Jeremy Hilton and wife Renae - Jeremy was voted the Armed Forces Insurance 2012 Military Spouse of the Year presented by Military Spouse magazine
"Jeremy is a true advocate and leader for all military spouses around the world,” says Babette Maxwell, co-founder and executive editor of Military Spouse magazine. “He is going to make enormous change and impact families who need it most."
Washington, DC (PRWEB) May 10, 2012
Jeremy Hilton was named the 2012 Military Spouse of the Year today in recognition of his commitment to the military community. Nominated by his wife, Lt. Col. Renae Hilton, his accomplishments include extensive advocacy work on behalf of special-needs families and remarkable dedication to the care of his daughter, who was born with severe medical challenges. He is the first male spouse to win this prestigious award: http://www.milspouse.com/msoy.
Hilton, whose wife is currently based at Joint Base Andrews, was chosen from hundreds of nominees. He is an Air Force Academy graduate and a former Navy officer. With the power of the Military Spouse of the Year organization behind him, Hilton plans to spend his tenure as the 2012 Military Spouse of the Year pushing further with his ongoing efforts to better the lives of military families dealing with medical challenges, caring for wounded warriors and those involved in the military’s Exceptional Family Member Program (EFMP). He currently coordinates a national push for legislation and has spoken before the Congressional Military Family Caucus, numerous congressional delegations and staffers on the Armed Services Committee, HELP Committee, Judiciary Committee and at the White House.
The award was presented by Mrs. Deanie Dempsey, spouse of Gen. Martin E. Dempsey, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.
Hilton received praise from the chairman of the award’s title sponsor, Armed Force Insurance, Lt. Gen. (Ret.) Garry L. Parks: “With our nation at war during 11 of the first 12 years of the 21st century, the modern-day military spouse has been an unsung hero who has endured countless deployments while often still maintaining a full-time job, raising children as an occupational-imposed single parent and offering moral support to their deployed spouse,” Parks said.
From the pool of nominees, one winner was chosen from each branch of service, including the National Guard for the first time. All six branch winners exemplify the values cherished by the military spouse community: service, sacrifice, love of family and patriotism. The branch winners and their families were honored at the Washington ceremony and will represent their respective branches throughout the year.
They are:
- 2012 Air Force Spouse of the Year – Jeremy Hilton
- 2012 Army Spouse of the Year - El Brown
- 2012 Coast Guard Spouse of the Year - Jennifer Bassett
- 2012 Marine Corps Spouse of the Year - Stephanie Geraghty
- 2012 National Guard Spouse of the Year - Christine Gilbreath
- 2012 Navy Spouse of the Year - Tricia Ross
Among that group, Hilton was named overall Military Spouse of the Year. "Jeremy is a true advocate and leader for all military spouses around the world,” says Babette Maxwell, co-founder and executive editor of Military Spouse magazine. “He is going to make enormous change and impact families who need it most. Jeremy is an inspiration and works tirelessly on behalf of all military families.”
“These supportive spouses, volunteer patriots in their own right, also find the time and strength to console and encourage their fellow spouses who confront challenges. Today, a new chapter has been added to the accomplishments of a military spouse, that being the recognition of Jeremy Hilton -- the husband of a military service member -- as the 2012 Military Spouse of the Year (MSOY). And, not only are we recognizing the phenomenal accomplishments of each branch winner, but this year we are doing so in a true joint services environment: our Military Spouse of the Year is a U.S. Navy veteran, married to an active-duty U.S. Air Force spouse, who is receiving his award from the 2011 MSOY, the spouse of a U.S. Marine, all at a ceremony attended and supported by every branch of the Dept. of Defense. Our nation’s military family is far stronger today due to the love, support and incredible contributions of each military spouse!” Parks added.
“We’d like to offer heartfelt congratulations to Jeremy for being named 2012 Military Spouse of the Year,” said David J. McIntyre, Jr., president and CEO of TriWest Healthcare Alliance. “As a Navy veteran, Air Force spouse, husband and father of two children, Jeremy is a shining example of the incredible dedication and commitment that the thousands of military spouses throughout America display each and every day. We’re honored to have the opportunity to serve military families just like Jeremy’s in the 21-state TRICARE West Region.”
In addition to members of the House (including Hon. Corrine Brown, D-FL 3rd) and The Honorable Sheila Jackson-Lee (D-TX 18th), the award ceremony drew numerous VIPs to honor the military spouses. They included: Bonnie Amos (spouse of Gen. James Amos, Commandant of the Marine Corps), Vice Adm. Sally Brice-O’Hara (Vice Commandant of the U.S. Coast Guard), Jeanne Chandler (spouse of Raymond Chandler, Sgt. Major of the Army), Deanie Dempsey (spouse of Gen. Martin Dempsey, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff), Adm. Jonathan Greenert (Chief of Naval Operations) and his spouse Darleen, Ambassador Eklil Ahmad Hakimi of Afghanistan, CMSAF James Roy (Chief Master Sergeant of the Air Force) and his spouse Paula, and Mary Winnefeld (spouse of Adm. James Winnefeld, Vice Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff).
The 2012 Military Spouse of the Year award and ceremony are sponsored by Armed Forces Insurance. For more information, please visit http://www.milspouse.com/msoy.
About Military Spouse
Military Spouse magazine and http://www.Baseguide.com , published by Victory Media, is the leading national magazine and online destination for the nation's 1.1 million military spouses. You can follow us on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/militaryspousemagazine and on Twitter @MilSpouseMag. The company also publishes G.I. Jobs magazine (http://www.gijobs.com) and Vetrepreneur magazine (http://www.navoba.com), and has created the Buy Veteran movement (http://www.buyveteran.com) powered by NaVOBA.
About Armed Forces Insurance
AFI was founded in 1887 by military leaders with a single mission: to protect the property of those who protect our nation. The company provides premium quality, competitively-priced property and casualty insurance to military professionals throughout the United States and overseas. AFI understands that military members have unique circumstances and insurance needs, enabling the company to offer a level of personalized service that’s unequaled in the industry. For more information, visit the website at http://www.afi.org or call 1-800-495-8234.
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