Schriever Air Force Base, Colorado -- When Amber saw an opportunity to volunteer to decorate the White House come across her Facebook feed, she thought of her husband, Matt, who joined the Air Force Reserve in 2008, and how meaningful the experience would be for both of them. Plus, Christmas is her favorite holiday and she loves to decorate.
Amber Conroy and her husband, Tech. Sgt. Matt Conroy, a 7th Space Operations Squadron space systems operator, were among the 225 volunteers selected out of over 8,000 applicants from across the country to help with the decorations.
“I love the Christmas holiday and the decorating that comes with it,” she said. “The chance to decorate the People’s house was a no brainer! Regardless of ones opinion on today’s administration or political ideology, the chance for my husband to go to the White House was a chance I was going to take.”
Having never been to the White House before, Matt said walking through the doors was a profound moment for him.
“It felt surreal to be inside the walls that our country was built in and walk the same halls as its leaders,” he said.
Amber, on the other hand, has visited the White House on a number of occasions representing the Air Force Key Spouse program to meet with Karen Pence, the spouse of Vice President Mike Pence, and discuss the obstacles reservists and their families face.
“We love getting involved in our community and supporting our service members and their families,” said Amber, who was recognized as the 2019 Armed Forces Insurance Military Spouse of the Year Key Spouse for Whiteman Air Force Base before her husband came to the 310th Space Wing in August. “We volunteer a lot of hours and it’s all worth it.”
Matt says the best part of the experience were the people.
"We came in as strangers, and within only a few days, they became great friends that we will continue to stay in touch with," Matt said. "The people are really what made the experience so memorable."
The couple were there representing their home state of Nebraska and hope to be selected again next year to decorate.
“It was just a great experience to meet people from across the country in a setting like that,” he said.