A note, on behalf of Task Force 192.

“I’m So Happy”

A Week of Connection Under Montana’s Big Sky

✦

Six women arrived in Montana as strangers and left as Task Force 192.

We came from different places, with different stories and very different personalities, but we shared one important connection: life as SOF military spouses.

Our BSB experience began Sunday with a warm welcome at the airport, where our incredible volunteers wouldn’t even let us handle our own luggage. We literally pointed to our bags, and they picked them up. As moms who are accustomed to packing for our families and organizing everyone else’s travel plans, we were already getting a taste of Montana-level hospitality.

Our volunteers quickly became so much more than the women who helped make our week possible. They became our guides, cheerleaders, chauffeurs, luggage handlers, dinner companions—and so much more.

After everyone arrived, we headed to headquarters to pick up our welcome bags and gear. Then came an essential first stop: Murdoch’s.

Cowgirl hats were purchased. Jeans were tried on. Opinions were shared. And somewhere between the aisles of Murdoch’s and the very sturdy tires on our Sprinter van, Task Force 192 started to take shape.

With our new hats in tow, we headed into Moonlight Basin and settled into the house that would become our home for the week.

Our first evening was intentionally relaxed—unpacking, eating dinner and beginning to get to know the women who, just hours earlier, had been complete strangers. The conversations started easily, and the laughter came even easier. Even that first night, there was a feeling that maybe this group was something special.

Our first full day brought our first Montana adventure: horseback riding at Lone Mountain Ranch.

Surrounded by mountain views and crisp mountain air, we explored the property on horseback and immediately began daydreaming about our new lives as cowgirls. For at least a few hours, we were convinced we were absolutely meant for this.

You could feel everyone beginning to relax and take it all in—the beauty surrounding us and the realization that we were actually here.

That evening, we made our way to Montage Resort. The food was beyond fabulous, and the conversation continued to flow. We laughed, shared stories and tried things none of us would have ordered at home.

It was one of those dinners where the food was memorable, but the company was the real highlight.

The next morning, we climbed into a hot-air balloon and lifted off over Big Sky.

The weather could not have been more perfect. No clouds. Just a slight breeze, endless mountain ranges and the kind of views that make you forget to take pictures because you’re too busy staring—or holding on for dear life.

From high above the ground, everything felt still.

We conquered fears in that basket. We laughed. We took in the views. And, for a little while, the world seemed very far away.

After returning to the ground, we spent time shopping, meeting locals and exploring the town of Big Sky before heading back to Lone Mountain Ranch for the evening rodeo.

This was also when our new cowgirl identities really started to come together.

There were hats. There were boots. And there was a long jean jacket with fur that was appropriately named Shania.

We ate brisket, cheered for the young cowgirls during barrel racing, shopped some more, stared at a woman for far too long because we were convinced she was famous, held our breath as the bull riders took their turns and fully embraced our Montana era.

It was the kind of night that felt almost too perfect to be real.

Then came a very different kind of Montana adventure: nearly seven miles round trip to Beehive Basin.

We may have slightly overstated our level of fitness at 8,000 feet above sea level.

The trail and the views were beautiful. We started at different paces. Some were stronger on the uphill. Some were stronger on the downhill. Some were doing mental math about how much farther we possibly could have to go.

But nobody was left behind.

We encouraged one another. We waited for one another. We celebrated every little milestone. And Ennea, Geri and Laura were right there with us—walking, laughing, encouraging and experiencing the hike alongside us.

We were doing it together.

Somewhere along the trail, the hike became about so much more than getting to the top.

We talked about life, family, sacrifice, resilience, fitness, marriage, military life and all the things that can be difficult to explain to people who haven’t lived some version of this life themselves.

There was no pressure and no judgment. Just women walking alongside one another—sometimes talking, sometimes laughing, and sometimes simply putting one foot in front of the other and catching our breath in the much thinner air.

At our turnaround point, we were met with a stunning lake that somehow isn’t even named on Google Maps.

The hike challenged us physically, but it also became one of the places where we bonded the most. We pushed one another, encouraged one another and, in ways we probably didn’t realize at the time, inspired one another to keep going.

Back at the house, we were rewarded with a spa afternoon followed by a delicious dinner at home.

It was the perfect way to recover, relax and reflect on the day.

Our final full day in Montana was spent fly fishing on the Madison River with our wonderful guides.

It was our chilliest day, but the weather held out with only a few sprinkles. Everyone caught rainbow and brown trout—and a couple of sticks.

Floating down the Madison gave us something we hadn’t realized we needed: stillness.

Our lives at home are full of schedules, careers, car lines, sports, deployments and so much more. There was something incredibly peaceful about simply being on the river, surrounded by mountains and good company.

It felt like the perfect way to close the week.

“I’m so happy.”

It was said in the balloon, at dinner, on the trail, on horseback, in the car and on the river.

Sometimes it was said after doing something completely incredible. Sometimes it was said for no real reason at all.

And that’s what made it so meaningful.

We weren’t just happy because we were in Montana.

We were happy because, for one week, we got to put down some of the weight we normally carry.

We got to laugh.

We got to try things that scared us.

We got to move our bodies.

We got to be silly.

We got to talk about the hard stuff with women who understood without needing an explanation.

We got to just be ourselves.

Our group was beyond exceptional. Bringing six women who had never met under one roof for an entire week could have gone a lot of ways.

Instead, somehow, we fit together like long-lost puzzle pieces.

Our volunteer team created space for us to reconnect with ourselves and with one another, but they also showed up as real people alongside us. They laughed with us, encouraged us, took care of us, joined the adventures and somehow made nine women living together for a week feel completely natural.

It was the most amazing week—one that will live with each of us forever.

The bonds we created so quickly were real.

But the really cool thing?

This wasn’t the end. It was the beginning of lifelong friendships.

We came home lighter.

We came home connected.

We came home inspired.

Inspired by the Montana wilderness. Inspired by the seven-mile hike. Inspired by the women beside us.

All week, we looked up and looked out in awe, taking in the mountains, the views and the beauty around us.

LOOK UP

“Sometimes the most important thing is simply to look up.”

And somewhere along the way, one of our fabulous TF spouses coined a phrase that would follow us home: Look Up.

So we challenge every TF alum—and every future TF recipient—to Look Up.

When you’re at the back of the pack, look up.

When your legs are tired and you’re wondering why you agreed to this hike in the first place, look up.

When you need a little motivation in your fitness journey, look up.

When life feels heavy, look up.

When you’re falling behind, look up.

And when life is beautiful?

Look up then, too.

Because sometimes looking up is about finding the person ahead of you who is waiting for you.

Sometimes it’s about noticing the mountain you’ve been too busy climbing to appreciate.

Sometimes it’s about remembering that you don’t have to do everything alone.

And sometimes, it’s simply about looking around and realizing just how lucky you are.

We arrived as strangers.

We left as women who had laughed together, cried together, pushed one another, learned from one another and created something none of us could have planned.

Refreshed.
Connected.
A little stronger.
A lot happier.

And forever grateful that, for one unforgettable week under Montana’s Big Sky, we remembered to Look Up.

Volunteers to Thank

Ennea Dailey, Task Force Director
Geri Monaghan, Assistant Task Force Director
Laura Kauffman

Patriots to Thank

Ascend Properties
Journey Rent-A-Car
Rich Searle
Stone Glacier
Welcome Bag Patriots: Alpine Dentistry, Anthem Snacks, FHF Gear, Graplrz, LMNT, Melissa Ferraro, onX Maps, River's Edge West, & Wild Society Coffee.

“There is no greater gift than getting to be around like-minded women. This week meant so much more than just getting time away to experience a new place. Every detail and activity was thoughtfully planned and we felt so so loved. Not only is Montana beautiful and incredibly special but these girls are now a part of my heart and soul. I will love them forever. The volunteers are the bread and butter of this organization and allowed us to be ourselves and met us where we each individually are in our lives.
I’ve walked away from this week being reminded that military wives are tough as shit, funny as hell, and fiercely selfless. Thank you big sky bravery. I am so happy.”

-TF192 Recipient

“This week was filled with the most amazing memories - memories I will cherish forever. Every single outdoor adventure was chosen with such purpose. It was an opportunity to quiet the constant voice in my head moving from one to-do list item to the next—to simply be present. I was able to experience the breathtaking beauty of Montana while also connecting with other spouses on a level unlike any other experience in my life. It was a rare kind of connection, reflection, and renewal that I will carry with me long after leaving the Montana landscape.

Thank you from the bottom of my heart for this restorative week- one I didn’t even know was desperately needed. I was slowly disappearing in my own life story, and I feel so seen, so heard, and so understood because of the tremendous volunteer leadership of BSB and the other women that comprised our TF. I am so humbled and so honored to have been chosen to be here this week- and I will be forever grateful.”

-TF192 Recipient

“I cannot fully express how grateful I am to Big Sky Bravery for this unforgettable experience. As a military spouse, I often find myself supporting from the sidelines and working behind the scenes—helping keep life moving so those around me can pursue their own adventures.

This week, however, I was given the opportunity to have an adventure of my own. Every detail was thoughtfully planned by an extraordinary team who made me feel seen, cared for, and genuinely appreciated. More than that, they gave me the rare chance to step away from the constant decision-making and responsibilities of everyday life, allowing me to pause, breathe, and simply enjoy the moment.

I was reminded that it is okay to slow down, laugh, connect, and make space for joy in my own life. I laughed harder than I have in years and had the privilege of meeting an incredible group of women. I am deeply thankful to Big Sky Bravery for providing an experience that I will carry with me for a lifetime.”

-TF192 Recipient

“Every time I try to articulate what my week with Big Sky Bravery meant to me, the words fall short. The depth of gratitude I have for this organization and for our incredible volunteers, Ennea, Geri, and Laura, is almost impossible to express.

There is a ‘me’ before the Task Force, and there is a ‘me’ after the Task Force.

This experience was so much more than I ever imagined it would be. I arrived with an open heart and mind, thinking, ‘Maybe I’ll make a friend,’ and, ‘I can’t wait to see Montana in the fall.’ I left with deep, genuine friendships that formed more quickly and naturally than I thought possible. Experiencing Montana together was the cherry on top.

We talked about trauma, fears, raising children, deployments, careers, and everything in between. We laughed until we cried, challenged ourselves, tried new things, and gave one another the space to be honest about the experiences that have shaped us.

I arrived in Montana tired. I was exhausted from motherhood, my career, and more than 16 years of being a military spouse. I was anxious about leaving my husband and children for that long. I had only been away from them for a day or two at a time, and although I knew everything at home would be fine, I was anxious to let go.

To let go and truly rest.

For five full days, I did not have to worry, plan, think about schedules, wonder what I was going to cook, plan for meetings, or carry the weight of what came next. I was given permission to simply be present, and I came home feeling lighter. I feel renewed. I feel seen. I feel as though something inside me has healed.

I left Montana with a full heart, a full cup, and five (read: eight) new friendships I know will last far beyond our time under the Big Sky.

I hope every SOF spouse has the opportunity to experience what Big Sky Bravery gave me, and that this organization can continue changing lives for many years to come.

Thank you, Big Sky Bravery, Ennea, Geri, and Laura for the most incredible week. I am forever grateful - I am SO HAPPY!”

-TF192 Recipient

“To say this experience cracked me wide open would be an understatement. I work at the same unit as my husband and had no idea how hard I’d been running until I had the opportunity to reset and rest. Sharing space with women who understand the absolute highs of this life - the pride, the families, the joy - but also being able to relate and speak honestly about the real lows that come with this walk - the unpredictability of schedules, the missed holidays, the hard conversations with kids who can’t put words to the frustration of having their parent gone - I just needed to feel these feelings with women that know this life. And to have the opportunity to do all of this in the most beautiful backdrop - the mountains, the river, the wildlife - just surreal. The depth of gratitude I have for this organization, volunteers, donors, and these women - there are no words! Thank you, Big Sky Bravery. This has been the most healing, uplifting, amazing experience, and I’m humbled and so happy to have been a part of this.”

-TF192 Recipient

“I knew that I was going to be in a beautiful place, but what I did not realize was that it was the people and experiences we shared that were going to be the most memorable. It was truly the opportunity of a lifetime, and I will forever be grateful.”

-TF192 Recipient