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Jaime Waterbury ()
“I would encourage military spouses not to be discouraged when searching for employment. Sometimes we are going to have those employment gaps. Sometimes we are going to be unemployed and underemployed. Don’t worry; don’t give up. Professional volunteerism can help get you there.”
— USAG Wiesbaden Base Winner, Jaime Waterbury 2024.
Since 2008, Armed Forces Insurance (AFI) has honored military spouses all over the world and from each military branch with the Military Spouse of the Year (MSOY) award. The award recognizes military spouse contributions and help to the military community. Nominees compete at the base and branch levels for the ultimate honor, the overall Military Spouse of the Year. The overall winner this year will be selected in May 2024.
This year in Germany, four military spouses won at the base level for USAG Rheinland-Pfalz, USAG Stuttgart, USAG Wiesbaden and Ramstein Air Base. I had the pleasure of talking to USAG Wiesbaden Base Winner, Jaime Waterbury, and she told me a little about herself and her platform.
A military spouse of 16 years, Jaime advocates for professional development for military spouses and professional volunteerism. Professional volunteerism is the concept of utilizing volunteering opportunities to not only help others but also to develop and improve upon skills that help the volunteer in the professional work world. Jaime works with military spouses to help them turn their drive, passion and professionalism from their volunteer work into “resume builders.”
She embodies the ideal of professional volunteerism through her work with Americans Working Around the Globe (AWAG), the Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW), the Association of the United States Army (AUSA), as a unit Key Spouse, working with her local PTA, the Community Spouses Club, the Air Force Association, and the American Red Cross.
Before ending the interview, I asked Jaime some fun questions about her favorite military family perks. She loves the MWR-sponsored trips:
“When I was a younger spouse and new here (in Wiesbaden) I hadn’t traveled Europe previously and the MWR trips are a great way to dip your toe into international traveling if you don’t have experience traveling.”
You can read Jaime’s full profile on the AFI MSOY website here.
Listen to Jaime talk about professional volunteerism and working with Americans Working the Globe:
