Marily teaches preschool part-time, volunteers with the Susan G. Komen foundation and with the Fort Hood USO. She also homeschools her own children. Marily has been married to MAJ John Considine for almost 12 years and is also a recent Breast Cancer Survivor.
I have been an Army wife now for almost 12 years. We have moved five times, been through two deployments, a battle with cancer, and are preparing for our third deployment. We have two amazing children, a 9 year old daughter and a 6 year old son, who are definitely "Army Strong." Our family has been through many highs and lows and our love grows stronger each day. We cherish every moment that we are together and healthy.
I homeschool my children as well as teach preschool part-time at St. Christopher's Preschool in Killeen, Texas. I volunteer with the Fort Hood USO, the United Through Reading Military Program, and the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation. This past summer, I also volunteered with the Homes For Our Troops organization during a build here in central Texas for a wounded warrior. Our family also enjoys doing fundraiser charity walks for various organizations including the American Cancer Society, the Wounded Warrior Project, and the Boot Campaign. I am also honored to serve as the 2013 Susan G. Komen Central Texas Race for the Cure Honorary Chairperson and the face of Susan G. Komen Central Texas.
In 2011, I worked with three other Army spouses here at Fort Hood to raise over $9000 for the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation. Together, we walked 60 miles in 3 days during the 3-Day SGK Race for the Cure in Dallas.
In 2012, I walked in combat boots with about 50 other people, including Fort Hood spouses, through Killeen and onto Fort Hood to raise awareness to the sacrifices that our servicemembers make by "walking in their boots" and supporting the Boot Campaign.
I am an active member of the Fort Hood Officers' Spouses Club and our FRG. I was honored to receive the Volunteer Award from the FHOSC, the Volunteer Appreciation Award from 2nd ACR, the USO Volunteer Appreciation Award, the 1st Cavalry Division Commander's Award for Excellence, and the III Corps Commanding General's coin for my volunteer work here at Fort Hood.
I am also a recent Breast Cancer Survivor, diagnosed with stage 3 Breast Cancer in September of 2010 at the age of 32. Through 8 chemotherapy treatments, multiple surgeries, and 33 rounds of radiation, my cancer "battle buddies" are helping me defeat this disease. Our family, friends, co-workers, and Army community rallied around us when I was diagnosed. Battling cancer has been very hard and extremely painful. But if going through all this means that I can help someone else, then it is all worth it. I want to share all of the love and support that I received with others that are also fighting their own battles so that no one ever feels alone.
My family, friends, co-workers, and Army family have been so supportive through deployments and my battle with cancer. I am so thankful for all of the love and support that our family has received. I am now working to reach out and support other miitary spouses that are battling serious illnesses while living far from family and/or whose spouse is deployed. I would like to see support groups and care centers at every installation to help those spouses who are battling serious illnesses. I am working to set up an online resource page for those spouses to find information on their illness and where they can go for help and support to also reach those spouses who do not live close to a military installation.
I am so blessed with an amazing family, an awesome Army family, and wonderful friends.
http://myus105.com/ft-hood-voters-choose-military-spouse-of-the-year-candidate/
http://www.kcentv.com/story/20592699/fort-hood-wife-wants-to-be-military-spouse-of-the-year
http://www.forthoodsentinel.com/story.php?id=7862
http://www.kens5.com/great-day-sa/rocknrollmarathon.html
http://www.kcentv.com/story/20876047/fort-hood-wife-nominated-for-military-spouse-of-the-year
be with my family, meet new people, laugh, dance, teach, and help others!
Tarleton State University. Go Texans and TexAnns!
to be sick. I have so much life to live and I don't like to get slowed down by illness.
I would love to inspire people to stay positive even during difficult times. Since becoming an Army wife, I have given birth while my husband was deployed, moved five times, sent my husband to war multiple times, given birth to an almost 11 pound baby, taught preschool, home school my own children, and beaten cancer all before the age of 35. The most important thing is to stay positive! Life is going to be difficult, but it is so worth fighting for. When I was diagnosed with cancer, I realized that even in the most difficult times, life is beautiful.
I would like to reach out to other spouses who are battling serious illnesses while living far from family and/or while their spouse is deployed. I was blessed to have an enormous support group during my cancer battle and I want to make sure that no spouse ever has to fight a disease on their own. I believe that cancer battles, just like wars, can not be won by one single person. I have amazing "battle buddies" that are helping me defeat cancer.
I would like to see support groups at every military installation for those spouses who are battling serious illnesses while facing the everyday challenges of military life. As a military community, we are a family and we can get through anything together. As my family prepares for our third deployment, we know that we will have our family and our Army family to help us through. Support groups at every installation for spouses that are battling serious illnesses while being stationed far from family and/or their servicemember is deployed can provide these spouses with the information, resources, and comfort they need to help them overcome their challenges. I am currently working on establishing an on-line support center for all spouses who are battling a serious health issue so that they can find information on their disease and where they can get help during their treatments. This on-line resource would have all the information in one location to reach all spouses, including those who do not live near a military installation.
Military spouses face unique challenges and we have a special kind of strength that makes us an inspiration to the rest of the country.
http://www.kens5.com/great-day-sa/rocknrollmarathon.html
http://www.forthoodsentinel.com/story.php?id=7862
http://myus105.com/ft-hood-voters-choose-military-spouse-of-the-year-candidate/
http://www.kcentv.com/story/20592699/fort-hood-wife-wants-to-be-military-spouse-of-the-year
http://www.kcentv.com/story/20876047/fort-hood-wife-nominated-for-military-spouse-of-the-year
I would like to see what it was like for military spouses during World War II. My grandmother served in the military and I would love to see what she was like back then.
I would like to see us support each other even more. Being a military spouse is rewarding, but it can also present extreme challenges. Frequent moves, often far from family, and frequent deployments can be challenging.
These challenges become even more difficult when the spouse is battling a serious illness. No one should have to face this alone. I would like to have support groups at every installation to help those spouses that are battling serious illnesses like my cancer battle. I was blessed with an amazing support group and I could not have beaten cancer without them. They were there through the 8 rounds of chemotherapy, multiple surgeries, and 33 rounds of radiation that it took to control my spreading cancer. I still have 4 more years of treatments and multiple surgeries to have, but I know that my "battle buddies" will be there. As my husband prepares to deploy again soon, I am blessed to have so many people that will help my family through this deployment and my continued treatments.
I want to reach out to other spouses who have to face the everyday challenges of military life as well as battling with illness. Having support groups for spouses who are battling serious illnesses can provide them with the information they need on their conditions and the various organizations that can help them through it, especially for those spouses who are stationed far from family and/or whose service member is deployed. These support groups will empower these spouses and provide comfort to help them through their illnesses. Currently, I am working to gather information on various illnesses, treatment options, and charities that can make all of this information available in one location to reach all military spouses, including ones who do not live near a post or base. Being informed and knowing that there are others who are going through the same things can be the inspiration that these spouses need. Military spouses are strong and we can get each other through the toughest of times.
