When colonels and lieutenant colonels take command, their spouses are afforded an opportunity to make a difference in the lives of military members and their families, said Bonnie Amos, wife of Gen. James F. Amos, commandant of the Marine Corps, who spoke to 64 military spouses during the “Spouses Workshop” aboard Marine Corps Base Quantico on May 13, 2013.

The weeklong workshop was held at the Gen. Alfred M. Gray Marine Corps Research Center in conjunction with the Commandant’s Commanders Program, which is a semi-annual course for all incoming commanders.

 Marta Sullivan and Kim Matos, both event coordinators and spouses of commanding officers, said their goal with the “Spouses Workshop” is to prepare participants with leadership and mentoring skills.

 “[Spouses of slated commanders] have an awesome opportunity and we’re here to show them different ways they can use that opportunity to impact the lives of Marines, sailors and their families,” said Sullivan, wife of Lt. Col. Ferrell Sullivan, faculty advisor for Training and Education Command.

During the workshop spouses learned about family readiness, making connections, community involvement and social media. In addition, military leaders discussed pertinent medical issues facing the military, such as Traumatic Brain Injury, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder and casualty awareness.

These were all tools intended to inform, equip and empower spouses to serve families. However, Amos said more important than the “how to’s” or the act of serving, is the heart of serving — a concept that can be easily over looked, she said.

Instead of merely going through the motions of service, Amos challenged the spouses look at the big picture, by beginning with the end in mind.

 “Think about what your legacy might be — what you want to accomplish for families as you go through command,” Amos said. “What do you hope will be said about you after your husband’s time in command?”

After discussing legacy, she frankly asked the crowd, “Are you approachable?”

It’s a personal question, Matos, wife of Col. Joseph Matos, joint chief of staff for Defense Information Systems Agency Pacific, said all participants should ask themselves before volunteering to take on a role of service.

“Because most people do things based on their personality, we want spouses to recognize [personal character traits and preferences], so that [their character] doesn’t prevent them from creating cohesive units within families and among spouses,” Matos said.

Although becoming an active spouse is entirely voluntary, both organizers agree that it’s a position that requires whole-hearted commitment to humility, teamwork and dedication to military families.

“If we can make the life of a Marine, sailor or their families better— whether that’s connecting them to each other, a resource or just letting them know we care, then we have done our job,” Sullivan said.

Staff Writer: afelton@quanticosentryonline.com