LACKLAND AIR FORCE BASE, Texas –
"Your purpose in life is for your life to have purpose."
Tami Cook lives by those words. They inspire her dedication and passion.
Whether it's raising two teenagers, being the wife of a Military Training Instructor or working as a bid coordinator for a special education publishing company, she's determined to do her best and make a difference.
For the past two years, Mrs. Cook has also found time to reach out to other MTI spouses in the 323rd Training Squadron as a member of the Key Spouse Program.
Her involvement has not gone unnoticed. Mrs. Cook was recently named the 37th Training Wing 2010 Military Spouse of the Year.
She was also nominated by the 37th TRW for the Joan Orr Spouse of the Year Award. The Air Education and Training Command award recognizes significant contributions made by non-military spouses of Air Force military members from any AF component.
"It's very nice and I'm very humbled," she said. "I feel honored I was even considered, but in the grand scheme of things, it's not going to change what I'm doing.
"It's still going to be the same: I'm still going to love the spouses, the squadron, and the mission. I'm still going to put forth 100 percent of my efforts into making everything and everyone the best they can be."
As an Air Force readiness program, key spouses are appointed by a unit's commander. Their role is to support Airmen and their families during deployments, separations and emergencies by enhancing and encouraging communication between units and families.
As a key spouse, Mrs. Cook draws from her own experience in reaching out to new and veteran spouses. She helped a small spouses' group grow to 20 that consistently meet for breakfast, communicate through social web sites and organize family events at the squadron.
"It feels like dinner with our girlfriends," Mrs. Cook said about the breakfast gatherings. "There's no pressure, no drama, no gossip. Sometimes we don't even talk about work or the squadron."
She believes the interaction with other MTI spouses creates an understanding of the training mission, their spouse's role and how to deal with the amount of time work separates the family. Their bonding also leads their children to find support among their peers.
Lt. Col. Matthew Whiat, 323rd TRS commander, said due to the key spouse program, when a spouse and family are welcomed to the squadron, their questions and concerns are addressed and it allows incoming military members to concentrate on the mission.
"If I can take (family concerns) off the MTI's shoulders, they can focus on being a great mentor - someone who inspires, leads, teaches, trains and builds that next warrior Airman of character," Colonel Whiat said. "That's where a key spouse helps tremendously.
"Tami understands the dedication and amount of hours required by the military member as an MTI. At the same time the squadron is taking care of the military members, she's helping take care of their family. Tami's my genius marketer who funnels all the great Air Force support initiatives to those families."
Tami told her husband, Tech. Sgt. Justin Cook, 323rd TRS MTI, long ago, "I have to leave the world better than when I came into it, and I need to have a purpose to achieve that."
And the Air Force is benefitting from Mrs. Cook's additional purpose.