The Association of Ft. Bragg Officers’ Spouses sounds like something made up for an episode of Desperate Housewives, but it exists: In December the group rejected membership for Ashley Broadway, the wife of Army Lt. Col. Heather Mack.
But Broadway just got a big boost today: She’s been named Fort Bragg’s 2013 “Spouse of the Year” in an online poll conducted by Military Spouses magazine.
Editor Babette Maxwell says Broadway won the voting “by a country mile,” and is now eligible for Army Spouse of the Year in February and the Armed Forces Insurance Military Spouse of the Year in May. “The winners are chosen based on their merits, their accomplishments and what they intend to do for the community in the year to come,” explained Maxwell. Since arriving at Ft. Bragg, Broadway has briefed new Army families on local schools and housing opportunities, and tutored soldiers’ children in reading.
“A lot of people who voted never me met or talked to me or knew me from Adam,” Broadway told NBC News. “I know it was a statement to the Obama Administration, to Secretary [of Defense Leon] Panetta, to Senator Hagel—if he is confirmed [as Secretary of Defense]— to the Pentagon and, really, to America that, yes, she is a military spouse and she needs to be recognized.”
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Broadway admitted, “there are things the government can do right now to make life a hell of a lot easier than what it is currently for those who are in same-sex marriages in the military—it was a lot of people saying, ‘Enough’s enough.’ ”
Congrats to Ashley and Heather. We bet the Ft. Bragg spouses club gives dreadful parties anyway.
Dakotahgeo
I am extremely proud and happy for these two wonderful ladies! I am so happy they are free from the bit…errr, pardon me… broads and their gossip coffee klatches. Great people have more to do than sit around and mold. They are out doing things and making life in general happier for all those around them! Kudos, gals! You’re showing the rest of them how it’s done!
Dakotahgeo, M.Div. Pastor/Chaplain
1EqualityUSA
God, I love women. Never a fairer creature has walked the Earth. Army Lt. Col. Heather Mack and Ashley Broadway are heroes. Fighting discrimination, in a most public way, is stressful. I’m proud of both of you. You are Americans, you are beautiful women, and you are fine representatives of the LGBT community. Thank you for standing up against hate.
From the deepest desires often come the deadliest hate. ~Socrates
jwrappaport
@1EqualityUSA: Chris Hemsworth shirtless with a Marine tattoo in Red Dawn is a fairer creature than these lovely ladies, I must say.
Mazel tov to Ashley. The court of public opinion will likely shame ABOS into doing the right thing.