When Military.com decided last year to announce a new annual award focused on recognizing a person who has made a significant impact on a single military spouse issue, we set out to do something really impossible: whittle down an entire community of incredible, impactful people to one, single recipient. It was hard.
In the end, we selected Libby Jamison, a military spouse attorney with the Board of Veterans' Appeals, whose tireless work and advocacy on the topic of military spouse professional licensure has led to measurable change in that space.
But in making that decision, we knew that we were leaving out a whole world of other deserving individuals. And that's why we're so excited to be doing this again for 2020.
Once again, Military.com is announcing the Spouse Changemaker of the Year award. Designed to acknowledge a person who has worked tirelessly on an issue to better the lives of military spouses, the awardee will be announced and recognized the week of May 3, in conjunction with the Armed Forces Insurance Military Spouse of the Year festivities.
Related: 2019 Military.com Spouse Changemaker of the Year Named
This award is not the same as the Armed Forces Insurance program. They already do an incredible job shining a light on military spouses who do the hard work of holding up our communities. We don't need to duplicate their work.
Instead, the Military.com Changemaker of the Year award recognizes single-minded, issue-focused work of one person selected by a panel of Military.com experts.
The Military.com Spouse Changemaker award is open to anyone -- military spouse or veteran, civilian or military, public servant or stay-at-home parent -- who has worked to improve the lives of military spouses.
We want to shine a light on someone whose work has had a substantial impact on the military spouse community.
We have all seen the changemakers out there doing the hard work. We enjoy the fruit of their labors. We know that it's because of them that housing problems are addressed, employment is made simpler, and education is available. We see their hard work.
Now, let's let others see it too.
-- Amy Bushatz can be reached at amy.bushatz@military.com.
Read more: Military Families Are Still Facing the Same Issues, Year After Year
