While national efforts and support are crucial, the quality of life for our military families is ultimately shaped within defense communities. Too often, discussions and decisions about important issues like housing, education, and childcare exclude the very groups most impacted – our military spouses and families. We believe spouses should have a seat at the table, with opportunities to become leaders and active participants in local decision-making that directly impacts their lives.

ADC’s Military Spouse Community Leadership Initiative aims to foster a new approach to defense community leadership by integrating military spouses at every stage of their military journey. This initiative is redefining the role of military spouse-leaders by creating opportunities for them to engage with communities at both local and national levels. Our goal is to establish a foundational model that can be developed nationally and scaled locally. Our vision is a future where spouse-leaders are fully integrated into the leadership of our communities and redefining how we support military quality of life.