Julia Speaks

My name is Julia Aten. I am an Army spouse. Lauren and I started this blog to dispel the myths of the military spouse. We would also like to speak to many of the negative comments all over the internet regarding the MyCaa program available to military spouses. I was shocked at the negative responses regarding each one of our interviews.

I was contacted by Senator Patty Murray's press secretary after writing to her regarding the abrupt and unannounced shut down of the MyCaa program and asked if I would be willing to speak to the press. I was asked if I knew anyone who had been shut out of the program and I told them about my classmate Lauren. This is where our journey together begins. Many military spouses all over the country banded together and we voiced our concern to our legislators.

I have learned through the past few weeks that advocacy and speaking out can come with a price. I believe in what I am doing and will not back down, but the negative response is hard to take some days.

The purpose of my postings will be to speak to the very little bit of information that the public was given through several interviews about my life as well as that of military spouses everywhere. I hope that by posting about my journey and speaking to individual statements regarding myself and military spouses that I can educate others about the truth of military spouses.

I have been proud by my fellow citizens when I read their comments on various news sites and I have been also brought to tears as others have ripped me apart. I have been most shocked by some of the negative responses from veterans, active duty military, and spouses.

At the end of the day I still know that I did the right thing in speaking out. I have been professional and respectful in my dealings with my legislators as well as the press. I have nothing to be ashamed of.