WPAFB selects its 2015 Military Spouse of the Year

  • Published
  • By Amy Rollins
  • Skywrighter Staff
WRIGHT-PATTERSON AIR FORCE BASE, Ohio. --  Tatiana Matta has been named Wright-Patterson Air Force Base's 2015 Military Spouse of the Year. The Armed Forces Insurance Military Spouse of the Year award, founded by "Military Spouse" magazine in 2008 to honor military spouses of all ranks and from all branches of service, recognizes military spouses' important contributions and unwavering commitment to the military community and the nation.

Matta is the vice president for the Military Spouse Advocacy Network, a national organization that advocates creating stronger military families through education, empowerment and support. She also serves as a mentor key spouse for the 88th Medical Group (88 MDG), and has attended advocacy and leadership trainings in Minneapolis and Washington, D.C. She has served as a volunteer for many community organizations, including USO, Operation Homefront, Airman & Family Readiness Center and the Wright-Patterson Officers' Spouses' Club.

She has led many key spouse initiatives and has been an active   voice in the community. Matta is a member of the communications team for the Military Spouse JD Network and alumna for the Vote Run Lead organization.

She is the wife of 1st Lt. Eugenio M. Matta Lopez-Cepero, a bioenvironmental engineer for the Aerospace Medical Squadron, who nominated her in early January. Three distinct phases of online voting follow, culminating in the announcement of the national Military Spouse of the Year at an annual awards luncheon in the nation's capital in early May.

"I think she deserves it considering all that she's done," said Kevin Matta, the couple's 10-year-old son, who has often   accompanied his mother to her volunteer-related events. "We've gone to deployed spouses dinners and events as she's tried to do good things for the military."

As mentor key spouse, Matta supports the 88 MDG's key spouses, under the direction of Col. Timothy Ballard, 88 MDG commander. The focus of key spouses has changed from supporting deployers' families to all military families associated with the base, to ensure they have the resources and information they need to thrive.

Matta is a strong proponent of sharing resources to avoid overlap and redundancy.

"I like to partner with organizations. This allows us to get more resources   to our installation and to get more people involved," she said. "I am extremely proud of all the great things Team Wright-Patt is doing for our community."

She and her family have been at Wright-Patterson AFB since 2012. She aspires to being in public office someday, she said.

"America's military and their families have been at the ready over the past 13 years we have been at war," said Kate Dolack, editor-in-chief of "Military Spouse" magazine. "The military spouses who have maintained the homefront during deployments and training missions have accomplished remarkable feats. They have supported not only our military but added to the strength of the nation. Now, perhaps more than ever, it is important to recognize those stand-out spouses from all branches and at every installation and honor them for their achievements."

Candidates for the 2015 Armed Forces Insurance Military Spouse of the Year represent more than 170 bases and all nine Coast Guard districts. The overall winner will be revealed at a VIP ceremony in Washington, D.C., on May 8. Base-level winners, military officials and key leaders in the spouse community are invited to the luncheon, as well as at the third annual "Military Spouse" magazine Town Hall, which will be May 7.

For additional information on the Military Spouse of the Year Program, visit  msoy.militaryspouse.com