From an Average Spouse to Spouse Club President

By Sarah Piper

Leaders come in all shapes and sizes. Some have big personalities, others are quieter, either way their presence is tangible. They always appear like they have the answers, or that they have everything together.

My family and I PCS’d to South Korea in March of 2021. COVID restrictions were in full effect and we had to quarantine at Camp Humphreys for two weeks before reaching our final destination at Camp Walker, located in the heart of Daegu, the third largest city in South Korea. In April 2021, we settled into on-post housing at Baekje Tower.

At any duty station, the idea of seeking out friendships can be a struggle, but it seemed easy here.

The playground that’s nestled between Shilla Tower and Baekje Tower was the hot spot! With the off-post COVID restrictions at the time, it was a comfortable environment for our son to make new friends and for my husband and I to meet families. There are always plenty of kids and families out, especially during the warmer months. Even though this was our sixth year, it was our first PCS and overseas tour. I remember feeling overwhelmed at first, but things soon settled down. One day, I was approached by someone I had recently met. She had a smile on her face every time I saw her out and about. She had a bubbly personality, and was comforting to be around. She talked to me about joining the spouses club that’s on base, the Daegu Civilian & Spouses Club (DCSC). The DSCS is a nonprofit organization that operates the on-post AppleTree Thrift Store and gives back to the Area IV community through volunteering, welfare grants, scholarships, and community outreach events.

My previous experience with a spouse club was at Fort Bragg. Though my time with the Fort Bragg Spouse Club was cut short by my pregnancy and the birth of our son, I felt I had a good understanding of the purpose of the spouse club and volunteering. There was no pressure to join the

DCSC board, but she was persistent and thought I would be a great addition. I received a list of open positions, including duty descriptions and expectations. After considering the options and settling into life in Daegu, I decided to take the Welfare Chair position in August 2021. A few weeks later, I sat down with the President of the DCSC to learn a bit more about the position, expectations, and how the Board operated. Little did I know that a year later I would be President.

During February of 2022, I received a phone call from the President of the DCSC. She wanted to talk to me about nominating me for the President's position for the next year. If you're familiar with spouses clubs, SFRG's, etc., most of the leadership roles are Senior Spouses, and that wasn't me. My husband at the time was a Staff Sergeant and I was just a volunteer in different areas of the community. Honestly, I was surprised when she approached me with the idea. I've never thought of myself as someone who needs the spotlight or wants to be in charge. I never thought of myself as someone who is great, or someone that can lead. I just wanted to do my best to help where I'm needed, in hopes that I've made a difference. She told me to take some time to think about it. She seemed confident that I was a good fit and that I would do great things for DSCS and the community. As of May 2023, I have served as the President of DCSC for about one year, which is a full term. This has certainly been the experience of a lifetime. Despite some challenges and bumps along the way, I have proven to myself that rank doesn't matter. Trusting yourself, your compassion, thoughtfulness, kindness, and the good advice of friends and advisors, matters the most as a leader. Lately, I've been reminded of this and I'm starting to see what others see in me. So, if you're that quiet one in the room, never feel like you're average, you just might be President one day.