By MOAA Staff

MOAA’s Surviving Spouse Advisory Council welcomed five new members in October. The council was established in 2004 to report to and advise MOAA’s president about issues that are important to surviving spouses of uniformed servicemembers. The council also advocates on issues affecting the community and provides education and training to help survivors navigate financial planning, VA benefit claims, and emotional well-being.

The new council members are:

Christina Bahr: Bahr retired from the Army in 2016 as a sergeant first class after more than 32 years of service in the active Army, Army Reserve, and Michigan Army National Guard. Following her military retirement, she transitioned her passion for helping others into a career in real estate. She serves as the surviving spouse liaison for MOAA’s Capital Area (Mich.) Chapter. She and her husband, Bruce, enjoy spending time with their family and grandson, traveling and camping, kayaking, and heading north whenever they have the opportunity.

Cheryl Glang: Glang is the spouse of a retired NOAA Corps officer and has been a dedicated advocate for military spouses and families since the mid-1990s. She served as both president and treasurer of the NOAA Officers Family Association and as a board member of the National Military Family Association. She currently is the surviving spouse liaison for MOAA’s Maryland Council of Chapters and a member of the Montgomery County Chapter. Glang owns and operates a wellness and fitness business focused on helping people move better and live healthier lives. She and her husband live in Maryland with their two Chesapeake Bay retrievers.

[SURVIVING SPOUSE CORNER: Find Support Wherever You Live]

Mary Gustafson: Gustafson served 23 years in the U.S. Public Health Service Commissioned Corps in positions at the National Institutes of Health and the Food and Drug Administration, retiring as a captain. Following her uniformed service career, she had a career in the biopharmaceutical industry and retired in 2022. She is the surviving spouse of Cmdr. W. Patrick Monaghan, who served in the Navy for 28 years. Gustafson has served as the surviving spouse liaison for the Nassau County (Fla.) Chapter since 2023. She is also a member of MOAA’s Surviving Spouse Virtual Chapter.

Jeannie Stratis: Stratis, the daughter of a career Army soldier and the surviving spouse of retired Army Col. John C. Stratis, brings a lifelong commitment to military service and advocacy. She has held leadership positions supporting military families at installations throughout the U.S. and overseas and served as co-founder and chief of operations of the Global Military Family Coalition. She currently serves as a consultant with Blue Star Families in the Greater Tampa Bay, Fla., area, where she leads community engagement initiatives, coordinates programs, and develops partnerships supporting military-connected families. She also holds a position with Vinik Sports Group at Tampa's Benchmark Arena. Stratis has served as a director and surviving spouse liaison for the Sun City Center (Fla.) Chapter since 2021. She is chair of the Surviving Spouse Advisory Council and a member of MOAA’s board of directors.

Lauren Tomkiewicz: Tomkiewicz grew up in Fort Wayne, Ind., and received her bachelor’s degree in criminal justice from Indiana University. In 2022, her husband, Marine Corps Capt. Matthew Tomkiewicz, tragically died in an Osprey mishap while he was deployed in Norway in support of NATO Cold Response. Tomkiewicz has since dedicated her life to her husband by advocating for surviving families. She worked hand-in-hand with Sen. Jim Banks (R-Ind.) to rewrite legislation focused on shortening survivor notification processes and giving the choice to surviving families on government/commercial transfers in the FY 2023 National Defense Authorization Act. She also worked with former Indiana Gov. Eric Holcomb to update the Gold Star Family license plate in Indiana to educate the meaning behind Gold Star Families. Today, Tomkiewicz actively volunteers her time with TAPS advocating for the Love Lives On Act and other legislation to improve the lives of surviving military families. 

The new council members join current members Susan Collins, Cheryl Toland, and Lt. Col. Roy Yenchesky, USA (Ret).

Read more about the Surviving Spouse Advisory Council.