American Military Partner Association

The American Military Partner Association (AMPA) is the nation's premier resource and support network for the partners and spouses of LGBT service members and veterans. Founded in December 2009 by the same-sex partners of service members as the "Campaign for Military Partners" sponsored by Servicemembers United, AMPA's mission is to connect, support, honor, and serve the partners and spouses of LGBT service members. With the close of Servicemembers United, AMPA organized as an independent non-profit, non-partisan 501(c)3 organization founded by the partners of active duty service members.

About
AMPA is committed to connecting LGBT military families, supporting them through the challenges of military service, honoring them for their commitment to our country, and serving them by advocating on their behalf.
 * Connecting:
 * Through the nation’s largest Private Online Support Network for same-sex military partners/spouses designed to create a supportive and educational environment.
 * Through national and local events around the country designed to build a support network to bring together LGBT military families in a positive environment to foster communication and mutual support.
 * Through the AMPA New Military Spouse Mentor Program designed to connect new military partners and spouses to more experienced ones who can help guide them on their new journey in serving our nation.


 * Supporting:
 * Through local and national educational events designed to inform and support military families.
 * Through online virtual support designed to educate on specific needs.
 * By educating military families on resources available to them.


 * Honoring:
 * By highlighting LGBT military families and the challenges they face in the AMPA Faces of Our Families project.
 * Through community service projects like AMPA Care Package Drives.
 * By giving voice to the unique perspective of LGBT military families through the AMPA Military Partners Blog.


 * Serving:
 * By advocating and educating on behalf of LGBT military families in public policy, highlighting their unique needs and challenges.
 * By encouraging the expansion of resource and support services available to LGBT military families.
 * By educating the public through stories in national, regional, and local media on the plight of gay military partners/spouses and families.

Activities
Since its founding, the non-profit organization has managed to:
 * Highlight the discrimination LGBT military partners and families face by successfully pitching dozens of stories to national, regional, and local media.
 * Create a home on the web for the LGBT military family community that provides a list of available resources, a military partner blog, and a guide to media coverage of issues related to LGBT military families.
 * Survey the military partner community for the first time about the unique challenges and issues they face and present those results to the Pentagon.
 * Facilitate the first meeting between Pentagon officials and the partners of active duty gay and lesbian service members.
 * Hold the first Military Partners Forum in Washington, D.C.
 * Initiate a Military Partner Brunch series in Washington, D.C., and San Diego, California, with plans to expand the series into other cities across the country.
 * Create a private social network exclusively for the partners and spouses of LGBT service members.

In December 2012, when the same-sex spouse of a U.S. Army officer was denied membership in the Association of Bragg Officers' Spouses at Fort Bragg, she reported her experience on the AMPA website.

Events
In its effort to connect LGBT military partners and spouses around the country, the American Military Partner Association holds local social events to bring military partners face-to-face with others in the same situation for mutual support and encouragement. For LGBT military partners and spouses who are not near major military bases where these events usually occur, a private online social network was established to help connect partners/spouses in remote locations to build camaraderie and mutual support.