Meet Your 2025 Armed Forces Insurance Military Spouse of the Year®

JAIME BILLERT

Married to: Petty Officer 2nd Class Kyle Billert
Duty Station: USCG District 1 – Sector New York
Years as a Military Spouse: 7

Meet all the 2025 Branch Winners in Military Spouse Magazine Spring Edition.

Share your military spouse story:

The original course I planned for my life changed due to love and military service. During my first teaching position in Illinois in 2016, I met my husband after receiving my Secondary Education Physics degree. The first year of our marriage brought both happiness and serious difficulties because our oldest child received a cancer diagnosis, which tested our faith and resilience as well as our confidence in the Coast Guard family.

Our move to Staten Island in 2019 represented my first PCS experience and my official introduction to military life. Moving away from my home state felt extremely difficult. The small boat unit where my husband worked lacked the established military support systems I found in traditional bases. Our family expanded, and we received an autism diagnosis for one of our children, yet I discovered that the Coast Guard community provided me with the necessary support.

Seven years ago, I wanted to become a teacher and researcher, but my desire to assist others has transformed over time. The core of my motivation now is supporting Coast Guard families through resource assistance and life-work balance while fostering community belonging. The journey of my military spouse’s life embodies transformation and resilience while showing steadfast dedication to our service members.

Share an example of your leadership experience within the military community:

My leadership experience enables me to effectively support and represent our military spouse community. In 2019, I became an active member of the Spouses’ club, fully embracing its mission. Within a year, I stepped into the role of Treasurer, followed by President in 2021 and Vice President in 2022. I have remained an active member by participating in club nominations and executive board voting, continuing to support the club’s mission and spouses looking to uplift our community and military peers.

From 2019 to 2022, I worked as a Certified Family Child Care Provider with the Coast Guard, assisting families with the Child Care Subsidy process and fighting for better support for working parents while I continued my work with the Spouses Club. I lead community enrichment projects, including organizing the Hello Fresh meal kit distribution along with Blue Star Families’ inaugural Dandelion Festival and events like the Housing Santa Parade and Military Family Baby Shower.

I assumed the position of Ombudsman for Sector NY in 2023 due to a recognized need for structured support and then broadened my responsibilities to include Station and MSST NY in 2024. Direct family engagement allows me to resolve their issues while connecting them to helpful resources and presenting their concerns to leaders. With my co-ombudsman, we’ve created a “Guide to New York” to help Coast Guard families adjust to their new surroundings while addressing an essential need for relocation assistance.

Describe your involvement in the military community:

My conviction is that communities become robust through the exchange of knowledge, building connections, and maintaining active participation. My work as an ombudsman has allowed me to attend installation events, such as All-Hands meetings, Morale Team gatherings, Leadership briefings, Coast Guard Day celebrations, and Ombudsman Community of Practice meetings.These spaces allow me to educate Coast Guard leaders and members on the role of an ombudsman, represent a dependent perspective, and ensure communication between the workforce and families.

In addition to working directly with families, I also collaborate with local organizations to improve outreach activities. I team up with community partners to organize an annual Thanksgiving meal event that serves military families. In 2023, we successfully delivered Thanksgiving meals to more than 200 families, helping them feel appreciated and supported throughout the holiday season.

These experiences taught me that transformative change emerges from community-based initiatives. I aim to provide Coast Guard families stationed anywhere with the necessary resources and support for their success.

Describe how you support your community:

The correct information empowers families by creating life-changing opportunities. I remain dedicated to developing accessible resources while ensuring families understand how to find the support they need. I ensure that families can quickly locate and utilize support through the Spouses’ Club, the Ombudsman program, or direct personal outreach.

My primary project involves creating a detailed guidebook for Coast Guard families relocating to New York. Relocating to a new duty station is intimidating and becomes more difficult when you have to learn your way around a city like New York. The guide delivers vital details about housing options, school systems, transportation access, healthcare services, and community activities to establish a solid base for relocating families.

I also ensure my support is personal. The military environment tends to be isolating, yet basic acts of kindness, such as holding a conversation, directing someone to helpful resources, or inviting them to events, can provide significant support. I work toward building a community where loneliness finds no place.

What do you advocate for? Why?

My support for the Coast Guard Spouses’ Club and the Ombudsman program stems from my belief that connection and knowledge enable effective decision-making. Military families rely on these organizations, which provide access to resources and official communication while building a robust support network.

In my advocacy work, I promote military spouse employment, licensure reciprocity, and professional development. As a military spouse, I recognize the difficulties associated with career transitions, which are compounded by frequent relocations. My work entails connecting military spouses with professional support because it enables them to find information and career opportunities for personal fulfillment.

I advocate for families participating in the Special Needs Program (SNP). Understanding special needs services for children can feel daunting, yet I aim to help families realize their rights and access necessary resources and support.

My mission focuses on guaranteeing that every Coast Guard family receives essential tools, knowledge, and adequate support for their success.

How have you spread the message of your platform/advocacy?

My approach to advocacy is action-driven. Not only do I discuss the significance of the Spouses’ Club and Ombudsman program, but I also reveal their practical impact through active leadership and community engagement.

High-visibility events and strategic partnerships represent my most impactful method for spreading my message. I participated in Coast Guard Day celebrations, Morale Team events, and school district collaborations for the Month of the Military Child before representing Coast Guard spouses at Dr. Jill Biden’s 2024 Friendsgiving event. Through these platforms, I have amplified military spouses’ voices and demonstrated the value of support programs.

My active participation in community-building initiatives helps me network with local businesses, nonprofit organizations, and government agencies to increase resources for military families. I dedicate myself to making sure spouses learn about their choices through direct conversations, presentations, or media outreach while gaining access to essential support systems and feeling empowered to ask for assistance when necessary.

What do you hope to accomplish with the AFI Military Spouse of the Year^® title?

The AFI Military Spouse of the Year^® recognition would enable me to elevate Coast Guard families’ concerns nationwide and enhance support systems where they currently lack effectiveness. Through this platform, I would rejuvenate Spouses’ Clubs and the Ombudsman program to establish robust networks that ensure every military spouse feels accepted and knowledgeable while feeling empowered. I will concentrate on creating thorough transition support materials for families moving to challenging areas and working towards removing employment and licensing obstacles that affect spouse careers while establishing knowledge-sharing communities to fight isolation. The recognition will enable me to connect with key stakeholders and decision-makers, allowing me to expand isolated success stories into sustainable programs that Coast Guard families will benefit from for generations.