Jen Farrow and Kirst Navaroli share why they co-founded Wives of the Armed Forces and how they help other military spouses navigate the ups and downs of military life on the Tango Alpha Lima podcast.
Jen Farrow and Kirst Navaroli were young when they married into the military. They left family, friends, careers and navigated into an unfamiliar world at McChord Air Force Base, where the two met and leaned on each other for support. Their friendship and experience of the ups and downs of military life as a wife, mom and friend resulted in the two co-founding “Wives of the Armed Forces - A survival guide for the modern military spouse.”
Farrow and Navaroli were special guests on The American Legion Tango Alpha Lima podcast to discuss their online community of support for military wives of all service branches.
“We really created Wives of the Armed Forces for our younger selves, for ourselves who were dating our guys and had no idea what was ahead for us,” Farrow said. “I think the biggest thing about military spouse life is there’s a really big ‘but’ in there of like it is hard, but you are so strong, or you will become so strong. I think our younger selves would not even recognize who we are now.”
The Wives of the Armed Forces spotlights real-life stories and things military spouses go through, like a permanent change of station (PCS) or a career change.
“I think anyone that has been involved with the military long enough knows that a military spouse’s career is the first sacrifice I feel like you have to really make,” said Navaroli, who left a career during her husband’s second PCS. “That really rocked my world because it took that security blanket away from me.” Along with the PCS and leaving a career, Navaroli became pregnant and it became a lot happening at once. “It was a lot truthfully that’s why WAF (Wives of the Armed Forces) was born for Jen and I. We leaned on each other so much for that support of, ‘Hey, I’m not crazy right? This is hard for you too?’”
Wives of the Armed Forces also supports lifestyle needs, activities at and around military bases, health resources and what it’s like to be married to someone who has “x” for a job. And there’s a shopping/style guide for what to wear to a promotion ceremony or military ball, along with skin care needs from the different climates as Farrow is currently in Alaska. And a popular section right now? Farrow’s winter wear guide for Alaska.
“We’re taking our real-life friend group chat between military spouses and just putting it online,” Navaroli said. “The military can be truly such a gift and the relationships you will get in this lifestyle are unmatched.”
Connect with Farrow and Navaroli on Instagram at @wivesofthearmedforces and Pinterest, or by visiting wivesofthearmedforces.com.
When it comes to social media, Navaroli said that you won’t see her and Farrow “dumping on our husband’s jobs. We take a lot of pride in what they do and the service that they’ve committed to, and what we’ve committed to as a family. It’s a space where we are speaking to you, and you’re speaking to us as women. You can stand on you own two feet as a proud spouse still, and you are incredible for just who you are aside from the uniform that your spouse wears.”
Also, co-hosts Stacy Pearsall, Adam Marr and Joe Worley:
· Applaud VA for its expansion rollout of telehealth to help rural veterans
· Reveal how Space Force is sniffing out nuclear material
· Share their favorite holiday gift guide from veteran or miliary spouse-owned businesses
Check out this week’s episode, which is among more than 280 Tango Alpha Lima podcasts available in both audio and video formats here. You can also download episodes on Apple Podcasts, Google Play or other major podcast-hosting sites. The video version is available at the Legion’s YouTube channel.
- Tango Alpha Lima