Eagle BELVOIR
Belvoir hosts archery tournament Page B1
March 1, 2018
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Spouse of the year stays busy, connected By Adrienne Anderson Staff writer Melanie Binversie, a Marine Corps spouse at Fort Belvoir, won the Armed Forces Insurance Military Spouse of the Year for Fort Belvoir. She is the co-owner of Stars and Stripes Doulas, which gives military families assistance during pregnancy, labor, and post-partum. “The biggest thing with military families is that we don’t have anyone close by, so we don’t have that support other families who are having babies have,” she said, adding she also offers sibling support for when families need babysitters while at the hospital. She also hires military spouses as independent contractors who can take their jobs as doulas with them when they change duty stations. At only one year since its establishment, her business is steadily growing and has four chapters and 12 doulas, Binversie said. Aside from maintaining her business, she is also active in the Belvoir community. She volunteers with Army Community Service and teaches its Baby Bundles class. She’s also the social media coordinator for Fort Belvoir Elementary School’s PTO. Binversie is also the doula coordinator for Operation Special Delivery, a nonprofit organization. She is also serving as a surrogate for another military family. Last year, she was awarded the Heroes at Home Marine Spouse of the Year. She has a bachelor’s degree in emergency and disaster management with a minor in intelligence studies. Volunteering is something she enjoys doing and considers it a large part of who she is. She said she would have loved to become a pregnancy and delivery nurse, but as a military spouse who moves often, she wasn’t able to go that route and instead became a doula. However, becoming a doula was better, as she’s able to spend more time helping families than if she was a nurse, she said. Binversie has also donated breast milk and previously donated to a milk bank that helps micro-preemie babies. “These micro preemies are the most fragile babies,” she said. “This product … is fortified into a nutritional product that the babies don’t have to digest. Even digesting requires energy, and these little babies just don’t have that kind of energy. It feels good to be able to give to these babies who need it the most.” “The No. 1 thing people say about me is, ‘You’re the busiest person I know,’” she said. “And I am busy, but I prioritize things that are important to me.” It was family first, and then her business, fol-
Courtesy photo
Melanie Binversie, co-owner of Stars and Stripes Doulas, speaks with a mother. Binversie, a Marine spouse, was chosen as the Armed Forces Insurance Military Spouse of the Year for Fort Belvoir. Besides her business, which helps military families with their pregnancies, labor, and post-partum needs, she is also a member of the PTO and volunteers with ACS. lowed by volunteering, Binversie said. “Somehow, I manage it all, and I have a reCERDEC MEDIA DAY ally supportive husband who helps me, too,” she said. Staff Sgt. Being active in the community also has other Michael benefits. Moving from station to station means Niezman, an making new friends, which can be hard if you NCOIC with aren’t active, she said. Night Vision One of her worst PCS experiences was when and Elecshe relocated with her family to a place for only tronic Sena year. She thought it wasn’t worth it to get sors Directorinvolved for such a short time, but regretted the ate, displays decision. “When you don’t have friends it makes it a rethermal camally long tour,” Binversie said. eras mounted She advises military spouses to be active. on his helmet “Stick with it. I know it’s hard. Every duty staand rifle, tion we go to I have to find something else to do. during CERI’ve worn a lot of hats,” she said. But, the experiDEC’s Media ence has allowed her to do many new things. For Day, Feb. 22. example, she’s never been on the PTO before. See more picHaving friends all over the world is importures, pages tant to her because she enjoys making connecA6-7.
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Photo by Paul Lara
Save the dates! AER kickoff today 10 a.m. Wood Theater www.aerhq.org
Reserve Pre-Retirement Benefit Seminar 99th Readiness Division host March 17, Humphreys Hall, 21st Street E-mail Army99rso@mail.mil
Body Shop gym
Walk-in mammograms
Temporary 24/7 gym Call to register 703-806-3100
Belvoir Hospital, for those eligible 7:30 a.m. – 3 p.m., weekdays 571-231-3224