April 2024 - Mentorship Success Story
What if you did everything “right,” but had to create a new career from scratch every few years? What if your own goals always seemed to take a backseat to interstate moves, a spouse’s grueling schedule, and little access to affordable childcare - and you weren’t even sure what those goals should look like? That’s where Casey McClosky found herself when, in 2023, she submitted an application for ACP’s Active Duty Spouse mentoring program.
With a degree in Business Administration and previous roles in financial services, Casey was dedicated to her own professional development. But as a military spouse and primary caregiver to a young son, Casey needed a program that accommodated her unique situation. She found it with ACP and her Mentor, Bonnie Hamilton. Bonnie, a Financial Analyst with Parallon (an affiliate of HCA Healthcare), is also a fellow military spouse who has navigated similar challenges for many years.
Leveraging Casey’s educational and professional background, the pair has worked closely together to create a month-by-month plan for success. In a world of proliferating online resources and courses, Bonnie has helped Casey identify which will be most impactful as she works towards her goal of establishing an independent career. The pair are even reading a book together and discussing how it applies to Casey’s own journey.
“ACP has opened doors that I didn't know existed,” Casey says. “I have been able to meet so many people from all over and truly feel support from all those involved.”
A first-time ACP Mentor, Bonnie was drawn by the chance to leverage her experience in support of ACP’s community. “Being introduced to ACP and the role it can play in the lives of military personnel and their families has turned out to be an amazing experience,” Bonnie says, emphasizing how much she appreciates the opportunity to assist another spouse.
With Bonnie’s encouragement, Casey recently obtained her Texas Life and Health Insurance license and is diving deeper into the financial planning industry. She is excited for this new chapter in her life and credits Bonnie with being a major catalyst. “[As] a new mentor with ACP, Bonnie has not given herself the credit she deserves,” says Casey. “She's given me advice on how to get more involved within the local community and encouraged me to pursue paths that I may not have believed I could achieve.”
Regular check-ins with ACP’s dedicated staff have proved instrumental in keeping the pair on track month to month. “[S]eeing a few ideas put into practice, knowing that my responsibility to the mentoring process is quite important, gives me a lot of motivation to ask questions and make sure that we get the most out of what ACP can do for Casey,” says Bonnie.
While Casey’s story is her own, she is one of thousands with big dreams. Our nation’s military spouses are a vein of talent waiting to be tapped. Sign up to be an ACP Mentor today and help them achieve their fullest potential! Active Duty military spouses, apply here to begin working with a Mentor.
