The Blog - Meet a Milspouse - The Story of Army Spouse, Austin Carr...

When I sat down on a couch in the front row of a military spouse session at the Military Influencer Conference last November, I never expected to have an inspiring conversation that would stick with me long after I left the conference. But that’s exactly what happened when I chatted with Austin Carrigg. She is an Army spouse, Mom, and the Founder and CEO of Exceptional Families of the Military - a nonprofit organization that connects military families with disabilities, special healthcare needs, or educational needs from all service branches in order to navigate the Exceptional Family Member Programs.

Austin shared her day-to-day struggles with finding resources for military family members who need extra care and assistance and the tireless work she does to advocate for families like hers through her nonprofit organization. Later that day, she and I ended up standing together waiting to find out if we both had advanced to the next round of the Second Service Foundation Pitch Competition. Neither of us did, but I knew in my heart I had met her for a reason - she made an impact on me that would last long after we left Las Vegas.

It is an honor to share Austin’s story, her mission, and her sweet family. My hope is that her story will reach at least one family whose world will be changed through the work she does for military families through her organization. Say hello to my friend, Austin Carrigg!

GIVE US A BEHIND-THE-SCENES PEEK AT YOU AND YOUR FAMILY – HOW DID YOU BECOME A MILITARY SPOUSE (MILSPOUSE)? WHAT DO YOU DO IN ADDITION TO BEING A MILSPOUSE? AND A FUN FACT ABOUT YOUR MILITARY FAMILY?

I met my husband in high school, we've been together since I was 15. It's definitely not the fairytale people make out - falling in love with your high school sweetheart to be, but I wouldn't change it for the world. The ups and downs that our marriage has had, has made us stronger on our own, and together.

When our daughter suffered a catastrophic stroke in 2020 mid-pandemic we were separated not by a deployment but by hospital policy that wouldn't allow a second parent to visit. Those ups and downs of our marriage that were so hard to get through at times, prepared us for these hours and days. She made it through and so did we, and I have no doubt that it's because of what this military life has been.

In addition to be a MilSpouse my life has been a bit crazy. I've published in several medical journals after making a breakthrough on my daughter's rare disease, I've had posters win awards at medical conferences, I testified before Congress about my family's experiences with EFMP AND THEN I launched a nonprofit called Exceptional Families of the Military to support families like mine as they navigate military life within the often broken confines of the Exceptional Family Member Program.

I don't believe in complaining without a solution, so I make sure to remind families that it's okay to say this is unfair, this is broken, but we have to be part of the solution on how to fix it. My life often seems surreal to me, how is it that someone like me, has made it to where I am? How is it that I am a person you can google and my face is everywhere? It makes no sense.

A fun fact about our family: we are not sports people, at all-- but we love politics and the presidential debates are our Superbowl. Even when our oldest was away at college he called home so we could all watch together. I have no doubt that our neighbors probably hated the amount of stomping and yelling that occurred but it really is the thing we look forward to.

WHICH MILITARY BRANCH DOES YOUR SPOUSE SERVE IN AND FOR HOW MANY YEARS HAS HE SERVED?

He's active duty Army and has been for 21 years

WHERE HAS THE MILITARY MOVED YOUR FAMILY OVER THE YEARS? WHICH WAS YOUR FAVORITE DUTY STATION AND WHY?

My spouse has been stationed at Fort Campbell, KY, Fort Benning, GA, Boston, MA, Joint Base Myer-Hendersen Hall, VA, UCLA in Los Angeles, Military District of Washington, DC, the Pentagon, and now we are back to Joint Base Myer-Hendersen Hall, VA. I have to say for a long time Boston was our favorite duty station and the place we longed to return.

My boys went to elementary school in the same building my father did when my grandfather served there. I live in a house just down the street from where they lived, and for a military family, that connection really drew us in. BUT, after arriving in Washington, DC in 2015 it became "home" in a way no duty station ever has. We made friends with our civilian counterparts, our oldest graduated high school, and when it was time to PCS to UCLA I sobbed harder than I ever have leaving a duty station, because this had honestly become home.

WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE THING ABOUT BEING A MILITARY SPOUSE? TELL US SOMETHING THAT YOU HAVE LEARNED OR HAS MADE YOU STRONGER BECAUSE YOU ARE A MILSPOUSE?

It's our community - you can be stationed anywhere in the world and you're always a knock on the door away from an instant friend, a Facebook message away from urgent help. Recently this community supported me in a way I never thought possible. My father was diagnosed with Sepsis and transported by ambulance to the hospital from a gas station. I posted a call to family and friends in our home town in Arizona. It wasn't one of them who responded, it was a fellow military spouse.

Despite the strength and tenacity she shows the world everyday battling cancer she reached out to her family and asked them to help. Within hours they had picked up my father's car, kept it safe until he was discharged, and drove it to the hospital bringing him his cane before they left. THIS is what our community is, someone who has your back, who will catch you when you fall, because we share this life and community.

WHO INSPIRES YOU AND WHY?

As odd as it may sound, Alexander Hamilton. He came from poverty, but people believed in him and helped him get to America. He struggled to find his place, he struggled to realize his dreams, he made mistakes along the way and wasn't afraid to own up to them for the greater good, but he left a lasting legacy to our nation that will not be forgotten.

Perseverance Bracelet with Meaning Card - When life seems overwhelming, when that first step seems like a mile - remember the reason you chose to start. You’ve worked so hard to get to where you are today – despite the struggles, tears, and uphill battles - but you never gave up. Wear this bracelet as your everyday reminder that you can do hard things, you can figure out what seems impossible, and a little perseverance will get you everywhere.

WHICH CHARLIEMADISON EVERYDAY REMINDER DO YOU WEAR ON YOUR WRIST AND WHY DID YOU CHOOSE THAT PARTICULAR BRACELET?

Jewelry can be hard to wear taking care of a little one everyday - often times I don't even have on my wedding ring set, it'll be nothing or a simple band because of the number of handwashes and ripped gloves a day. BUT we fell in love with the Perseverance Bracelet for our daughter, who happily wears all the jewelry!

Shop Austin's Bracelet

WHAT DO YOU DO TO STAY CONNECTED TO WHAT MATTERS MOST, DESPITE THE UNCERTAINTY, FREQUENT MOVES, AND DEPLOYMENTS THAT GO ALONG WITH BEING A MILITARY FAMILY?

I've always told my boys that they'll never have another best friend that moves everywhere they do. We've taken that to heart as family and spend intentional time even now that they are adults doing things as a family. I stay connected to friends we've left behind on Facebook, and I'm honored to have been given the opportunity to watch them and their families grow.

WHAT ADVICE WOULD YOU GIVE TO A FELLOW MILITARY SPOUSE WHO IS STRUGGLING WITH MILITARY LIFE OR DEPLOYMENT?

Find your person - it may be hard and they may not be who you'd expect. But all you need is your person, the one you can lean on when the days are hard! Find a friend whose spouse is also gone when yours is, plan to spend that time together. During my husband's last deployment a friend and I brought our families together and we shared the responsibility of cooking dinner for the kids, having each other over, helping each other clean their house. We joined the local YMCA that had childcare and made sure several days a week we went, so our kids could socialize with others and even if we didn't work out we had time to ourselves.

WE HAPPEN TO BE QUOTE LOVERS AROUND HERE – CAN YOU SHARE A FAVORITE QUOTE THAT KEEPS YOU INSPIRED?

I love books, but reading is hard and I've learned to turn my heart to music- so I'll share my favorite lyrics with you:

"If there ever was somebody who made me believe in me, It was you. It was your song that made me sing, It was your voice that gave me wings, And it was your light that shined, Guiding my heart to find, This place where I belong" from the song "Your Song" by Garth Brooks.

The entire song is the one my heart sings when I think of my daughter. She taught me how to be strong, watching her fight the battles she has in life has been my guiding light, because I know I'll fight until my last breath to make sure no child, no family, has to experience the same.

WHERE CAN OUR READERS FIND YOU ONLINE?