How to Build Community When You're Constantly Starting Over with Kirst of Wives of the Armed Forces (E220)
In this latest installment of our Year of the Military Spouse series, Kara sits down with Kirst, co-founder of Wives of the Armed Forces (WAF), a community created to help military significant others feel less alone in the unpredictability of military life.
What began as a small Air Force spouse community built by Kirst and her co-founder Jen has grown into a welcoming space for military spouses across all branches — one centered on encouragement, resilience, and meaningful connection. Together, Kara and Kirst discuss the realities of military spouse life, including the career sacrifices and overqualification many spouses experience while constantly rebuilding community and identity through moves and transitions.
They also explore the role online spaces can play in helping military spouses feel seen and supported, while encouraging people to turn those digital connections into lasting, in-person friendships and local community. Kirst also shares how reading has become a meaningful way for her to step away from screen time and create household rhythms in everyday life.
Episode Highlights:
Why military spouses are often incredibly overqualified yet underrecognized professionally
The fast and deeply rooted nature of military friendships
How WAF was created to foster positive, solution-oriented community for military spouses
Replacing screen time with reading time and building healthier daily habits
Why meaningful in-person relationships still matter deeply in military life
Connect with Wives of the Armed Forces:
Some links are affiliate links, which are no extra cost to you but do help to support the show.
Books and authors mentioned in the episode:
A Court of Thorns and Roses by Sarah J. Maas
Harry Potter series by J.K. Rowling
Magic Tree House books by Mary Pope Osborne
My Friends by Fredrik Backman
Book Flight
A Mother’s Rule for Life by Holly Pierlot
My Sisters the Saints by Colleen Carroll Campbell
The Ruthless Elimination of Hurry by John Mark Comer
Dessert Pairing
The Horse and His Boy by C.S. Lewis
Be sure to join the Bookish Flights community on social media. Happy listening!
