Skip to main content (Press Enter).
 News
    
        Photos

    Week in Photos

    Air Force TV

    Commentaries

    Features

    Art

    About Us
    
        Air Force Senior Leaders
    
        SECAF

    CSAF

    CMSAF

    Biographies

    Fact Sheets

    SECAF Reading List

    CSAF Leadership Library
    
        CSAF Leadership Library 2022

    CSAF Leadership Library 2021

    CSAF Reading List Pre-2020 Archive
    
        2018 CSAF Reading List

    2017 CSAF Reading List

    2016 CSAF Reading List

    CSAF Leadership Library 2023

    CMSAF Leadership Library

    50 Years of the CMSAF

    Adjunct Professors

    Air Force Strategic Documents

    Arctic Strategy

    Empowered Airmen

    State Licensure Portability

    Careers

    AF Federal Advisory Committees

    AF 75th Anniversary

    Policy Updates

    AF Content Management

    Contact Us

    AF Sites
    
        Site RegistrationU.S. Air Force LogoAir Force

        Policy UpdatesNewsroomReoptimizationBIOGRAPHIESAF Senior Leaders      --Ramstein wife earns spouse of the year award
                        
                        
                        Nicole R. Bridge, who recently earned the 2016 Joan Orr Air Force Spouse of the Year Award, stands with her husband, Tech. Sgt. Matthew Bridge, a 521st Air Mobility Operations Wing command chief executive assistant, and their two sons on June 28, 2016, at Ramstein Air Base, Germany. Bridge volunteered more than 1,200 hours, organized 125 events and generated $250,000 dollars for distribution into the local community. (Courtesy photo)
                
                Photo Details /
                        Download Hi-Res

Ramstein wife earns spouse of the year awardPublished July 6, 2016
                    
                    By Senior Airman Nesha Humes
                    
                    
                    86th Airlift Wing Public Affairs
            **RAMSTEIN AIR BASE, Germany (AFNS)  --**Giving back to the local community is one of the duties that come along with service to one's country. There are some people, like Nicole Bridge, who don’t wear the uniform, but give back in an equally large way.Bridge was recently awarded the 2016 Joan Orr Air Force Spouse of the Year award.Bridge is the spouse of Tech. Sgt. Matthew J. Bridge, a member of the 521st Air Mobility Operations. She has devoted her time without monetary gain; volunteering more than 1,200 hours to the local community.“There are so many other things you’re receiving if you can get past the money side of it,” Bridge said. “The skills that you learn, the friends that you make, the difference that you make in the community, even if you make a difference in one person’s life -- to me that’s worth it.”A mother to 1- and 3-year-old boys, Bridge is the Ramstein Enlisted Spouses' Association president. She organized 125 events, and generated $250,000 for distribution into the Kaiserslautern Military Community. Additionally, Bridge was elected as treasurer for the nonprofit organization, Americans Working Around the Globe (AWAG) and oversaw the allocation of $175,000.Bridge also assisted more than 25 new mothers as a national lactation consultant. She became a certified pre- and post-natal personal trainer, teaching more than 50 personnel how to safely exercise.However, the California-native hadn’t always been an active volunteer.It started four years ago, during the Bridges’ initial change of station. Pregnant with their first son, Bridge searched for work with flexible hours in their new German community.“I had worked full time, coaching a dance team and teaching at a dance studio,” Bridge said. “Once we moved overseas, I realized all those things I was doing I wasn’t able to do, or at least not right away.”Consequently, Bridge decided she had to change perspectives.“I struggled a lot with (the thought that) ‘I’m not financially providing for my family’,” Bridge said. “I felt stuck and volunteering has alleviated that from me. It’s provided me a sense of well-being.”After starting out with the Ramstein AB thrift shop, Bridge stepped into the role of president of the RESA in 2014 and 2015 and began facilitating events.“It is really rewarding to be part of the background work, then step back and see how much it’s impacting everyone,” Bridge said.The thrift shop, for example, directly impacts the KMC by sending 80 percent of its profits from donated goods right back to base organizations such as booster clubs and award ceremonies.While working with various institutions, Bridge honed her leadership, financial, business and organizational skills. In order to improve all the volunteer’s processes personally and professionally, Bridge attended an AWAG seminar.Bridge was later elected as treasurer for the nonprofit organization in 2015 and 2016.“Our time in AWAG gave us many tools to take back home and implement into our organization,” said Jillian Romag, the former RESA vice president and AWAG member. “Some of the things we learned we were able to pass on to our members and their spouses, such as resume writing, volunteer appreciation and post-duty transitioning.”Bridge strongly believes her acquired skills will pay off in the future.For now, she is grateful for all the support she had received.After she found out that she was the spouse of the year award recipient, Bridge said, “It was humbling experience. It made me sit down and think about who it took to even get to this level.”Bridge’s family, friends, co-workers’ and mentors’ support helped her balance her role as a wife and mother, alongside being an active volunteer.Her husband said her motivation can be attributed to all the great people she worked with from various organizations.“I am completely in awe of her and unbelievably proud of her,” Matthew said. “Moving to a new location can be a tough transition. Nicole ventured out to make friends and give back to the community, but ended up with something far greater, which is a strong support system and friends who feel like family. I know she did not do this for recognition, but did it to make our community and Air Force better.”awards 



AF family 



Joan Orr Air Force Spouse of the Year 



spouse 



USAFE Featured News
        Senior Leader Priorities
                SecAF, CSAF, CMSAF begin Indo-Pacific trip focused on ACE
                    
                    DAF leaders talk budget, reoptimizing the force
                    
                    DAF leaders speak at National Character and Leadership Symposium
                    
                    DAF members recognized during BEYA STEM awards
                    
                    DAF senior enlisted advisors discuss Airmen, Guardians in the fightInnovation
                F-16s arrive to be modified for autonomous testing
                    
                    AFWERX director discusses role of tech startups, quick innovation in Great Power Competition
                    
                    DAF delivers lethality at the speed of data during Project Convergence Capstone 4
                    
                    DAF welcomes industry partners to HQ development program
                    
                    DAF announces Spark Tank 2024 finalistsMAJCOM News
                Safety enterprise announces new mission, vision, goals in 2024 strategic plan
                    
                    Air Combat Command welcomes new commander
                    
                    USAFE-AFAFRICA commander discusses Integrated Air, Missile Defense during Munich Security Conference
                    
                    Flosi to AFMC family: Embrace change, make every day count
                    
                    AMC rises to increasing global tension
 Quick Links
AccessibilityContact UsEqual OpportunityFOIA | Privacy | Section 508Information QualityInspector GeneralJAG Court-Martial DocketLink DisclaimerNo FEAR ActOpen GovernmentOSI Tip LinePlain LanguageQuestionsResilienceRSSSite MapVeterans Crisis LineCareers
Join the Air ForceAir Force BenefitsAir Force CareersAir Force ReserveAir National GuardCivilian ServiceConnect
            Get Social with Us
            
            Official United States Air Force Website
    Hosted by Defense Media Activity - WEB.mil