Ashley Clark. We are currently in Brussels, Belgium on our 14th assignment, which is are 15th home in 18 years. I am the mother of three. Since arriving in June, I have started a group at our local DoDEA school for all of our international families and organizing an international showcase event, which took place in May. I am also actively working with the soldiers and military spouses under my husband’s direction to build resiliency for themselves and their families. Our current assignment often leaves both the soldiers and their spouses feeling isolated. I try to schedule monthly activities for all to get out, see the area, have fun and strengthen connections between one another. In fact, we recently went as a large group to play laser tag and had a wonderful time! I am mentoring and advising spouses on military life, as well as helping them to be proactive in making positive changes for themselves and within the community. I am working with another spouse to organize a military spouse appreciation event for our entire community (Garrison and NATO military members). This is a large undertaking and I don’t think it has ever been done before, nor have I done something like this, but I see a big need to thank our spouses for what they do and how they support not only their own soldier, but the community and each other. Additionally, I hope to attend MRT training as soon as I have been approved funding to go TDY and accomplish this! From here, I want to spread my wings even further and find more and more that I can do to empower and benefit our community.
Amber Taylor. I am an advocate at the Interior Alaska Center for Non-Violent Living. I advocate for and assist clients who have experienced domestic violence, sexual assault, stalking and other violent crimes. I am currently in their campus office at the University of Alaska, Fairbanks. Right now is a critical time in our community for outreach and understanding. In the past six months there have been eight deaths (murder/suicides) that were domestic violence-related. The community needs healing and that is part of the work I am actively involved in as well. I think a lot of the time, military families don’t always consider the communities they live in. Instead of asking what the community can offer us, we should be focusing on what we can offer the community and how we can contribute to make it a better place for everyone.
Leslie Brians. Working hard on InDependent with fellow Army SOYs Michele Bradfield and Evie Ann King. It’s a nonprofit that connects military spouses to health and wellness resources. We also host the annual Military Spouse Wellness Summit. Michele and I also have our own separate businesses, hers focusing on marketing and copyrighting, mine on branding for small business, individuals and nonprofits (Leslie Brians Design).
Katherine Lee Govette. I prosecute felonies and misdemeanors in southern Colorado. I work to serve victims of all types of crimes, with the help of victim advocates and law enforcement officers. As a military spouse attorney, I have been helping the Military Spouse J.D. Network in their efforts to achieve special military spouse attorney law licenses in every state! Kansas adopted a military spouse law license in September of 2016, which was a big deal for me as I hail from Kansas and our small team of military spouse attorneys in Kansas had worked hard for years to help those stationed at Fort Riley, Fort Leavenworth and McConnell AFB. On March 14, 2017, I attended the bill signing for military spouse attorney law licensure in Michigan, which received bipartisan support as well as support from the Michigan Supreme Court.
