Jackie Toops

A self-described “Jackie of All Trades,” former Army wife Jackie Toops enjoys exploring the various facets of her personality by chronicling military life, world travels, family, her love of the arts and more. Her academic background is in the fields of Interdisciplinary Humanities, Museum Studies and Nonprofit Management, and she has overseen public relations for museums, galleries and universities. Jackie’s articles have been featured on Army Wife 101, Wall Street International Magazine, SoFluential, HomeAway, Military Biz Connection and FamiliesGo. While stationed in Germany, she regularly discussed her articles on-air with the Armed Forces Network in Wiesbaden. A mother of two, Jackie enjoys coffee, freelance writing, languages and discovering new ways to express herself. Follow her on Facebook and Twitter.

Milspouses Who Served: I Was a Sailor

Not all women marry into the military — some enlist in it. Across the country, brave women answer the call of duty and make the choice to serve our country. It is safe to say that some aspects of their commitment were expected, such as physical challenges and a demanding lifestyle. What they may not […] Read more…

We Moved While He Was Deployed

Moving and deployment are two of the most stressful elements of military life, and Army wife Shandi Young tackled them simultaneously. While her husband was deployed to Qatar and Kuwait, Shandi made an international move from Germany to Washington State with three kids, a cat and a dog. I can vouch that Shandi is no […] Read more…

What Happened When I Decided #ItCanWait

“I trust you, it’s the other drivers on the road I don’t trust.” I can’t count the number of times my mom said this to me as a teenager. For years, I trusted myself as well, until I slowly became comfortable driving while distracted by my smart phone. Without realizing it, I became less and […] Read more…

12 Truths While He Is Away at Basic

For military girlfriends and wives, basic training often marks the first time we have to separate from our significant other. The lack of permitted technology and communications makes this time apart incredibly difficult. You’ll experience a great deal of waiting, wondering, listening for your phone and checking your mailbox. The good news is that there is a […] Read more…

Milspouse Confessions: Things I Can’t Tell Him

We all love a good confession, and you’ve probably heard some of these before. Maybe it was over coffee, during a playdate, or at a wine night. I anonymously asked military wives across different branches what they could tell me but not tell their husbands. Here’s what they shared. “When he’s gone, it’s so much easier! […] Read more…

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