May 8 is Military Spouse Appreciation Day. At Salute, this is a meaningful date because military spouses are a real part of our workforce, not just a population we recognize from a distance.
Military spouses navigate a set of circumstances that most professionals never encounter. Frequent relocations, career interruptions, and the operational demands of supporting a service member require a level of adaptability and problem-solving that translates directly into the workplace. These are practical skills, and they show up in how people work, lead, and perform under pressure.
We asked several members of our team to share their experiences. Here is what they had to say:
David Britt, Executive Vice President
David’s wife, Clare Nowakowski, is a Public Affairs Officer in the US Navy Reserve, currently preparing to deploy to US Navy 6th Fleet in Naples, Italy to provide operational support to US Commander Sixth Fleet.
“From my perspective as a milspouse, I would say that I am incredibly proud of her because she lives with a purpose guided by her willingness to serve. She demonstrates her resilience daily as operational schedules change often and she has to be flexible to meet those demands. However, it is a sacrifice for both she and I. For example, she has missed school milestones for our son while away serving Navy needs, but I work to keep everything at home together while she is away, so she can serve without worrying about us.
I’m a Navy spouse these days and to use nautical terminology, we are the steady hands on the helm that keep the family ship afloat in stormy seas. We do that to stay strong, to keep faith, and to believe in our loved ones.”
Leanna Stroup, Talent Sourcer
“Military life teaches you to release the illusion of a perfect plan and replace it with the ability to adapt, pivot, and thrive anyway — and that’s the mindset I bring to my work every day. Salute is growing in the ways that matter, and as someone who lives this experience, I feel a deep sense of pride in being part of the team that gets to shape how we show up for military spouses.”
Approximately 35% of Salute’s 2,200+ person global workforce are military veterans, and a number of our team members are also military spouses. Across our operations in more than 15 countries, the experience our employees bring from military life continues to inform how we operate and how we support one another.
Military spouses are not a single demographic. As the voices in this piece reflect, they are veterans, professionals, and caregivers across every background, branch, and experience level.
Shannon Wood, Senior VP Operations and Amanda Wood, Account Co-ordinator
“Amanda and I were both active-duty military at one point in time, which meant our family life was shaped by constant movement and sometimes long separations. We had to raise young children, often while one of us was deployed for months at a time, shifting between roles, service member, parent, and sole household lead. Those times demanded resilience, adaptability, and a deep trust in one another, and they fundamentally shaped how we show up at work and for each other. Being part of Salute matters to us because it is a company that truly understands the military community, not as a talking point, but as a lived reality. Feeling seen and supported as a former dual-military family makes a meaningful difference and reinforces why this work is so personal.”
Christina Duarte, Talent Acquisition Recruiter
“You learn pretty quickly as a military spouse how to handle constant change and still show up every day. That’s something I bring into my work, and at Salute it’s actually understood and valued.”
Since our founding, Salute has introduced more than 20,000 military-trained professionals into the data center industry. That includes military spouses who have found stable, long-term career pathways in a field that continues to grow. The digital infrastructure industry offers roles across skill levels and locations, and the experience that comes from navigating military life translates directly into this work.
Aisis White, Talent Acquisition Lead Recruiter
“Trust the process and have faith through the process. As a military spouse, it takes a different level of grit. It’s more than just hoping your soldier makes it home safely from their daily commute; it’s also the uncertainty of training exercises and deployments. My husband comes from a long lineage of military service members, and I am incredibly proud of him. He makes sacrifices every day to protect not only our home, but also the front lines of our country. Advice I would give other spouses: find and build your community, keep your family close, and don’t be afraid to lean on someone for support. Thank you to Salute for showing appreciation to Military Spouses.”
To the military spouses on the Salute team and across our broader community, thank you for what you bring to this work.