Military spouses are often the quiet leaders behind the scenes — building community, supporting families, and stepping up when their service members can’t be home. In this powerful episode of MilSpouse in the House, host Christie Nix sits down with Lori Simmons of Armed Forces Insurance and Jaime Billert, the 2025 Armed Forces Insurance Military Spouse of the Year, to explore what it truly means to recognize and uplift military spouse leadership.

From the origins of the Military Spouse of the Year (MSOY) program to Jaime’s deeply personal journey of service, leadership, and “blooming where you’re planted,” this conversation highlights how recognition can empower not just one spouse — but an entire community.

Whether you’re thinking about nominating someone, wondering if your own work matters, or looking for ways to get more involved, this episode is a reminder that what may feel small to you can mean everything to someone else.

In This Episode

• The origin and evolution of the Military Spouse of the Year program
• How Armed Forces Insurance expanded MSOY to base, branch, and overall winners
• What judges look for in MSOY nominees — and why leadership matters most
• Jaime Billert’s journey from first PCS to national recognition
• Why being nominated alone can be a powerful form of validation
• How military spouses can support one another without burnout
• Encouragement for spouses who feel like they’re “not doing enough”

Military Spouse News & Benefits Update

Brought to you by MilSpouses.com — built by military spouses, for military spouses.

• School Choice Expanded: New executive action strengthened school choice options for military families navigating PCS moves.
• TSA Access for Families: Military spouses and Gold Star families now qualify for free TSA PreCheck, plus expanded “honor lanes” at select airports.
• PCS Reimbursement Overhaul: The DoD announced plans to streamline PCS reimbursement and reduce financial strain.
• Healthcare Flexible Spending Accounts: For the first time, military families can access healthcare FSAs — a major quality-of-life win.

Key Takeaways

• Leadership isn’t about perfection — it’s about showing up.
• Recognition matters. Sometimes the nomination itself is the thank you someone needs.
• You don’t have to do everything alone. Community grows when we connect, collaborate, and lift each other up.
• Say yes — and figure it out along the way. Every impactful spouse started somewhere.

As Jaime Billert shared: “What feels like a thankless job can still deserve a thank you. Take the genuine compliment.”

Episode Links

• Nominate a Military Spouse: https://msoy.afi.org
• Armed Forces Insurance: https://www.afi.org
• Follow MSOY on Social: Facebook & Instagram

Nominations close January 16, 2026

Sponsored by TalkSpace

Military life is rewarding — but it’s not without stress. With TalkSpace, you can connect with a licensed therapist anytime, anywhere. This holiday season, take care of your mental health while caring for others. Visit talkspace.com to learn more.

Stay Connected

• Follow: @ThisIsMilSpouses on Instagram
• Read: You’ll find the latest in military family news and uplifting lifestyle features on milspouses.com.
• Subscribe: MilSpouse In the House on Spotify

Food, Family & Military Life: Holiday Cooking with Amy Pottinger
Sponsored by: TalkSpace
Host: Christie Nix
Guest: Amy Pottinger – Air Force Reserve Spouse, Food Network Star Alum, Creator of Caviar & Crayons

When it comes to military life, food is more than fuel — it’s comfort, connection, and sometimes the only steady thing during a PCS, deployment, or holiday spent far from home.

In this episode of MilSpouse in the House, host Christie Nix sits down with Amy Pottinger, an Air Force Reserve spouse and Food Network Star alum whose cooking journey has taken her around the world and back into kitchens just like ours. Amy shares stories from behind the scenes at Food Network, how military life has shaped her cooking, and her best tips for making holiday meals meaningful and manageable.

Whether you're hosting a unit potluck, feeding a crowd, or trying to bring a little bit of “home” to a new duty station, this episode is full of inspiration, warmth, and plenty of delicious ideas.

Topics Covered:

• Amy’s life as a military spouse and how moving shaped her cooking
• Her journey to Food Network Star — and behind-the-scenes stories
• How regional flavors from different duty stations influence her recipes
• Cooking with kids and making the kitchen a family space
• Holiday cooking tips for busy military households
• Ideas for potlucks, meal trains, and supporting your military community through food
  
  

Military Spouse News & Benefits Update

• 2026 BAH Rates: New housing allowance rates are about to drop. Learn what may change and how it affects your family’s budget, especially if a PCS is on the horizon.
• Army–Navy Game: The rivalry continues! A beloved tradition that brings the entire military community together — who are you rooting for?
• Holiday Support Programs: Nonprofits like Operation Homefront, Toys for Tots, and USO offer gifts, meals, and financial support for families in need. A full resource guide is available on MilSpouses.com.

Key Takeaways

• Food is an anchor during uncertain seasons of military life — use it to create joy and connection.
• Cooking with your kids builds confidence, family memories, and a love of food.
• Simple, comforting meals are best for supporting families during deployments, homecomings, or new babies.
• Don’t overcomplicate the holidays — prioritize togetherness over perfection.

Episode Links

Follow & Cook with Amy:

• Website: Caviar & Crayons
• Instagram: @caviarandcrayons

Sponsored by TalkSpace

Military life is rewarding — but it’s not without stress. With TalkSpace, you can connect with a licensed therapist anytime, anywhere. This holiday season, take care of your mental health while caring for others. Visit talkspace.com to learn more.

Stay Connected

• Follow: @ThisIsMilSpouses on Instagram
• Read: You’ll find the latest in military family news and uplifting lifestyle features on milspouses.com.
• Subscribe: MilSpouse In the House on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you listen.

Join the Community: Leave a review and share your favorite holiday recipe or cooking tradition!

Giving Tuesday isn’t just a global day of generosity — for the military community, it’s become a powerful movement of service, connection, and hope.

In this episode of MilSpouse in the House, host Christie Nix sits down with Jessica Manfre, Maria Reed, and Samantha Gomolka, the three military spouses behind Giving Tuesday Military and the Inspire Up Foundation. What started as an idea among friends from different branches has grown into a worldwide campaign inspiring acts of kindness across the military community.

From how they met to the heart behind their mission, this episode dives into the stories that fuel their work — and how each of us can join in to make a difference.

In This Episode

• How three military spouses turned a simple idea into a global movement
• The early days of Giving Tuesday Military and how it’s grown since 2019
• Stories of service, kindness, and community impact
• The creation of the Inspire Up Foundation
• How to get involved and give back this Giving Tuesday

Military Spouse News & Benefits Update

• TRICARE Open Season: November 10 – December 9. Enroll or make changes to your plan and check out the new DOD Healthcare Flexible Spending Account option.
  
  
• More Resources: Visit MilSpouses.com for updates and a guide on solo parenting during deployment.
  
  

Key Takeaways

• Start where you are. Use what you have. Do what you can.
• Kindness is contagious. One small act can ripple through a community and create lasting change.
• Together, we’re stronger. Collaboration across branches and backgrounds is what makes Giving Tuesday Military so powerful.

Episode Links

Learn more:

• GivingTuesdayMilitary.com
• InspireUpFoundation.org
• Instagram: @givingtuesdaymilitary | @inspireupfoundation

Sponsored by TalkSpace
Military life is rewarding — but it’s not without stress. With TalkSpace, you can connect with a licensed therapist anytime, anywhere. This holiday season, take care of your mental health while caring for others. Visit talkspace.com to learn more.

Stay Connected

• Follow: @ThisIsMilSpouses on Instagram
• Read: You’ll find the latest in military family news and uplifting lifestyle features on milspouses.com.
• Subscribe: MilSpouse In the House on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you listen.
• Join the Community: Leave a review and share how you plan to give back this Giving Tuesday!

Buying or selling a home is never simple—but when you’re a military family constantly on the move, it can feel downright overwhelming. In this episode, MilSpouse In the House host Christie Nix sits down with Grant Vermeer, a Navy veteran turned real estate expert, to talk about what military families need to know before their next PCS move.

From avoiding costly real estate mistakes to deciding whether buying is really worth it at every duty station, this episode is your insider guide to smarter, less stressful military homeownership.

In This Episode

Topics Covered:

• The real cost of clicking “Contact Agent” on Zillow or Redfin
• How to spot a qualified real estate agent (and avoid the fakes)
• Whether military families should buy or rent at every PCS
• The top mistakes service members make when buying or selling
• What to expect when transitioning from service member to spouse
• How The Vermeer Group connects military families with trusted agents

Military Spouse News & Benefits Update

• Government Shutdown Update: Pentagon taps $8 billion in funds to ensure mid-month paychecks for service members.
• TRICARE Delays: Families could face processing backlogs due to the shutdown.
• TRICARE Open Season: November 10 – December 9. Enroll or make changes to your plan and check out the new DOD Healthcare Flexible Spending Account option.
• More Resources: Visit MilSpouses.com for updates and a guide on solo parenting during deployment.

Key Takeaways

• Take homebuying seriously. It’s one of the biggest financial and emotional decisions you’ll make—treat it with the attention it deserves.
• Have a plan—and think it through. Every choice matters: where you live, the home you buy, and the agent you trust. Understand the long-term impact of each decision.
• Leverage the experts. Don’t go it alone. A knowledgeable real estate agent can be your boots on the ground—especially in an unfamiliar area.

Guest Spotlight: Grant Vermeer

• Who He Is: Navy veteran, active-duty military spouse, and founder of The Vermeer Group, helping military families find trustworthy real estate teams nationwide.
• Connect: thevermeergroup.com | Instagram: @thevermeergroup

Sponsored by TalkSpace

Military life brings constant change. With TalkSpace, you can access licensed therapists online—anytime, anywhere. Because mental health matters, especially during PCS season. Visit talkspace.com to learn more.

Stay Connected

• Follow: @ThisIsMilSpouses on Instagram
• Subscribe: MilSpouse In the House on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you listen.
• Join the Community: Leave a review and share your biggest PCS home-buying lesson!

When two military spouses connect across the seemingly vast divide of rank and position, something remarkable can happen. In this heartfelt conversation, host Christi Nix welcomes Renee Williams, wife of Command Sergeant Major Williams, to share their story of unexpected friendship and partnership while serving as command spouses at Fort Stewart.

Their journey began with a nervous phone call—Christi reaching out before taking on her role as battalion commander's spouse to Renee, already established as the command sergeant major's spouse. What could have been merely a professional courtesy blossomed into a friendship that strengthened their marriages, their battalion, and the entire military community they served.

Both women brought over two decades of military spouse experience to their leadership positions—an increasingly rare continuity in today's military. They candidly discuss navigating Pre-Command Course, rebuilding community connections post-COVID, and the unique challenges of being "senior spouses" who sometimes feel isolated by their husbands' positions. With refreshing honesty, they reveal how supporting each other through difficult seasons enabled them to remain steadfast in supporting their husbands' demanding careers.

The conversation offers practical wisdom for military spouses at any stage: how to leverage installation resources for personal and professional growth, strategies for maintaining strong marriages despite demanding schedules, and the courage to make yourself available to create meaningful connections. Their annual planning rituals with spouses, commitment to marriage retreats, and deliberate community-building efforts provide a blueprint for thriving amid the challenges of military life.

Whether you're a brand-new military spouse feeling overwhelmed or a seasoned veteran of this lifestyle looking to mentor others, this conversation reminds us that we're always stronger together than apart. Listen, learn, and be inspired to reach out—you might just find the friendship that transforms your military journey.

We want to invite you to take time out for your own mental health and hear more about how you can build your own set of tools and strategies to ride life’s many waves. Please join MilSpouses’ Founder Suzanne McCurdy and Talkspace’s Licensed Mental Health Counselor and resident educator, Liz Colizza, for a “real talk” discussion about the stresses and struggles facing military spouses. You are not alone! You will learn to identify these stressors, gain an understanding of when stress is something more serious, and learn tips for navigating challenges big and small.

Key Takeaways:

• From deployment stress and solo parenting to isolation and reintegration, hear common struggles that military spouses face – and what led Suzanne to start MilSpouses, a community created exclusively for military spouses by military spouses
• Understanding when stress is more serious and how stress impacts long-term mental health
• Practical techniques and evidence-based strategies for managing stress, loneliness, and other common concerns
• An overview of virtual therapy from long-standing leader, Talkspace, which is now covered by select TRICARE plans

Speakers:

Suzanne McCurdy, Veteran and Founder of MilSpouses

Liz Colizza, LCSW, and Talkspace’s Director of Clinical Content & Research

From Fitness Posts to Fire Alarms: The Friendship That PCS Built

 We Moved, We Managed, We May Have Cried a Little

 A playfully honest look at navigating military life, transitions, and identity.

Episode 5: Meet Your Host – Christie Nix in the Hot Seat

In this special episode, we flip the script! Longtime friend and fellow military spouse Brooke Coll takes over the mic to interview our very own host, Christie Nix. From her first PCS to finding her voice in the military spouse community, Christie opens up about the highs, the challenges, and the lessons that shaped her journey. You'll hear stories that haven't been told before, including what inspired her to start Milspouse in the House and why she's so passionate about serving this community. It's real, heartfelt, and the perfect way to get to know the woman behind the mic.

Stepping behind the curtain of military family life, this intimate conversation reveals what 22 years as a military spouse looks like. Host Christie Nix opens up alongside her best friend, Brooke Koll, sharing the raw truths, unexpected joys, and hard-won wisdom from her journey supporting a soldier's career while raising three children and finding her purpose.  The discussion delves into navigating multiple year-long deployments, including the heightened uncertainty during COVID-19, when Christie's husband, Tim, was overseas with an unclear return date. With refreshing honesty, she explores the evolution of parenting through different seasons—from the physical exhaustion of managing young children alone to the emotional weight of guiding teenagers through life's challenges without their father present. "When they're little, it's physically exhausting... as they get older, it's more of an emotional hardship that no one can prepare you for," Christie reflects, offering validation to military parents at any stage.  Far from just surviving the challenges, Christie shares how she discovered her strengths and passions along the way. Her journey from hosting coffees exclusively for military spouses to building broader women's communities speaks to the evolution many military spouses experience as they develop identities beyond their connection to service. Perhaps most powerful is her insight about sacrifice and selflessness: "I've proven to myself I'm not as selfish as I think... we're all innately quite selfish people, and in a military marriage especially with kids, it's a lot of give and take."  Whether you're new to military life or a seasoned spouse, this conversation offers both practical wisdom and emotional resonance. Connect with us on Instagram @thisismillspouses to share your own military spouse journey and join our community of support.

Military life is built on service—but what happens when that service extends beyond the uniform? In this heartfelt episode, Christie and Tim Nix get real about how service members and spouses can truly support one another through the chaos of PCS moves, career pivots, parenting, deployments, and everything in between.

From sharing the mental load to recognizing unseen sacrifices, this conversation dives into what it means to serve each other—with empathy, teamwork, and a whole lot of grace. Whether you're active duty or the one holding things down at home, this episode reminds you: you're both on the same team.

What does it take to not just survive an OCONUS move, but truly thrive while living overseas?

In this episode of MilSpouse in the House, host Christie Nix sits down with Mary Montoya, founder of The OCONUS Project, to talk about the unexpected challenges, personal growth, and deep sense of purpose that came from her family’s overseas assignment. From navigating culture shock to building community on base—and ultimately creating a platform to support other military spouses—Mary shares her story with honesty, warmth, and inspiration.

She opens up about the transition back to CONUS, what it felt like to "come home" changed, and how her time abroad reshaped her outlook on military life, motherhood, and mission.

Whether you're preparing for an overseas PCS or returning stateside, this conversation is packed with real talk, encouragement, and practical wisdom from a spouse who's lived it—and is now helping others do the same.

Let’s explore how military spouses can take control of their careers, whether that means finding flexible employment or launching a business of their own.

In this episode, we’re diving into some of the most important updates and topics in the military community, including benefits, policy changes, and the challenges of PCS’ing while pregnant. Joining us is Bri George, an active-duty Coast Guard spouse of 15 years, who brings firsthand experience and insights into navigating military life.

Bri shares valuable advice on preparing for a move during pregnancy and advocating for yourself and your family.  She shares her experience switching states and doctors in the middle of her pregnancy and how you can prepare for the same.  Whether you’re a new military spouse or a seasoned pro, this episode has must-know information to help you stay informed and empowered.

Tune in now for expert insights, real-life experiences, and practical tips to make military life a little easier!