Photo By Sherry Kuiper | Leigh Ingram is the 2024 Armed Forces Insurance Military Spouse of the year for Joint...... read more read more
JOINT BASE MYER-HENDERSON HALL, Va. – If you spend any time at the churches on Joint Base Myer-Henderson Hall, there is a good chance you have seen Leigh Ingram hard at work, whether helping the Religious Support Office plan events, helping administratively, assisting with spouse groups, or singing at a service.
Leigh’s volunteer work in the joint base community makes it no surprise that she is the Armed Forces Insurance Military Spouse of the Year for Joint Base Myer-Henderson Hall.
Leigh is the wife of Army Chaplain (Maj.) Scott Ingram, the deputy chaplain with the JBM-HH Religious Support Office. They have been married 24 years, 23 of which have been during active-duty service.
Leigh graduated from Lee University with a degree in Psychology and a minor in Bible Studies. She also studied music and applied those skills to her work at every installation she has been stationed at over the years.
The Armed Forces Insurance Military Spouse of the Year program honors men and women who are doing great things.
The process starts with a simple nomination, something Leigh says she was flattered to get as she had no idea until the organization called her.
Carla Moss, an administrative assistant at the joint base who also volunteers with the RSO, nominated Leigh after observing her volunteer work on the joint base, says Leigh’s warm persona, optimistic demeanor, and genuine care for people truly inspire others to be the best versions of themselves.
“She always serves graciously from the heart and without reserve,” said Moss. “Because she is deeply committed to supporting our growing communities, it was her continuous volunteering to serve these communities in various capacities and always asking to help others that motivated me to nominate her for this very special recognition.”
For Leigh, being the base’s military spouse of the year is an honor.
“We have such an incredibly talented group of military spouses,” said Leigh.
Leigh says many spouses become advocates, especially in areas such as the Exceptional Family Member Program, because they want to help improve the Army and leave it better for the next person.
Leigh herself advocates for service member, spouse, veteran, and family member involvement and connection that directly addresses the issue of isolation and its impact on individual resilience and the communities in which they serve and live.
“I have witnessed how active community engagement can make a positive difference in the morale, resiliency, contentment, and attitude of our service members and spouses,” said Leigh. “This difference impacts the morale and resilience of their households as it affects factors for retention and recruitment within the armed forces.”
Their military journey has taken them around the world, from their first duty station in Okinawa, Japan, to their most interesting one in Singapore and their most unique one here at JBM-HH.
“I love the diversity that I have been able to experience,” Leigh said. “Even within a chapel context, being able to experience some of the things other congregations do has been exciting.”
Through all the moves and deployments, 14 in total, Leigh has gracefully navigated, finding purpose and joy in every place they call home.
To do that, she says, for her, it was about the people.
“Whether it was through his command, a chapel community, or a post initiative, I have always been fortunate to find people.”
And it’s the people, Leigh says, that help give her the energy, passion and fulfillment at each duty station.
During their first year together, while stationed at Fort Riley, Kansas, Leigh says she just wanted to meet people. With Chaplain Ingram deploying right away, she decided to visit a deployed spouse’s group.
“I would show up once a week to these meetings.”
She found herself becoming a co-leader of the group the following year and says it was amazing watching young spouses who married young, left their homes, and were willing to "show up."
“I watched them network and make friends, create play groups amongst themselves, and find those people with whom they built close friendships,” said Leigh.
When asked if she had it to do all over again, with all she knows now, she resounded, “Absolutely!”
“I think it’s an honor to be a military spouse and to partner with my husband as a military spouse.”
Chaplain Ingram agrees.
“Leigh and I are the ultimate team, blending civilian and military life to foster strength and readiness wherever we serve,” said Chaplain Ingram. “I do my best to match her unwavering support to me, as it has been the backbone of my 23 years in the military. We thrive on mutual support and uplift each other – that’s the ‘Ingram way!’”
For new military spouses trying to find their own way, Leigh has this advice to offer:
“It starts with being willing to get involved and be a part of the community.”
To read Leigh’s profile for the Armed Forces Insurance Military Spouse of the Year, visit https://msoy.afi.org/profiles/2024-leigh-ellen-ingram
| Date Taken: | 03.11.2024 |
| Date Posted: | 03.11.2024 12:50 |
| Story ID: | 465882 |
| Location: | FORT MYER, VA, US |
| Web Views: | 40 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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