Spouse recognized for work with Strengthening Military Marriage

  • Published
  • By Lakesha Cole

Following hundreds of nominations nationwide and a national vote yielding more than 23,000 votes, Bree Carroll has been named the 2020 Armed Forces Insurance Air Force Spouse of the Year. Carroll is currently stationed with her husband, Capt. Donovan Carroll, at Barksdale AFB.

Now in its 13th year honoring the unwavering dedication of our nation's more than 1.1 million military spouses, Armed Forces Insurance is proud to recognize the sacrifice and reward the change of military spouses from all six branches of the Armed Forces who are inspiring others and having a tangible, measurable effect on their communities.

As a wife, mother of three, engineer, entrepreneur and philanthropist, Carroll shows us that our military community is comprised of some of the most dynamic and resilient individuals. Like other base winners, she was nominated for her work in the community and is credited for using her voice to advocate for strong military marriages on her podcast, Hearts & Stripes. At Barksdale she has led in the roles of Key Spouse and President of the Barksdale Spouses’ Club. Her volunteerism impacts the Shreveport-Bossier City community through her work with organizations like Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated’s Sigma Rho Omega Chapter, Every Warrior (previously The Warrior Network), Epilepsy Alliance Louisiana and Northwest Louisiana Foodbank. Her desire to see change goes beyond volunteer hours though, and as her nominator says, “She is a hard-working mom who, despite the demands of busy schedule, still takes the time to take care of those around her…[Bree] makes everyone around her better--she truly deserves this honor!”

“It is such an honor to be recognized for my passion projects, it’s just who I am. My favorite quote has always been, ‘service is the rent we pay to live’, and so I couldn’t live any other way.” Carroll says. When asked about her platform of strengthening military marriage she says, “Every time I hear about another divorce, separation or suicide in my military community it crushes me. Our Armed Forces are only as strong as our families and marriages are at the core of our families. If I can play even a small role in equipping coupes resources or helping them get in front of some of the issues they may face, then I can say I’ve done my part.”

Nominations from community members nationwide were accepted November 25, 2019 through January 24, 2020. The program is organized by base-level winners, then top 18 finalists, then branch level winners, and, finally, the overall 2020 Armed Forces Insurance Military Spouse of the Year (AFI MSOY) who are all selected by popular vote and judging panels. As a base winner, Carroll is now in consideration of being named the overall winner. After a final vote conducted on March 12-13, the overall winner will be unveiled at an awards dinner on May 7 at The Army Navy Country Club in Arlington, VA, in conjunction with National Military Spouse Appreciation Day, which occurs on May 8.

"Over the ten years Armed Forces Insurance has been involved with the Military Spouse of the Year® awards program, we have seen it grow and amplify the voice of the military spouse on a national stage," says Lori Simmons, chief marketing officer at Armed Forces Insurance. "These spouses have pioneered initiatives, founded organizations, started businesses, and advocated for issues impacting the quality-of-life for military families in the best ways imaginable. We are thrilled to welcome the 2020 base winners to the AFI MSOY family and work alongside them to make an even bigger impact."

To learn more about Bree Carroll and the other base winners, please visit www.msoy.afi.org.