Sen. Kay Hagan, and Community Blueprint Network honored military spouses May 11 during the Military Spouse Day 2012 Recognition Ceremony at the Airborne and Special Operations Museum in Fayetteville.
The event was held on National Military Spouse Appreciation Day, and May being National Military Spouse Appreciation Month, there was no doubt as to who was in the spotlight -- the spouses.
Among the honorees were four outstanding examples of excellence, resilience and uncommon initiative embodied in an Army spouse.
Through sacrifice and drive, Catherine Woyee Jones, Rebekah Sanderlin, Malinda Cox and Teresa Sicinski, between them shared titles such as: advocate, author, president, organizer, director, and activist, all in the name of bettering their military communities.
"Get out there and get involved. Love the Soldiers and their Families and get involved in their lives, and as a result of that, you make a lot of connections and meet friends. We can do great things together," was the message Cox had for military spouses accross the country.
This spirit of motivation and synergy echoed throughout the ceremony, in speeches from former military spouses, Fayetteville community leaders, and ceremony organizers.
Although other states certainly share the same hearty resolve observed at last Friday's ceremony, it was North Carolina that produced two of the five finalists for the 2012 Military Spouse of the Year Award, Hagan noted.
A member of the Senate Armed Services Committee and Military Family Caucus, Hagan is not only a staunch proponent of military spouses, but comes from a military Family herself.
When asked what she considered to be the most teachable virtue of military spouses, her answer was without hesitation, "Their resiliency, the fact that they can pick up and move, hit the ground running, be there for the children, their spouse, and keep it going all the time. They're amazing!"
Hagan is also keenly aware of the many issues facing military spouses in America including lengthy deployments, the education of their children, healthcare and care for special needs Family members. All of which speaks to the dynamic nature of the military Family.
"Our country is truly grateful," said Hagan, a sentiment that seemed to be shared by all that day.
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