On this episode of the Your Next Mission® video podcast,SMA Tilley welcomes Jessica Manfre, LCSW — Military Events Manager at Recurrent Military, Director of MilSpouseFest, licensed therapist, author of Never Alone, and proud Coast Guard spouse of 21+ years. Jessica oversees 8+ MilSpouseFest events a year (presented by USAA) on bases across the country and now internationally and works alongside founder Curtez Riggs on the Military Influencer Conference (MIC).

In this episode, Jessica and SMA Tilley dig into: The biggest challenges facing Military spouses today (community, child care, mental health, employment). Why the Military Spouse is the ultimate force multiplier. How MilSpouseFest brings free, family-friendly programming to bases nationwide. Upcoming 2026 stops: Norfolk Naval Base May 12, Osan AB & Camp Humphreys South Korea Oct 20–21, and Puerto Rico in December. What MIC 2026 in Tampa really is (hint: "influencer" means LEADER, not TikTok dancer). Real talk on PCS, deployment, isolation, and finding your people. This year the MIC 2026, is September 23–26 at the JW Marriott in Tampa, FL, where nearly 4,000 attendees are expected. Whether you're a Servicemember, Veteran, Milspouse, Milpreneur, content creator, or military-connected brand, this is THE event of the year.

Eligible to attend MilSpouseFest? Active, Guard, Reserve, AND Veteran Spouses — all welcome, kids included.

milspousefest.com | militaryinfluencer.com | yournextmission.org