Today we are bringing you an EXTRA SPECIAL EPISODE in honor of us celebrating 1000 episodes of Mission: MilSpouse, formerly known as Army Wife Network and Army Wife Talk Radio!  On today’s show, we’ll listen to an interview conducted by our Executive Director Sharita Knobloch as she chats with 82nd Airborne Division All American Chorus – who just appeared on America’s Got Talent!

The 82nd Airborne Division All-American Chorus is based out of Fort Liberty, North Carolina and represents 19,000 soldiers who serve in the 82nd Airborne Division. Their mission is to provide music to the Fort Liberty community and they have performed all over the country, including having made an appearance on the Today Show.  A video of them singing an a cappella tune while waiting for a routine jump went viral in 2022, thrusting the soldiers into the spotlight, and it has continued to gain popularity.

Listeners, if you would like to learn more the 82nd Airborne Division Chorus and their claim to fame on America’s Got Talent, you can find them on social media by their handle @82ndairbornediv and to follow America’s Got Talent, follow them @AGT.  Also, be sure to catch their next LIVE performance on America’s Got Talent on Tuesday, September 19 at 8:00 PM ET/PT on NBC and we encourage you to cast your vote for them as well! The top two acts from the show that night that receive the most votes will move on to the finale which airs the following week.  Let’s help the chorus to rock the vote!

Resource Recon with Annie & Jade

This week’s Resource Recon is about sharing your story, straight from one of our expert bloggers in our band of bloggers, How Do I Know if I Have a Story to Tell? By Julie Tully

She writes: “I love to write but I’m not sure what to write about. How do I know if I have a story to tell?  I’m asked this question all the time and here’s what I believe: If you’re called to writing, then you have a story to tell. The trick is figuring out which story or stories those are . . .and that can be simpler than you think.”

She goes on to give tips on how to determine your genre and tells you to write on!

Empowerment Patrol Report with Amanda

In honor of our 1,000th episode, I’d like to celebrate our Everyday Empowerment Award accomplishments. In the three years since the program began, I have had the honor of recognizing close to 150 empowering milspouses and nonprofit organizations who help support our military community. I’ve had the chance to meet so many inspiring people and organizations and have had the opportunity to spread the word about their empowerment right here in the Empowerment Patrol Reports. It has been an amazing experience, and I can’t wait to recognize even more of you as we head into our next thousand episodes. 

If you’d like to recognize someone or an organization for the “Everyday Empowerment” award, simply head to our website at missionmilspouse.org. Select the Get Involved tab, where you’ll then click Empowerment from the dropdown menu and you’ll find the Nomination Form!

Recipients will receive a digital certificate, on-air recognition via our podcast, and will be included in a social media reel each month with their fellow winners. Nonprofits that are selected will receive a $100 donation from us here at Mission: Milspouse to support their continued work within the military community.

We would love to give praise and recognition to spouses and organizations who are helping you throughout your milspouse journey. 

Moxie Minute with Amie Fisher

Greetings, unstoppable military spouses! Can you believe it? We just hit the remarkable milestone of 1,000 episodes on this journey of moxie and empowerment. I’m Amie Fisher, and today, we’re taking a joyous ride down memory lane, celebrating the incredible moments that define us as Mission Milspouse.

Remember those early days when we were just taking baby steps on the podcast stage? Fast forward to today – a thousand episodes later – and we’ve weathered storms, celebrated victories, and embraced every twist and turn. Just like military spouses, we’ve got that unstoppable moxie within.

Let’s talk about the pandemic that shook the world. While it might have forced others to pause, we at Mission Milspouse, formerly Army Wife Network, soldiered on, proving that moxie is our middle name. We didn’t just adapt; we thrived, because that’s what military spouses do. We rallied, shared stories, and created a virtual haven where we continued to learn, connect, and uplift each other.

And remember our grand rebranding? Just like a caterpillar emerging from its cocoon, we unveiled a new identity, stronger and more vibrant. From Army Wife Talk Radio to Army wife Network to now Mission: Milspouse, it is an honor to serve and contribute to every branch and component of the military. So welcome to you all new Spouses! It’s a testament to the spirit of renewal and growth that military spouses embody every day.

But wait, there’s more! We’re now a certified 501(c)3 organization, working tirelessly to support our fellow military families. Our journey from Army Wife Talk Radio to Mission: Milspouse is a testament to the evolution, the transformation, and the unwavering moxie we’ve displayed.

And let’s not forget the incredible guests who’ve graced our mic – from singers and authors, high-ranking military personnel, entrepreneurs, to all around supporters of military life they’ve shared their stories, their insights, and their own incredible displays of moxie. They’re a reflection of the power of unity and connection within our community.

Speaking of community, let’s turn the spotlight back to you, the incredible military spouses. Through the years, you’ve shown moxie that could rival superheroes. You’ve faced separations, relocations, and endless uncertainties, all while standing by your service members with unwavering support.

From World War II to today, military spouses have carved their names in history with their moxie. Remember Rosie the Riveter? She symbolized determination and strength during wartime. And guess what? You’re modern-day Rosie the Riveters, showing resilience and courage in every role you undertake.

So here’s to us, military spouses, and to the 1,000 episodes that represent our journey. With each moment we’ve shared, each story we’ve told, and each laugh we’ve had, we’ve stitched together a vibrant tapestry of moxie, courage, and unity.

As we charge forward into the next thousand episodes, let’s remember that our moxie knows no bounds. With love, humor, and the indomitable spirit of a military spouse, let’s keep writing our story – one episode at a time. Until next time, keep thriving, keep showing that moxie, and keep rocking this incredible journey!

News 6 with Emma

Here is this week’s News 6 mashup of stories for the week of August 28, 2023, straight from M:M News 6 Correspondent, Emma Tighe:

Navy and Coast Guard Team Up to Save Divers

It was a team effort near Cape Fear, North Carolina, to save four stranded divers. Ben Wiggins, 64, Luke Lodge, 26, Daniel Williams, 46 and Daniel’s son, Evan Williams, 16 Were diving off the pleasure boat Big bills when they went missing for 18 hours. .

The divers were able to send an SOS message with a strobe light and get the attention of Air Station Elizabeth City. A C130 crew then flew out and dropped a life raft from the back of the plane and then alerted the coast guard for location and pickup.

The four men’s journey started out at Myrtle Beach, South Carolina and they were found about 70 miles away. They were taken to shore and  reunited with their families with no reported injuries. 

“When the Coast Guard goes out on a search and rescue mission, our goal each and every time is to find people and return them to their friends and family. In this case, it’s exactly what we were able to do. It’s at the core of what we do,” Captain Tim List, commander of the Coast Guard Sector of North Carolina, said. “The ocean is a pretty dangerous place, and it can be a lot of fun to be out on the water, but having the right safety equipment and the right information is critical.”

We love a good military collab! Good job Sailors and Coasties!

Find out more at cnn.com

Jenny Comes Home

A World War Plane has found a forever home and a future makeover in her future! and Selfridge Air Museum at the Selfridge National Guard Air Base in Michigan is abuzz with the news

The World War I bi-plane known as a Curtiss JN-4 is being purchased and donated by Financial Credit Union.

“There are currently only seven Jenny aircraft left in the world and now our museum will have one of them,” Ed Kaminski, deputy director of the museum said, in a news release.

This particular Jenny has suffered a landing accident in her past and the museum is fixing to fix her up good as new!  While a new addition to the museum, this air base has seen its fair share of Jennys, the first one utilizing the air base in 1917 in the hey day of WW1.

Used extensively at the air base as training planes during that time period, the museum knows it will take a lot of long hours and no how to get this old girl back into tip top shape.

“You’re recreating something that was built 80 years ago,” Kaminski said, adding everyone involved is looking forward to the work. “They’re all kids at heart. Instead of building a model airplane they are building the real thing.”

“We’re all excited about it,” Kaminski said. “It’s very historic to have a Jenny at Selfridge.”

Sounds like the perfect home for Jenny! Hope she likes her facelift! No shame in getting a little work done!

Find out more at americanmilitarynews.com and selfridgeairmuseum.org

Mission:Milspouse Hits its 1000th Episode

Your favorite podcast around, Mission:Milspouse in case it was not obvious, is celebrating its 1000 episode! 

Currently known as Army Wife Talk radio, it started in 2005 and then merged with Field Problems, and Loving A Soldier blog to become the army wife Network in 2009. The organization did a major re-haul just a few short months ago to be inclusive of all branches and our male spouses. 

They are a fully vetted 501C3 organization and everyone you hear speaking on this show, the behind the scene magicians, and the ones who keep the lights on for the blog and website are 100 percent volunteer.

So, if you’re feeling generous, here’s my shameless plug that donations are accepted and welcomed with glee and rejoicing. 

Here’s some words from some of our senior staff!

Our boss babe and captain my captain  Sharita Knobloch says:

As cheesy as it might sound, Mission: Milspouse changed the trajectory of my milspouse life and attitude. I began volunteering with the organization in 2014 as a blogger, because honestly… my attitude as a spouse was not what you would call “optimistic.” But I began my mission to write with a positive spin (even in the hardships). Now, nearly 10 years later, I can say that I’ve learned more about how to be an effective leader, the power of our milspouse tribe, the secret weapon of “embracing the suck” in a collective community, and the gift of volunteering than I could have ever imagined!

KP Palmer, the queen of words, blogs, and sass chimes in:

“One of the best ways to empower someone is to give them a canvas for their voice. That is what we do at Mission: Milspouse through our blog. We enable spouses of all branches to share their experience, their spirits, and their resources to help others on this journey. As content director, I am honored to read, edit and publish those unique voices and share their stories with the Milspouse world. Write on spouses, write on!”

Interested in joining our team? We’re always looking for new faces and brains! (In a non creepy zombie way) contact us at missionmilspouse.org.

Happy 1000 episode, Mission Milspouse! You don’t look an episode over 800. 

Today in History

On August 28, 1963, MLK JR delivered his iconic “I have a dream” speech on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial in Washington DC in front of more than 200,000 people.

King had a speech prepared, starting with a recitation of parts of the emancipation address. Toward the end of the speech, Mahalia Jackson, a gospel singer and friend, cried out for him to “tell them about the dream!”  He then began his “I have a dream” speech, almost completely improvised. 

The speech starts with:

I have a dream that one day on the red hills of Georgia, the sons of former slaves and the sons of former slave owners will be able to sit down together at the table of brotherhood.

And ends with:

When we allow freedom ring, when we let it ring from every village and every hamlet, from every state and every city, we will be able to speed up that day when all of God’s children, Black men and white men, Jews and Gentiles, Protestants and Catholics, will be able to join hands and sing in the words of the old Negro spiritual: Free at last. Free at last. Thank God almighty, we are free at last.

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

Thank You

Thank you for tuning into this week’s episode!  We’re lucky to continue an 18-year legacy of empowering military spouses. We now serve all branches and components. Whether you are new to this military life or your furniture has multiple stickers, we are here for you.

Please leave a five-star rating and review on Apple podcasts, then send us a screenshot of your review to hello@missionmilspouse.org or DM us on Facebook or Instagram @missionmilspouse to receive a special in-real-life gift as a thank you on behalf of MM. We appreciate your engagement and support.

The post MMP #1000 – Celebrating 1000 Episodes with the 82nd Airborne Division All-American Chorus first appeared on Mission: Milspouse.