https://www.shininglightlegacy.org/blog daily 0.75 2026-08-25 https://www.shininglightlegacy.org/blog/aseatatthetable monthly 0.5 2026-08-25 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6999f7766c1ca70690fade0e/f64735b6-58c7-462f-a520-154412a3add1/Sharptable+image.png Living Forward: The Journey - A Seat at the Table: Turning Loss Into Change - Make it stand out Photo: SAWG members meeting with Army senior leaders at the Pentagon to advocate for Soldiers, survivors, and families. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6999f7766c1ca70690fade0e/0d8ea6ef-20fb-49af-b782-44cc16eef283/SAWG_sharpGroup.png Living Forward: The Journey - A Seat at the Table: Turning Loss Into Change - Make it stand out Photo: Members of the Army Survivor Advisory Working Group during our Pentagon visit, representing the voices and experiences of Army survivors and their families. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6999f7766c1ca70690fade0e/62ce5918-fa5a-44ee-8197-8c607c0af90e/20260506_141322+%281%29.jpg Living Forward: The Journey - A Seat at the Table: Turning Loss Into Change - Photo: With Gen. Christopher C. LaNeve, Vice Chief of Staff of the Army, after sharing my bereavement leave proposal and the lived experience behind it. Having the opportunity to share my experience and the reasoning behind the proposal directly with senior Army leaders made that moment even more meaningful. These were people in positions to understand the issue, ask questions, and help determine what meaningful change to the policy could look like. Gen. LaNeve listened to my story and the reasoning behind the proposal. He understood my concerns and was very interested in seeing how the policy could be changed https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6999f7766c1ca70690fade0e/05e7552f-e80e-46b1-bc5e-339259752d13/IMG_20260825_130411.jpg Living Forward: The Journey - A Seat at the Table: Turning Loss Into Change - Beyond the Army At a separate Memorial Day event with Tragedy Assistance Program for Survivors (TAPS), I had the opportunity to meet Gen. Christopher J. Mahoney, Vice Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff and the nation’s second-highest-ranking military officer. I wasn’t there for a scheduled policy meeting. I was there as a survivor. But when I saw an opportunity to speak with him, I walked over and shared what I was advocating for, the need to give service members who lose a spouse or child more time and flexibility to care for themselves and their families after loss. For me, it was another reminder that advocacy does not always happen because someone invites you into the room. Sometimes an opportunity presents itself, and you have to be willing to walk across the room and use your voice. My proposal began with the Army because that is where my experience began. But loss is not unique to one branch of service. My hope is that conversations like these can also bring greater awareness to how we support grieving service members and their families across the joint force. Photo: Speaking with Gen. Christopher J. Mahoney, Vice Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, at a TAPS Memorial Day event about the need for more flexible bereavement support for service members and their families. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6999f7766c1ca70690fade0e/0e2cf396-1504-49e5-9495-8fdfdbede31f/20260505_132140.jpg Living Forward: The Journey - A Seat at the Table: Turning Loss Into Change Speaking From Both Sides I left those conversations feeling empowered because I wasn’t only speaking for myself. As both a surviving spouse and an active-duty Soldier, I understood what it meant to be on both sides of this experience. I knew what it meant to lose my husband, my best friend, my battle buddy, and the father of my children. But I also knew what it meant to put the uniform back on and still be expected to perform. I was speaking for the Soldier who may lose a spouse tomorrow. For the Soldier who suddenly becomes a single parent. For the children who need their surviving parent. For the Soldier who looks fine on the outside but is barely holding it together inside. And for the family that deserves time to figure out what their new life looks like without having to choose between family and career. Photo: At the Pentagon during our May 2026 SAWG visit, an opportunity to use my voice to advocate for the Soldiers and families who come next. https://www.shininglightlegacy.org/blog/the-beginning-of-shining-light-legacy-finding-purpose-after-loss monthly 0.5 2026-08-25 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6999f7766c1ca70690fade0e/d1b026f4-8970-45b9-a770-db6f9c4cd47a/DSC03285.jpg Living Forward: The Journey - The Beginning of Shining Light Legacy: Finding Purpose After Loss The journey that led to Shining Light Legacy began with loss, but it did not end there. 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