More Than A Spouse: A Career Reflecting Personal Journey and Passions

Amy Damele, an Air Force spouse and Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW), embraced the challenges of military life with determination and purpose. She knew that every PCS move would make her the “new face” yet again, but instead of letting it hold her back, Amy used these experiences to fuel her dream of becoming a Military and Family Life Counselor (MFLC). Her personal journey—marked by resilience and a deep connection to the military community—shaped her path to this meaningful career. From navigating licensing hurdles across state lines to finding support through networking and an NMFA scholarship, Amy’s inspiring story showcases how she turned challenges into opportunities and made her dream job a reality.

A Joanne Holbrook Patton Scholarship Recipient

Amy started her schooling and supervision for her license in Florida, but due to a PCS move, she had to find new support in Virginia.

“On top of these challenges, I still had to pay out-of-pocket for supervision,” said Amy. “It was costly, and it wasn’t until another military spouse told me about the NMFA scholarship opportunity that I immediately applied.”

Soon after, Amy was awarded scholarship funds. She finally felt the financial burden of supervision costs lifted, making her career goal seem within reach.

“I was extremely appreciative to have been selected as a scholarship recipient because, in addition to the financial support, the scholarship made me feel supported within the military community and as a military spouse.”

This support was transformative. With the scholarship funds, Amy was able to pay for her licensure in Virginia and secure her dream job with Magellan Federal.

“I’m employed as a Military and Family Life Counselor in a public school, providing counseling and support to military-connected children and their families,” Amy shared. “It’s a full-circle moment—NMFA helped me, and now I’m helping other military families.”

A Career of Purpose and Passion

As a military spouse and mother to two young military kids, her career choice was a natural fit for the worlds she knew. Merging personal experience with education was where she found purpose and conformation that she pursued the right career and schooling.

“I get to provide direct support to military-connected children and their families, and it means so much to me being a military spouse,” said Amy. “I’m very motivated to advocate for our military families and help them through challenging times like PCS moves, deployments, grief, and stressors.”

Through her work and personal experience, Amy also recognizes the importance of fostering resilience in military children through these unique military family experiences.

“I encourage military children to recognize their incredible strengths. There is so much value in supporting our community, especially our youth,” she added.

Advice for Fellow Military Spouses

Amy wishes she had started networking with other military spouses earlier in her career so it is a valuable tool she shares about whenever she can.

“There’s so much value and wisdom gained in connecting with others in the same or similar fields. Networking also creates a sense of community, which is much appreciated as a military spouse,” she explained.

For military spouses navigating their own career paths, Amy offers these tips:

• Leverage Available Resources: Take advantage of education and career-related resources like NMFA’s Joanne Holbrook Patton Military Spouse Scholarships, partner scholarships, resume workshops, and job fairs for military spouses and veterans.
• Stay Resilient: Your journey will have challenges, but persistence and support can help you succeed. Resources and help are always available—don’t think you’re ever alone.
• Find Your Community: Build connections within the military spouse network to share advice and opportunities. A great start is with NMFA’s Professional Facebook Groups.

As Amy puts it: “It’s truly empowering to see how support from organizations like NMFA helps military spouses like me achieve our goals and give back to those we care so deeply about.”

Share your ‘More Than A Spouse’ story with us. We want to hear it!

By: Angela Sablan Tenorio, Content Manager