Celebrating Almost 400 Years of American Military Family History
In April 2026, we launched a new exhibit called “Dear America, what military-connected children want you to know.” A high school senior in a Career Practicum program, whom we had been mentoring for the school year, created the exhibit. Teachers and students from all the local elementary and middle schools contributed essays, artwork, oral interviews, and more to the exhibit. While most of the exhibit consisted of student work, that doesn’t mean it didn’t cost anything to produce. Overall, the exhibit and the mid-point community-wide celebration cost about $6,000.
As a small museum in transition, our budget is very limited. Our WorkSpace isn’t open to the general public yet, so we don’t receive revenue from visitor donations. Because the exhibit is outside New Mexico and the continental United States, we are ineligible for state or most federal grants.
We are grateful for those who support the Museum of the American Military Family. Without sponsorship from individuals and organizations, we could not continue our work or maintain our organization.
This year, we are especially grateful for the people who supported “Dear America”: the Stuttgart Community Spouse Club, Kirtland Spouse Club, the Albuquerque chapter of the Military Officers’ Association of America, and all the teachers and community leaders who funded decorations, goody bags, and reception catering supplies out of their own pockets.
Additional sponsors to museum programs were the American Legion Post 117 in Clovis, New Mexico, the Belen, New Mexico, Moose Lodge 1680, and Moose Lodge 2088 in Deming, New Mexico. Our board members regularly donate “time, talent, and treasure” to keep MAMF producing relevant projects and to provide meaningful work-study and paid internships for University of New Mexico and Central New Mexico college students. (In 2026, we provided 4 students with paid work opportunities.)
Because we are a small organization, our all-volunteer board is hands-on, handling editing, social media, mentoring, content creation, displays, accounts, and official reports. This keeps expenses low. We are a very “lean” organization!
Donations from individuals not specifically earmarked for an exhibit or program can be used for general operating costs, to keep a roof over our head, the lights on, and friendly students employed. We are grateful for every contribution: checks, Facebook or PayPal donations, Facebook birthday fundraisers, anthology purchases, or new members through our “Friends of the Museum” program. Each gift supports salaries, rent, internet, insurance, display cases, and conservation supplies.
Support MAMF by taking action—explore the many ways you can help:
To donate via mail, simply send a check to MAMF at PO Box 5651, Albuquerque, NM 87185.
Donate now via this PayPal link: https://www.paypal.com/ncp/payment/QF2CUTEPFNHWN.
Every dollar matters.
Join as a member by clicking here, or sponsor a day through our ‘Today is brought to you’ program—your commitment helps.
A fifty-dollar sponsorship pays 2 ½ hours of one of our UNM student workers’ salaries, our trademark renewal fee, or 6% of our monthly rent. A $250 sponsorship pays for our podcast platform for a year, our library space rental for a month, or 35% of our annual liability insurance. To sponsor MAMF please pay through our PayPal.
Make your tax-deductible gift today—every contribution is appreciated. We carefully steward all donations to maximize impact. Thank you for your support.
Your support for the only museum solely dedicated to the history and accomplishments of US military families is not only a show of appreciation for those who serve alongside their service member, but also a guarantee that their legacies and stories will be preserved and shared with future generations.
On this International Day of Happiness, we are happy to announce our new exhibit, “Dear America, what military-connected children want you to know.” Beginning in April, you can view our “Dear America” exhibit photos and join the conversation on Facebook: www.facebook.com/MuseumoftheAmericanMilitaryFamily/
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Your Support of our museum is not only a show of appreciation to those who serve alongside their service member, but also a guarantee that their legacies and stories will be preserved and shared with future generations.
MAMF: Honors Military Families •Preserves their Legacies •Shares their Stories •Educates the Public.
In 2026, we invite businesses to join our “Today is sponsored by …” sponsorship program. Your sponsorship will help sustain our programs and provide students with access to history, education, and valuable work experiences. Your business can support MAMF by sponsoring us for a day or a week. Your contribution will fund operating expenses, program development, and student stipends.
Why Support Us? As a sponsor, your business will be recognized on our Facebook, in our members’ newsletter, and, for week-long sponsors, on our Dear America exhibit sponsor panel, (or after February 25, 2026, at our “Host Nation Hospitality” program in Munich, Germany). Your business will also be mentioned on our MAMF MEDIA podcast sign-off for a year. Wherever possible, we’ll acknowledge your support in press releases and media outreach. Your sponsorship will have a lasting impact, as we will feature your sponsorship graphic (one or seven times, depending on level) in a dedicated Facebook album, allowing our followers to see all past and current sponsors. And, above all, we will be grateful for your support.
To sponsor MAMF, please pay through our PayPal platform and write your business name and URL in the notes section. We’ll do the rest! We thank you in advance for your sponsorship! https://www.paypal.com/ncp/payment/QF2CUTEPFNHWN
On “Giving Tuesday” many organizations will be asking you for a donation. We will be too.
So why donate to MAMF? What does our tiny museum with a handful of volunteer board members do? We have created this graphic to highlight some of our 2025 achievements and their impact on others.
When you donate to MAMF, you’re part of a cycle that honors military families, shares their stories, preserves their legacies, and educates the public.
2025 was a transitional year for us, and we hope to continue rebuilding in 2026. But…we absolutely cannot continue without your support. Please donate via our FB fundraiser https://www.facebook.com/donate/4224809454435746/
or PayPal (https://www.paypal.com/ncp/payment/QF2CUTEPFNHWN), or by check to MAMF, PO Box 5651, Albuquerque, NM 87185.
Your tax-deductible contribution in any amount is greatly appreciated.
Thank you,
Your MAMF team
A beautiful, meaningful way to honor military families all year long ❤️📅
🎨Created by Dr. Ceilon Aspensen, Artist-in-Residence for the Museum of the American Military Family
📸 Features 12 original artworks celebrating the strength, resilience & sacrifice of service members and the families who serve right alongside them.
✨ Stunning artwork inspired by military family stories
✨ Each month features the museum’s mission: honoring service, sacrifice & connection
✨ A meaningful gift for veterans, military families, and supporters
✨ Great for home, classroom, office, or gift-giving
✨ Supports military family storytelling and arts programming
Every calendar sold helps support:
➡️ The work of the Museum of the American Military Family
➡️ The ongoing creative work of Dr. Ceilon Aspensen
🫶 Proceeds are shared between the artist and the museum—your support fuels both creativity and community.
A beautiful way to support a meaningful mission!
In October 2025 the MAMF WorkSpace in Albuquerque will expand. We will be opening a gallery (estimated opening December 2025) and a library/ archive. (Opening dates early spring 2026.) Until this time, the Museum WorkSpace will not be open to the public. We plan to host an open house and present our exhibit, A GI Christmas Carol: Tokyo Army Hospital 1954 in December, 2025, exact dates to be determined. Right now, our board members, WorkSpace Manager, Jacob, and Gallery Manager, Genesis, are coordinating the move and organizing the spaces, so that we can, once again, be opened to the public. We thank you for your patience and look forward to hosting you soon.
By Emily Wheeler, MAMF Student Liaison
DoDEA graphic used by permission
Two years ago, “back-to-school” for me meant starting at a new school. That wasn’t particularly special in and of itself; I’d gone to at least 5 or 6 schools since kindergarten. But what made that year unique was that I would be going to my first DoDEA school, in Germany. I had no idea what to expect.
My mom had told me that she had accepted a job overseas that previous February. I spent the next six months stalking school websites and Instagram pages. I probably stared at the same “About Our School” page for hours. It felt like I was trying to solve a mystery of what my life would be like at my new school. The last time I moved was in sixth grade and from one public, stateside school to another, where military children were the exception, not the rule.
That first day, I was so anxious. I went from class to class, meeting teachers and doing awkward icebreaker activities with people who already seemed to know each other. In hindsight, with how many people PCS over the summer, I’m sure fewer people were actually already friends than I thought. Even so, I felt totally alone.
But what made DoDEA feel different from other schools I’ve gone to is the people. During class and lunch, the people I approached were so welcoming. Almost everyone knows what it’s like to be the new kid, and so many people come in and out that almost every club, friend-group, and class of people I reached out to were open to new people. You just have to be willing to peek out of your shell and introduce yourself.
I also learned that I had to stop comparing every part of my life at a public school vs. my new DoDEA one so much. There are a lot of opportunities at my new school- unique clubs, a lot of honor societies, places to travel. I’ve been on ski club trips to Italy and attended a Model UN conference in Prague. I still miss being in a marching band and my old friends. I think that’s one of the tough parts, loving a new place and friends so much while still missing the old ones. But you can’t fully enjoy anything if you’re constantly thinking about what you could be doing instead.
When I had told my friends at my stateside school that I was moving, it felt like I was constantly clarifying. Yes, I would still have to take the SAT. Yes, I could take Advanced Placement classes. Yes, I could go to school football games and homecoming. It would be like my public school, just different. I couldn’t really blame people for not knowing what going to a DoDEA school is like, I didn’t either.
When I returned to the States to participate in American Legion Auxiliary Girls State, some people who were military-affiliated already knew about DoDEA before I told them. But I also realized that I needed an “elevator pitch”- “My mom works for the Department of Defense as a civilian, so I go to school in Germany.” Cue questions about if I speak German, what it’s like, etc. But I’ve found that having some short way to summarize how my life works makes meeting new people much easier.
I think the only people who really know what it’s like to be a military child overseas are military children overseas. After my third DoDEA back-to-school season, I know that it’s every returner’s responsibility to help out any new people, especially those who are new to living overseas. But, it’s also the newly-arrived person’s responsibility to be willing to embrace the unknown and not fall into the trap of comparing everything to the place they last lived. I’m glad that I have the ability to talk to new people, ask them where they’re from, and help them be more comfortable, just like the kids and teachers I met during my first days.
The Museum of the American Military Family and Learning Center (MAMF) is pleased to announce the release of In Service with Uncle Sam, an anthology of stories about working for the US Federal government. A sequel to the acclaimed Schooling With Uncle Sam and Host Nation Hospitality anthologies, In Service With Uncle Sam focuses on federal workers from different agencies and eras.
This anthology documents and preserves history as told by the largely invisible employees working for the federal government, detailing the experiences and relationships they developed at home and abroad while serving the United States.
Author Deborah E. Breining says, “From my point of view, collaborating on In Service With Uncle Sam was both rewarding and deeply meaningful. The process brought together a diverse group of contributors whose voices reflected the wide range of experiences of civilians working within the federal government. Beyond preserving personal memories, the book serves as a bridge for future generations to understand the human side of federal service, emphasizing that behind every policy, program, or office, there are people with experiences worth remembering.”
Editor Circe Olson Woessner adds, “These stories cover the period from the Second World War to the present. It’s interesting to learn how working conditions have evolved and shifted over the decades, and as federal employment continues to undergo transformation, this book serves as a record of those developments through the summer of 2025.”
ABOUT THE MUSEUM:
The Museum of the American Military Family and Learning Center is based in Albuquerque, New Mexico, and provides programming both Stateside and overseas. MAMF is an award-winning, mission-driven, all-volunteer 501c3 nonprofit focused on the history, culture and stories of U.S. military families.
MEDIA: Please contact circe@militaryfamilymuseum.org
In Service With Uncle Sam (Museum of the American Military Family Publications) Paperback – September 5, 2025 by Deborah E Breining (Author), Circe Olson Woessner (Editor) Part of: Museum of the American Military Family Publications (5 books)
In Service With Uncle Sam can be purchased on Amazon: https://a.co/d/1Qqepvw
The Museum of the American Military Family and Learning Center (MAMF) is pleased to announce the release of WOOFTASTIC and Mr. Wonderful, an easy-to-read chapter book about the adventures of Danny, a lovable Jack Russell Terrier, who is part of a service family that goes wherever Uncle Sam sends them. Danny is loyal, opinionated, and imaginative.
WOOFTASTIC and Mr. Wonderful follows Danny as he moves from New Mexico to Hawaii and back again during significant times in recent history: the COVID-19 pandemic and the start of the War in Ukraine. In between, his daily routine of guarding his family, waiting for meals, and napping is interrupted by real and imaginary adventures.
“Anyone who has owned a Jack Russell Terrier will immediately understand where Danny is coming from,” says author Circe Olson Woessner. “Much in this book is based on real events. Maggie and Mack were dogs we had years ago, and that story is based on something Maggie did. Danny’s travel misadventures are also based on his actual PCS experiences, and he did, in fact, stand up to a bear. Unfortunately, my family learned what a sneaker wave is firsthand, but fortunately, we lived to tell the tale. I really loved writing WOOFTASTIC’s story, which emphasizes his larger-than-life personality.”
Young readers will appreciate the stories as told from a dog’s point of view, and adults can imagine how their own dogs would react if they were dropped into similar situations.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR, ILLUSTRATOR, AND MUSEUM
MAMF founder and Director Circe Olson Woessner wrote this charming book. Danny is a real dog, and his real 95-year-old grandma drew the pictures of Danny’s adventures.
The Museum of the American Military Family and Learning Center is based in Albuquerque, New Mexico, and provides programming both Stateside and overseas. MAMF is an award-winning, mission-driven, all-volunteer 501c3 nonprofit focused on the history, culture and stories of military families. To learn more about MAMF, visit its website at www.militaryfamilymuseum.org and its Facebook at www.facebook.com/MuseumoftheAmericanMilitaryFamily
MEDIA: Please contact circe@militaryfamilymuseum.org
WOOFTASTIC and Mr. Wonderful (Museum of the American Military Family Publications) Paperback – September 1, 2025 by Circe Olson Woessner (Author), Joan Y Olson (Illustrator) Museum of the American Military Family Publications
It can be purchased on Amazon: https://a.co/d/eWo4ngk
