LANGLEY AFB, Va. — News 3 is committed to following through on the big stories impacting our community, including support for military families and spouses. These are stories I’m passionate about. Just this week, I was invited to spend time with some military spouses for a day that was all about them.
“We're honored to be able to celebrate them... and give them the opportunity,” says Ericka Wallace, one of the event’s coordinators. “We have icebreakers throughout. We want to talk to other spouses. It's important for you to build up your support network to see the resources available for you."
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In addition to fellowship and those resources, Thursday’s event at Langley Air Force Base in Hampton offered a fashion show, haircuts, massages, and a catered lunch. It’s all designed to celebrate the folks who hold it down at home while their spouse is serving, sometimes deployed halfway around the world.
I also spent time talking with some of the people offering the free services to the spouses at the event, like Airis Cowell. She’s an instructor at the Asher Institute of Hampton. Cowell and her teammates offered haircuts and styles to the dozens of spouses there.
“They’re the ones holding it down, so to come to them and give them our skills to make them feel beautiful is very important,” Cowell told me.
I’ve been reporting on issues impacting military spouses and families—following through on their stories for months now.
One of the issues I've focused on is employment. The latest numbers show about one in five active-duty military spouses struggle to find full-time work. In December, I visited the Hampton Roads Chamber in Norfolk, one of the many local businesses and groups working to find jobs for military spouses. I met Gabby Fisher, a military spouse the chamber hired.
That led me to the Hampton Roads Veterans Employment Center, where I met people like Sultan Camp, who makes it his mission to put military spouses and veterans to work. Spouses like Rena Manning, who now works at the job center herself, helping others like her.
"Being in their shoes, it helps me to let them know that yes, I was where you are, and being consistent is going to pay off," Manning told me.
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Then, in January, I paid another visit to the Armed Services YMCA in Virginia Beach. Among the many programs for military families there, I found the Patriots Pantry. It's a food bank for military families struggling to make ends meet. There is a growing need. Statistics from 2023 show more than 15 percent of active duty military families have very low food security.
“It's our obligation if we have military families that are in need to support them because those individuals are going out and protecting us in our family,” says Laura Baxter of the ASYMCA. “They're putting their own lives on the line."
Just last month, I followed up again at the Patriots Pantry with a check from WTKR and our partners at the Scripps Howard Fund—helping further their mission to feed military families.
Depend on News 3 to follow through on these issues impacting our military families.
