In October, military spouses and significant others will convene online for the PILLAR Deployment Retreat, the largest virtual retreat for military-connected Americans dealing with deployments and separations.

Created by military spouses for military spouses, PILLAR brings nationally recognized speakers and organizations together in one powerful weekend of fun, learning and camaraderie.

“Separations are hard, but they can also be a season of growth,” PILLAR co-founder and Army spouse Becky Hoy said. “Every year, we hear from attendees how the retreat makes military life easier for them.”

The fifth annual event will take place Oct. 18-20, 2024, and is free for anyone who wishes to attend. All sessions are available to replay at any time, and all content is available to attendees for a year after the retreat.

Crafted with the busy schedules of military spouses in mind, sessions are scheduled for 10 minutes and include subject-matter experts on topics that include organization, deployment as a child-free spouse and building relationships for National Guard and Reserve families.

Keynote speakers include Simone Gorrindo, a military spouse and author of “The Wives”; Air Force Gen. Robert Labrutta (ret.), vice president of survivorship and claims at USAA; and Maria Reed, a military influencer. Singer and songwriter Dariann Leigh will perform a special attendees-only concert.

Representatives from United Through Reading, Blue Star Families, USAA and Secure Families Initiative will also present and share resources.

“The great thing about PILLAR is that this support isn’t just actionable advice to deal with all stages of deployment, it’s also about working on ourselves as individuals,” said Sarah Peachey, a presenter and Army spouse. Peachey will lead a three-part series on tapping into creativity during military separations.

Retreat attendees will have the chance to win thousands of dollars in prizes throughout the retreat weekend, including those from popular brands R.Riveter, lovebox, Pink Stork and the Armed Forces Vacation Club.

Military spouses and significant others can join PILLAR for free and reserve a spot at the retreat right now.

— Joanna Guldin is the social media and engagement manager at Military.com and the co-founder and co-host of the PILLAR Deployment Retreat.

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