Regina Klovstad

Share your military spouse story:
My military spouse story started with mutual loss, support and a profound friendship. I met my husband through friends and after a tragic loss of one of our shared close friends, we supported each other and became best friends. Through that bond we realized, this was it for us! Josh proposed to me at sunset on Valentine's Day, cliche to most but it is one of my favorite holidays and nothing beats the view of a southwestern sunset. We had big plans for a regular wedding but fell on PCS orders so we decided to elope at a rose garden with our closest friends and family. PCS'ing overseas on a whim is not for the weak, especially while we were navigating the complexities of becoming a blended family. Step-parenting can be a challenge in itself already but I felt we faced the challenges hand in hand and with grace. Overseas proved another set of challenges as we faced a loss while trying to conceive a child and had to navigate the emotional struggles while being away from family. Once back in the states, we welcomed our final puzzle piece to our beautiful, blended family, a son born at the height of the 2020 pandemic a couple weeks after my husband had left for deployment. No worries for us though, thanks to SKYPE and an amazing birthing team, my husband was "fully present" for the birth. We are now stationed in Fort Sill, Oklahoma. New friendships, keeping up with old friendships, new responsibilities, and new adventures.

Describe any leadership positions or provide an overview of your leadership contributions within the military community.
I been in many various SFRG roles throughout my time as a military spouse. Overseas I was co-leader and the editor of our newsletter. When we returned stateside filled the role as a key caller and funds manager, then was asked to become the SFRG leader before my husband deployed in 2020. I took this on during a busy time in my life as I had just given birth via my 3rd csection. I kept contact, as I knew many people were struggling with the pandemic and social distance. Before Josh returned, I enlisted the help of another spouse, a devoted mother of one of the soldiers, my hometown community and tons of friends and family to make their homecoming special. We made about a hundred tote bags with their battery logo that contained self care items, pens, snacks/drinks, and of course: toilet paper. I attended the Spouse Leadership Development Course given by the NCO Leadership Center of Excellence. I also have a certificate of completion from Echelon Front from the Women in Leadership course

What programs or projects are you currently involved in that support the needs of military families?
Currently at Fort Sill, I am the Fitness & Health sub club leader for the Fort Sill Patriot Spouse's Club. It's a bit slow going but I am hopeful to rebuild it into something that can provide spouses opportunities to learn about all the fitness avenues our local community can provide for us. Though not a member of the SFRG anymore, I've become more of an advisor, I still regularly make time to get involved and volunteer where I can in my husbands current unit. The last few months, I have started a "Welcoming" packet for baby's born to soldiers in our battalion. It comes with an official framed certificate, a onesie and a personalized note. This is very near and dear to me as I want both parents to feel recognized and it show families that we recognize all accomplishments. Family is such a cornerstone of the military family. I truly believe in making sure that spouses feel included in their soldier's journey. This helps builds a foundation of support, love, and understanding for all.

What moments best reflect your impact on building inclusive community among military spouses?
Big moments for me are not measured by logged hours volunteering. To me, showing face and being "on the ground" with people, in the moment, is what makes an impact. When spouses who have sought out my help or guidance in the past, come in contact with me years later and tell me how I helped, supported or taught them something valuable in their journey, that hits me and makes taking that time and effort worth it. As someone who wears her heart on her sleeve and believes in transparency, I always strive to put my true self forward when I meet people. I feel like this trait is invaluable in this community to build strong bonds and build lasting, quality friendships. Bringing this energy and passing it along to others helps them feel comfortable when it comes to socializing, seeking help, speaking out, and building that strong, military spouse resiliency. Everyone should seek to empower one another in this community.

Identify your main advocacy effort and describe your personal connection to the cause.
I am very passionate about building a strong, supportive community among spouses. While our soldiers build their own bonds through their careers and experiences, we should seek to build our own. Three years ago, I took proactive steps for my mental and physical health and embarked on a transformative fitness journey. It was a tough journey due to several auto-immune disorders but through it all, I learned discipline and resilience. I also learned about having the right people in my corner, an amazing group of friends that cheer for me even when I don't think I can hear it. This has given me a passion to empower other spouses that may face similar struggles daily, whether it be mental or physical. I am currently pursuing a certification in personal training because I believe in accessible, low to no cost, supportive fitness communities that can not only build physical strength but foster meaningful connections to build mental and emotional strength in times of need i.e. deployments, etc

Summarize your advocacy outreach strategies, including any events, media involvement, or other communication efforts.
Currently, my outreach is through several clubs and groups I am an active part of. I also am a big fan of conversation, so whenever I can, I am somewhere fostering connections and friendships with spouses from all walks of life. Becoming more active with the community at our current duty station is my goal for this year. Besides being a part of the base spouses club, running the Fitness & Health Sub Club, enjoying game nights with another sub club, our command spouse monthly meet ups, meeting monthly for our battalion briefings, I've also joined a historical fiction book club with a great group of women. I host weekly workouts with friends to talk and meet our fitness goals, all while our kids get to play. I am currently in the process to be a Red Cross volunteer through remote work. Another big goal this year is to become more active on social media about military life, mental health, motherhood, health struggles and fitness tips. Spouses need to know they aren't alone in any struggle

What do you hope to accomplish with the AFI Military Spouse of the Year^® title?
Though I am about 12 years into my journey as a military spouse, I really want this year to be the year I share my voice. I have had an amazing life with my husband but this didn't come without our pasts, our shared experiences and our struggles. People need to hear all aspects of military life, not just the good. You can't learn and move past issues if you don't have guidance or support. Though, always remember we SHOULD revel in the good. We have about 2.5 years left here at Fort Sill and I know a lot of spouses feel like they lack support and sometimes even fear reaching out to make friends. I want to be able to build this spouse community even further before we leave and show them that people are here for them. There are many avenues people forget that interest others and I'd also like to build some kind of community for those things. This is coming from a heavily tattooed, roller derby alumni, sometimes it can be hard to find your people but I promise you, they are out there!