Hi fellow WAFs! My name is Hannah. When my husband got orders to Andersen AFB, Guam, I was so excited. A tropical island, crystal clear water for snorkeling and diving, close enough to southeast Asia for traveling. It felt like an incredible opportunity, but when we PCS’d, reality hit me hard.
The cost and travel time to visit our families back home meant we might only see them once or twice over the next three years. Leads to further my career were slim, and it was difficult to make friends. I started to resent the beautiful island we called home, and had never felt so alone and without purpose.
I needed to find community and a way to connect with the place we lived. I decided to start a hiking group, hoping to make some friends and have people to explore with even when my husband was away. As it turns out, a lot of other people needed those things too.
Within a few months the group had hundreds of people excited about getting outside together – most of them military families and spouses. As the hiking group grew, I had an idea floating around in the back of my head…what if, no matter where you were stationed, you could connect with other military members and families who shared a love for exploring outside and would welcome you as a friend each time you moved to a new home?
I pitched the idea to a few frequent hikers that had become good friends, and Military Wild began.
WHAT IS MILITARY WILD?
Military Wild is an outdoor community for military families. Our goal is to connect members of the military community with each other and to the landscapes we call home.
In military life, frequent moves and fast friends come with the territory, and finding a community at each new duty station can be difficult. We know that the outdoors has something to offer everyone and that outdoor recreation is an incredible way to embrace the places we live and form bonds with the people we meet there.
At Military Wild, we want to foster the preservation of wild places, love for our own personal landscapes, and friendships that last beyond them.
WHO CAN JOIN?
Military Wild is open to any US Military active duty, reserve/guard, retiree, dependent, or contractor.
WHAT DOES MILITARY WILD DO?
We host hikes, beach hangouts, succulent planting, wine & hikes, yoga sessions, and more at our local chapter events. We also promote outdoor volunteer and educational opportunities in our local areas. As we grow, we hope to offer more activities to help military members and their families get outside together, whether it’s on the trail, on the water, or on the road.
SIGN ME UP!
You can connect with Military Wild in several ways:
- Join the official Military Wild community!
Annual memberships are available at militarywild.com for $10/yr. Memberships include a Military Wild patch and sticker, access to our online resources, and more. Memberships aren’t required to join local events just yet, but will be as our newer chapters grow
- Join a local chapter near you through Facebook! Our local chapters are located in or coming soon to:
Alabama (southeast area)
https://www.facebook.com/groups/2429256983986647/?ref=br_rs
DC Area
https://www.facebook.com/groups/407165449850646/?ref=br_rs
Guam
https://www.facebook.com/groups/MilitaryWildGuam/
Texas (Del Rio and San Antonio areas)
https://www.facebook.com/groups/MilitaryWildTexas/
Virginia (Norfolk area)
https://www.facebook.com/groups/684879665312502/
Washington (Bremerton/Seattle area)
https://www.facebook.com/groups/MilitaryWildWA/
Hawaii (coming soon!)
New Mexico (coming soon!)
- Connect with us on Facebook and Instagram!
https://www.facebook.com/militarywild/
https://www.instagram.com/militarywild/
WHAT IF I’M NOT NEAR A LOCAL CHAPTER?
We still want to connect with you! Ultimately, we want to help military families enjoy the outdoors and connect with each other, whether it’s in person at a local chapter, or online. If you’re interested in helping us start a new chapter near your base, check out our Ambassador Search on the website and send us an application!
It doesn’t take much gear or experience to get outside, and it doesn’t take much time outside to form bonds with new friends that understand the struggles and joys of military life. No matter where this crazy ride takes you, I hope you find community with the people around you and love for the place you call home.
MEET HANNAH
