Survivor, Mother, and Military Spouse- Fighting alone

For 15 years, I was a military spouse. I raised two boys—one of whom is on the autism spectrum—while following my husband's career and putting our family first. Now, after 17 months of post-separation abuse and a refusal to finalize our divorce, I am fighting for survival, alone.

The military systems I once trusted have failed me and my boys. As long as he pays the minimum required under 608-99 (which doesn't even cover rent), no one holds him accountable—not his command, not Family Advocacy, not the courts. The financial and legal abuse continues unchecked, and I've exhausted every resource trying to protect myself and my kids.

I run two small businesses—Reimagined Organization and Tangled Tracy—and I work while my boys are in school. I'm there every day to pick them up because I have to be for my autistic son's stability. There is no childcare. No backup. No one to fall back on. And now we're facing eviction.

I am desperate. I've been fighting with everything I have, but it's not enough.

If you can help, your donation will go directly toward rent and securing a safe home for me and my children. But this isn't where the story ends.

When I get back on my feet, I will pay it forward. I will start programs to help abused military spouses rebuild. I will create safe entry points to independence and healing—beginning with my Tangled Tracy craft line, which includes free self-worth stickers for young girls to learn that they matter.

The system is designed to keep women in the cycle of abuse. But I will dedicate my life to breaking that cycle for the next generation.

You do not need to be physically beaten for abuse to be real. Financial, emotional, and psychological abuse are just as damaging—and I will be a vocal advocate for all survivors.

But first, I need a home. I need to pay my rent before we are kicked out.

If you are a spouse being financially abused (please look it up—it might be you without realizing it), here's something I wish someone had told me:

Open your own checking account. Don't use the commissary with a $20 cash back limit. Go to a local grocery store, get $60 cash back, and deposit it on the way home. Do that twice a month. That's $120 tucked away for when you need it. And one day, you will need it.

Thank you for reading. Thank you for believing in us.

With gratitude,

Mrs. SGT Justin K. Budrow