection into redirection. This philosophy guides my current work for transitioning service members and spouses, where I help them recognize that a trusted member of their network is committed to their success.

Summarize your advocacy outreach strategies, including any events, media involvement, or other communication efforts.
My primary advocacy outreach strategies include sending personalized check-in messages to spouses through LinkedIn, the Military Spouse Advocacy Network, and community events. I support local hiring fairs by providing interview preparation and have represented the ENPP at the largest annual Hiring Our Heroes job fair at Ramstein Air Base, with a specific focus on engaging military spouses of transitioning service members. When a service member transitions, a military spouse’s employment needs are frequently overlooked. The strength of my outreach lies in one-on-one conversations with spouses I meet at Military Family and Readiness Center (MF&RC) workshops, where I connect them to local on-base resources and share employment-focused job sites. Even during breaks at MF&RC-hosted workshops, I intentionally engage with participants at their tables to listen to their story and learn about their career and vocational goals as they support their service member’s journey.

What do you hope to accomplish with the AFI Military Spouse of the Year^® title?
If awarded the AFI Military Spouse of the Year®, I hope to partner with the Air Force Aid Society to develop multimedia materials that promote military spouse education, including videos and interviews to inspire degree completion. As a current Merit Scholarship recipient and doctoral student, I aim to provide access to scholarships, fellowships, grants, and guidance for writing compelling applications. I also plan to expand outreach through Ramstein’s Military Family and Readiness Center, offering resume reviews and employment guidance for DoD contractors, GS positions, and NAF roles overseas. Additionally, I hope to collaborate with Ramstein Air Base’s 86th Force Support Squadron and the USO Transition Program to host networking events, social hours, and informational workshops focused on license reciprocity and virtual employment, ensuring spouses have the tools to pursue education and professional growth wherever they are stationed.