Topic: Spouse

“He Tried to Kill Me in His Sleep”—a Military Spouse Learns How Gridlock Gets You Killed

As traffic slowed to a stop and the color drained from his face, Liesel Kershul began to see that Tom had changed. Then he tried to kill her in his sleep.
Navy LT Stephen Thompson, the author’s son, in Afghanistan, 2013. Photo courtesy Sarah Colby

When It’s Hard to Be a Military Mom

It was one thing to be a military spouse during peacetime. It was quite another to have a spouse and eventually a child serve during a war.

A Military Spouse Lies Awake, Praying The “Widow Maker” Will Land Safely Tonight

Liesel Kershul used to worry about her Marine pilot husband only when he deployed. Now, with flight hours down and aircraft crashes up, she worries about him when he goes to work.
Barnhill said that sometimes military families look like pinups, but more often than not there is more to the story. She believes the entire family serves, not just the service member. Photo courtesy of Jean Jacobs.

A Military Spouse’s Journey From Annoyance to Advocacy

A military spouse seeks to change an antiquated narrative.
Hoppin chatting with cadets at the Air Force Academy before a Board of Visitors meeting.

Forced Pivots and Finding Purpose as a Military Spouse

How the founder of the National Military Spouse Network reignited her career after years out of the workforce