Photo By Sgt. Nataja Ford | (From left to right) Mrs. Ashley Vandenboogaard, U.S. Army Capt. Antoine...... read more read more
ST. PAUL, Minn.-- Soldiers from the 88th Readiness Division were among the hundreds of U.S. military service members, both past and present, celebrated during the 2024 Minnesota State Fair's Military Appreciation Day.
The Minnesota State Fair honors service members from all military branches, as well as supporting military organizations, every year on Military Appreciation Day. Each year, a new theme is featured; this year’s theme was focused on the ones who support service members most - their spouses.
“Today we are honoring military spouses,” said U.S. Sen. Amy Klobuchar (Minn.) during the opening ceremony. “Thank you for your sacrifice. You represent the best of Minnesota, and the best of America."
As part of the day's events, a ceremony of appreciation for military spouses was held, during which they received commemorative “Honoring Military Spouses” pins from their service member partners.
Nicole Welle and Ashley Vandenboogaard, military spouses of nine and 14 years respectively, had the opportunity to be recognized not only as individuals but also as representatives of the U.S. Army Reserve and the 88th Readiness Division. They were celebrated for their unwavering commitment to supporting their spouses.
U.S. Army Reserve Warrant Officer Candidate Frank Welle, an intelligence analyst in the 88th Readiness Division, spoke about the importance of his spouse's support throughout his nine-year career.
“My spouse's support means having someone who takes care of everything in my life, allowing me to put 110% into what I’m doing for the Army, for the military, and for our nation,” W.O.C. Welle said.
He emphasized the significance of events like this for military families, stating, “Events like this enable me to recognize my spouse today and recognize all spouses for the hard work, dedication, and courage it takes to be a military spouse.”
Mrs. Welle reflected on what the ceremony meant to her after almost a decade as a military spouse.
“It means a lot to me,” she said. “It’s been pretty hard; he left for deployment when our firstborn was only four months old. Often, military spouses end up on the backburner, almost as an afterthought. We support our spouses so they can go out and do what they do.”
Military spouses often face the challenge of being without their service members, sometimes on short notice. In these moments, only other military spouses can truly understand their experiences, which is why Ashley Vandenboogaard values her community so much after 14 years as a military spouse.
“I’ve loved getting to know other military spouses who are in the metaphorical trenches with me,” she said. “That’s what has made this experience doable.”
Her husband, U.S. Army Capt. Antoine Vandenboogaard, who serves as a planner for the 88th Readiness Division, described his spouse as “resilient.”
“When we sign up to serve, they sign up too. It’s on them to take care of everything back home when we’re gone” he said. “Over 14 years, Ashley has been there handling everything while I’ve been out doing what I do.”
Capt. Vandenboogaard credits much of his success and longevity in his military career—including three military moves and an overseas mobilization—to his spouse’s support.
“My spouse’s support is huge. I could not have done what I’ve accomplished over the years without Ashley being there every step of the way,” he said. “That’s what she means to me: her constant support and doing whatever needs to be done so I can serve.”
The 2024 Minnesota State Fair's Military Appreciation Day highlighted the critical role that military spouses play in supporting service members. Their resilience, dedication, and sacrifice are invaluable to both their families and the broader military community. By celebrating their contributions, events like these remind us that the strength of the military extends beyond the service members in uniform; it includes the spouses who stand steadfastly behind them.
| Date Taken: | 09.05.2024 |
| Date Posted: | 09.05.2024 16:04 |
| Story ID: | 480183 |
| Location: | ST. PAUL, MINNESOTA, US |
| Web Views: | 70 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
This work, 88th Readiness Division families highlighted at the 2024 Minnesota State Fair, by SGT Nataja Ford, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
No keywords found.
