Armed Forces Insurance announces the 2026 Military Spouse of the Year® Branch Winners, honoring spouses whose leadership and advocacy strengthen military families. The seven winners now advance to the final selection for the 2026 AFI Military Spouse of the Year®.
ARLINGTON, Va., March 6, 2026 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ -- Armed Forces Insurance (AFI) today announced the 2026 Military Spouse of the Year® (MSOY) branch winners, recognizing military spouses whose leadership, advocacy and community impact are shaping the future of military family life.
Now in its 18th year, the AFI Military Spouse of the Year® program remains the nation's only award dedicated solely to honoring military spouses for their service and leadership. Since 2008, the program has elevated spouses who navigate frequent relocations, career disruptions, deployments and Guard and Reserve activations while building programs, influencing policy conversations and strengthening readiness across the force. The 2026 branch winners were selected from hundreds of nominees representing installations across the United States and overseas.
The 2026 branch winners reflect the depth and diversity of today's military spouse community. From advancing workforce mobility and improving access to resources, to strengthening local support networks and mentoring future leaders, these spouses are driving meaningful change at the installation, state and national levels.
"Military spouses are not bystanders to service. They are leaders within it," said Lori Simmons, executive director of the National Military Community Foundation. "Their advocacy strengthens families, strengthens readiness and strengthens our military community as a whole. We are proud to recognize the 2026 branch winners and the lasting impact they continue to make."
The 2026 AFI Military Spouse of the Year® branch winners are:
Army: Isabel Schmitt
Marine Corps: Shelby Bateman
Navy: Meg Graves
Air Force: Lyndsey Akers
Space Force: Cassandra Kidd
Coast Guard: Najeeba Gassel
National Guard: Nicole Gebhardt
Each branch winner now advances to the final phase of the selection process for the 2026 Armed Forces Insurance Military Spouse of the Year® title. Public voting opens March 5 and closes March 6, 2026, followed by review by a panel of judges evaluating nominees across key criteria including leadership, community involvement, communication and personal impact.
The 2026 Armed Forces Insurance Military Spouse of the Year® will be announced in conjunction with National Military Spouse Appreciation Day on May 7, 2026.
To learn more about the 2026 AFI Military Spouse of the Year® program and this year's branch winners, visit msoy.afi.org.
About Armed Forces Insurance:
The Armed Forces Insurance (AFI) Military Spouse of the Year® Award was established in 2008. After serving as the title sponsor for nine years, AFI assumed ownership of the award in 2018. The award is presented at a base, branch and overall level each year to military spouses who are making a difference in their communities and providing a collective voice for spouses around the world. Through a national nomination and voting process, these nominees are judged on five core criteria: overall involvement in the military community, exhibition of leadership skills, community building capability, communication skills and overall personal story. With more than one million active-duty military spouses worldwide, this award program aims to shine a spotlight on the force behind our armed forces. The Armed Forces Insurance Military Spouse of the Year® program is an initiative of the 501(c)(19) nonprofit National Military Community Foundation. For more information, please visit msoy.afi.org.
Media Contact
Lakesha Cole, She Spark Media, 1 9103335252, [email protected], She Spark Media
SOURCE Armed Forces Insurance
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