Military Wives Choir began in 2010, when a group of wives and girlfriends of British Armed Forces personnel based in Catterick, U.K., formed a choir whilst their partners were on deployment in Afghanistan.  (Syda Productions (Adobe Stock))

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If, like me, you are the star of karaoke in your car, singing in the shower or rocking out with your broom-shaped microphone while sweeping the kitchen floor, stayed tuned.

As I was scrolling Facebook, I kept seeing  mentions of a new choir beginning in the KMC. I have never sung in a choir before, and the thought of singing outside of the confines of my household stage terrifies me. However, the more posts I saw about this choir, the more intrigued I got. I had to learn more. This led me to Chloe.

Ramstein MWC had their first rehearsal in February 2026, and Chloe has seen her dream realized in front of her. (Jordan C/peopleimages.com (Adobe Stock))

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Chloe is the Founder of and Choir Lead for the newly formed Ramstein Military Wives Choir (MWC).  If the name sounds somewhat familiar, it’s because the Military Wives Choir is an organization with branches spanning across the globe, whose story was shared through the 2019 British comedy-drama movie, Military Wives.

As Chloe explained, “The Military Wives Choir began in 2010, when a group of wives and girlfriends of British Armed Forces personnel based in Catterick, UK, formed a choir whilst their partners were on deployment in Afghanistan. In 2012, the charity - Military Wives Choir Foundation - formed to support military wives through the beauty of music, no matter where in the world they were posted.”

When Chloe first arrived in the KMC, she was disheartened to find that there wasn’t already a Military Wives Choir set up in Ramstein, so she made it her mission to change that.

Chloe attended her first session with Military Wives Choir while living in the U.K. back in 2019. Unfortunately, the pandemic stalled her progress of getting involved there; that did not deter her. In 2024, she joined Brunssum MWC in The Netherlands, where she made “lifelong friends and incredible memories.”

Chloe attended her first session with Military Wives Choir while living in the U.K. back in 2019. (tsuguliev (Adobe Stock))

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When I asked Chloe why she chose to join a choir in the first place, she gave such a heartfelt and poignant answer.

“Music, to me, is just as important as breathing. Singing brings me so much joy and is the perfect way to soothe the soul. Every week during our rehearsal, no matter what, I’ll take a moment to look around the room, mid-song, and I could burst with pride. It really is more than just singing from a piece of paper – all of these women are here because they want to be a part of something special, something that fills them with joy in a place where they will always feel welcomed, supported and able to be themselves [where, if you’re a spouse] the role and rank of their husband, wife or partner is irrelevant. Everyone is equal, everyone is valued.”

Chloe wanted to continue experiencing that joy when she moved to the Ramstein area. When she learned that a branch did not exist, she put the gears in motion. She utilized social media to find the 20 people interested it would take to get a branch started, which now explains all of the posts I saw. Her methods worked; the message was definitely received and people responded.

One thing that seems to appeal to much of the community is the lack of barriers to join the choir. You don’t have to have previous experience singing. You do not need to know how to read music. It is not an immediate commitment if you decide this is something you want to try; you can show up to two practice sessions for free and then make a decision on whether to join. You don’t even have to pre-register or sign-up before your first session; just show up.

To join a Military Wives Choir overseas, you simply have to be a woman with a military connection. While “wives” is in the name, Chloe stated that Ramstein MWC is “open to all ladies with a military connection, from any NATO delegation - including (but not limited to) spouse, serving person, family member (mother, sister, daughter of a service member), veteran or civilian working for the military.”

The Ramstein MWC had their first rehearsal in February 2026, and Chloe has seen her dream realized in front of her.

“The fact that these ladies have those two hours every week to just come to choir. All they have to worry about is singing and staying hydrated at this point. They don’t have to worry about ‘do the kids need feeding? Are they going to bed on time?’ Like, it’s literally at that point, someone else’s responsibility.” Chloe hopes members come away each week feeling a sense of achievement and pride in how far they have come on their journey so far. 

Rehearsals pick up in September 2026, and the MWC is always looking for members to join their ranks. (tsuguliev (Adobe Stock))

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Rehearsals pick up in September 2026, and the Ramstein MWC is always looking for members to join their group. Led by their Musical Director, they perform a variety of song genres together: from musicals, pop chart-toppers, soft rock, holiday favorites… they do it all

Ramstein MWC is hoping to join the MWC from Belgium for a collaborative performance in October. They also have an important part to play this November during a British service commemorating Remembrance Day, what the U.S. celebrates as Veterans’ Day.

Ramstein Military Wives Choir meets Tuesday nights at the Brit Bar on Ramstein Air Base from 7 to 9 p.m. They are currently on summer break, but rehearsals will begin again September 1. After your first two free sessions, fees are currently €40 per semester, with three semesters per year. To find out more on how to join, or to book the choir for your upcoming event, visit their Facebook page or contact them via email: ramstein@militarywiveschoirs.org.