The military is a foundational cornerstone to any country’s stability, safety and livelihood. And yet it is wrought with every kind of sacrifice.
Our doulas understand that bereavement can meet with birth at any point along the motherhood journey. Certainly when her baby is not born alive, but at postponing conception based on deployment, sharing the news of the pregnancy with loved ones via facebook, disassociation, wondering how the immense stress might impact the pregnancy, these are merely just a few of the ways in which a service to the military can impact, perpetuate or impose an encounter of bereavement upon a moment seemingly set apart as birth, or life, or joyfulness.
Rather than singling out, sifting through, or processing a person’s worthiness of receiving a military related token of appreciation, I want to hear all of the stories. Tell me how you desire to serve the military through your role as doula, and tell me what your relationship is with the military. Are you a spouse, a service member, a loved one, a high school sweetheart, a parent to someone who has or is giving their all to the stability, safety and livelihood of our country? Are you enlisted, retired, a veteran, a contractor, a wounded warrior? I would like to also include police officers in this opportunity, not because the sacrifice looks the same, but because the heart to serve our country as domestic military is also worthy to be recognized. Stillbirthday doulas are from every continent, every political structure and every demographic. The military scholarship is set apart to honor the US military and those connected with it; this may include US allies. Tell me how direct or how obscure your connection is. Let’s just find that connection.
The objective here is to find the ways we’re connected to the military. Let’s draw out those connections, let’s look for them and honor them, because our military matters. Ask questions of your family and loved ones. Listen to their stories. See how you can serve as a doula even from those encounters.
No one doula will have all of the answers in supporting every family in which military is involved in their story. Our certification process and our military birth & bereavement doula circle creates a safe base to learn from one another and to strengthen our abilities to serve.
Qualifications:
01.} Identify your connection to any of the following:
US Army
US Army National Guard
US Army Reserve
US Navy
US Air Force
US Marine Corps
Coast Guard
Police / EMS / Other Civil Servants
02.} Complete the form below, or share your story on our Military Birth & Bereavement Doulas facebook page.
Award:
One or more Military Scholarships will be awarded each SBD training session. The Scholarship award grants 100% tuition toward the SBD training for the chosen recipient. In addition, once the recipient is awarded the Military Scholarship, he or she will also be entitled to bear the Scholarship logo.
This scholarship was created on behalf of a number of special individuals. Each of the following individuals stand in representation of various involvement in the military, and each, serving as a kind of satellites of connection, have authorization to determine recipients of the Military Scholarship. Their referral will expedite the enrollment process. Please be invited to share your story on our Military Birth & Bereavement Doulas facebook page, which can be a great opportunity for our team to respond to it. When our scholarship honorees receive your narrative portion of the scholarship process, you will be notified as promptly as possible by Heidi Faith regarding your placement into our doula program.
Upon successful completion of our doula certification program, you will be able to join a private stillbirthday circle for our doulas who have a heart to serve with a military emphasis. In this way you’ll be able to be part of a safe base, where you can learn from one another, strengthen your understanding of the many dynamics involved with serving the military in the capacity of doula, as well as access additional resources and support opportunities.
Our Military Birth & Bereavement Doula Scholarship is named after and led by the following:
Crystal Niehoff – I am an Army Chaplain’s wife and a biological and adoptive mother of 5. My first experience with pregnancy loss when I lost the twin of my second daughter. Later, my oldest daughter endured 3 second-trimester stillbirths. My desperate search for information to equip me to better support my daughter through her terrible grief led me to Stillbirthday. I am now a Stillbirthday doula, chaplain, student lead and Oklahoma State Representative. My guide for providing support to fathers, “Dads & Bereavement,” can be found on Stillbirthday’s website. While taking the SBD doula course, I founded Heartstrings Ministries, which provides information, support and bereavement gift boxes to bereaved military families enduring pregnancy loss.
As an Army wife, I enjoy being involved and volunteering in the spouses’ club and PWOC (Protestant Women of the Chapel). I am a contributing author of “From Reveille to Retreat, the Journey of a Lifetime: A Handbook for the Army Chaplain’s Spouse,” published in 2015 by the U.S. Army; as well as an Experience Blogger for the Army Wife Network (AWN).
Rosemary King
Jen Cantrell – I am a OIF veterans wife. my husband spent 12 years serving AD Army. His ETS was 11/2013. I have spent the last 6 years running military spouse support groups, military baby loss groups and loss support groups in general. I have been a birth and bereavement doula for just about 2 years and more recently became a chaplain. I run Angels Wings birth and bereavement support in Muskegon, Mi. My husband and I have 4 children here in our arms. Together we have 3 losses which occurred during deployments or overseas tours. (I have 15 losses in total) I am available to support students and families locally and online.
Kym Morris
MaryBeth Nance – I am an Army granddaughter, Navy daughter, Army daughter in law, Army and Navy sister in law and Navy wife. My first two children (including my stillbirth) were Navy babies. I am the former international director of a volunteer doula program specifically for military spouses. I successfully managed all aspects of the program for CAPPA, with some amazing volunteers and support from the initiative founder, for many years. I have personally experienced stillbirth as a military spouse and I have walked virtually through loss with a lot of military spouses worldwide.
Evonnie Fomento – I am a Military Police Officer and member of the NM Army National Guard. I am an Operation Enduring Freedom- Afghanistan veteran (2009-2010). My family has a long military history and I was born at Elmendorf AFB in Anchorage, AK. My boyfriend, and father of my children is also a member of the NMARNG, prior Active Army and OEF and OIF veteran. It’s my goal to help support all women seeking support- but especially those stationed at our local AFB and Guard members.
Jennifer Smyth
Anna Iker
Mari Brannan – I am a proud AD Army wife to my husband Jacob, currently stationed at Fort Knox KY . We have 7 children but are only able to love 3 here on earth. All 4 of our losses have happened in military life. It wasn’t until our daughter was stillborn in 2013 that I saw first hand how both service member and spouse are not always given the best treatment or resources during a loss and I have been passionate ever since to be a voice and walk with families who are experiencing loss in the military. I am currently an SGM/SBD Birth and bereavement doula and military liaison for Sufficient Grace Ministries.
Connie Crawford
Kendra Harrison Avelar
Jenna Bush
