Dispatches from the Cowgirl and First Command, it’s Double Feature Day at Army Wife Talk Radio.

First up, Dispatches from the Cowgirl with Julie Tully.

After leaving her career and everything she knew behind to follow her military husband across the globe, Julie Tully was rapidly approaching forty and wondering “What is my place in the world?” Enter Africa, the continent she had dreamed of since childhood, a chance to reinvigorate her life. In a world where diplomacy is key, Julie became the person she was meant to be.

In her new memoir, “Dispatches from the Cowgirl: Through the Looking Glass with a Navy Diplomat’s Wife,” Julie writes about the eight years she spent living in Africa as the trailing spouse of a Navy Foreign Area Officer and how that leap of faith changed her life forever.

In AWTR episode #937, Julie shares some highlights from her twenty-plus years as a nomadic navy spouse with Kathleen. Her life reads like a novel—from her roots as part of the fifth generation of a cattle ranching family in Northern California to the expat life she led for almost two decades. She is equally at home on the back of a horse rounding up cattle as she is at a formal diplomatic dinner.

During her time overseas, Julie became a diplomat by default, utilizing not only her public relations skills but also lessons learned on the ranch to navigate and successfully work within that world. Beyond the social aspects of her diplomatic life, she has trained U.S. embassy personnel in public relations and crisis management, worked alongside both our own military and international militaries, and serves as a mentor for incoming spouses in the foreign area officer community.

Learn more about Julie via Facebook, Instagram, or her website. And you can find Dispatches from the Cowgirl here or anywhere that sells books online.

Empowerment Patrol Report with Amanda

Today we are showcasing one of our volunteers who is an MRE winner, which by the way, that stands for Motivated and Ready to Empower. A huge congratulations to Army Wife Network Command Team Member, our Deputy Director of Empowerment, Amie Fisher.

Full-time Army Wife and mother of three, Amie Fisher is a certified Life Coach and Retreat Speaker. Amie has led SFRGs, served on various leadership teams, spoken at Army Strong Bond Retreats, and mentored other military wives through 23 months of combat deployments. She led her family through 12 PCS moves in 16 years of active duty service. She is also a proud Military “Coastie” Mom.

Amie has served alongside her husband of 25 years, Ron, in premier Army organizations like the 10th Mountain Division, 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault), and the 7th Special Forces Group (Airborne). Recognized by the National Infantry Museum and the Fort Benning Infantry Community, Amie is a recipient of the Shield of Sparta. She is also a contributor to the book From Reveille to Retreat, a handbook for the Army Chaplain’s spouse. Amie consistently seeks opportunities to encourage other military families challenging them to make the most of the shared military adventure. 

When Amie is not homeschooling, coaching clients, or speaking, she enjoys spending time with her family at the beach, crafting, reading, traveling, and cooking. She loves making new and enduring friendships around the world and helping these friends connect with one another for the betterment of the home mission.

So much thanks goes out to Amie for doing your part to empower military families all across the globe.

News 6 with Emma

Here is this week’s News 6 mashup of stories for the week of October 31, 2022, straight from AWN News 6 Correspondent, Emma Tighe:

DOD Sets to Launch Spouse Fellowships in 2023

For the first time ever the Department of Defense will be placing spouses in paid fellowship positions that will move with them.While they have yet to say how many positions they will try to fill, they did say that they will welcome all interested employers, regardless how big or small their corporation is. Their big focus: remote jobs and jobs that can be picked up and continued after each PCS, with a particular focus on spouses living overseas. Learn more at militarytimes.com

U.S Marine Crowned Burpee Queen 

Sgt. Nahla Beard, stationed in Iwakuni, Japan, has made history- and the Guinness book of world records- after completing 27 chest-to-ground burpees in one minute, the first female ever to do so. Due to Covid restrictions, a Guinness judge could not be in attendance so she had to film herself smashing the previous record. She wasn’t alone though, as her fellow marines, and their family members, showed up in droves to support her. Find out more at marinecorpstimes.com

 Look to the Skies on November 6th, East Coast!

Virginia, Maryland, and Delaware will get more than a beachfront sunrise to look at on November 6! The beach areas of these three states will get a front-row view of the launch of the Antares rocket at approximately 5:50 am this upcoming Sunday morning. The rocket will launch from Wallops Island, Virginia, and head to the international space station. To learn more visit Nasa.gov

You can check out more of this week’s top stories here.

Special Feature Interview with First Command

Joining us today to discuss how First Command can help military spouses keep a career despite PCSing is John Osarczuk the Executive Vice President and National Director of Advisor Operations at First Command Financial Services. John joined First Command Financial Services in 2004, starting as a Financial Advisor in Manhattan, Kansas. A graduate of the United States Air Force Academy with a Bachelor of Science degree in Human Factors Engineering, John served in the U.S. Air Force as a pilot for 10 years, attaining the rank of captain. John and his spouse Teresa have two adult daughters – one is a nurse and the other is currently a teacher in Honduras. His pastimes include hunting, fishing, and shooting sports.

Many military spouses are highly educated but often take on work they are overqualified for because of frequent PCS. First Command allows military spouses to maintain and grow their career by taking it with them when they relocate. They have offices near military installations all over the world. And because our advisors own their own business, they’re able to make their own hours, giving them flexibility when needed. First Command knows flexibility is important because the military likes to throw curveballs.

Thank you again to today’s sponsor, First Command Financial Services. With four out of five financial coaches coming from the ranks of military spouses or veterans, they’re uniquely qualified to help you pursue financial security. Visit firstcommand.com to learn more and find a financial coach near you.

Thank You

Thank you for tuning into this week’s episode. Please leave a five-star rating and review on Apple podcasts, then send us a screenshot of your review to info@armywifenetwork.com or DM us on Facebook or Instagram @armywifenetwork to receive a special in-real-life gift as a thank you on behalf of AWN. We appreciate your engagement and support.

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