By Amanda Huffman
Contributing Writer
Many military spouses choose to volunteer to support their community. Volunteering is great for the organization they are supporting, but also for the volunteer. Military spouse volunteers are important to both the military and the community in which they live. In fact, without volunteers, many great organizations and programs couldn’t run. Volunteering doesn’t only benefit those who are receiving services, it is positive for the volunteers as well.
The Military Relies on Volunteers
The military provides many support resources for military families through volunteering. MilSpouse groups and extra programs are often run, or at least are supported, by volunteers. The truth is the military cannot function and support the military community without these volunteers whose resources are invaluable and provide so much to their community.
Open Door to a Career
Finding a job can be challenging, especially as a military spouse subject to PCS moves, but many military spouses have been able to find career opportunities through volunteer work. If you are unable to find employment, volunteering can be beneficial for your career. When you volunteer, try to select an organization that can help grow your skills. One military spouse I know couldn’t find a job at her new assignment so she dove into a role as a volunteer. That volunteer position led to a job, which she kept even after she moved to a new assignment. Even if a volunteer position doesn’t lead to a job opportunity, the skills you gain and the people you meet can help open doors in the future.
Following a Passion
Another great thing about volunteering is the opportunity to follow something you are passionate about. If you have a particular interest or passion, look for an organization that focuses on that area and see if they need help. There are so many nonprofits doing amazing work and they are regularly looking for more volunteers to help support their mission.
Meeting People in a New Place
Volunteering is a great way to meet people, no matter what type of volunteer work you do. If you align your volunteering with your passion or with your career goals, you are more likely to connect with people with whom you will have something in common. For example, if you love working out and you volunteer with an organization like Team Red White and Blue (RWB), you will find others who love exercising, too, and you may even find a friend who shares your interests.
Personally, I volunteer with my local MomCo, a national organization that works to support moms. I joined the group years ago looking for friendship, and I have made friends. Since we are all moms, we have that commonality to build our friendship on.
As I moved around the country, I was able to join MomCo at different locations and even stepped into leadership opportunities — and I still volunteer with MomCo today.
Help Your Community
Volunteers are so important to every community, and there are some aspects of daily life that couldn’t happen without them. Sometimes it can feel like volunteering is something you do just to fill the time or check a box, but the truth is volunteering can be life-giving by providing physical, mental, and emotional support, not only to your community but to you as well.
Amanda is a military Veteran who served in the Air Force for six years as a Civil Engineer who served on a combat deployment with the Army in Afghanistan. She traded in her combat boots for a diaper bag to stay home with her two boys and follow her husband’s military career in the Space Force. Amanda is the host of the Women of the Military podcast. There she shares the stories of women who have served or are serving in the military. The podcast has over 200 episodes and over 100K downloads. Amanda is also an author and has published two books. Her first book, Women of the Military tells the stories of 28 military women who served in the military. Her second book, A Girl’s Guide to Military Service, is the IBPA Benjamin Franklin Gold Winner for Teen Non Fiction. It is a guide for high school girls considering military service to help them build a strong foundation for their future career. She also works as a freelance writer and has been featured in a number of military publications including The War Horse, Military.com, Military Families Magazine, Clearance Jobs, Military Spouse Magazine, and more.
