When Anne Hartline lost her husband, Col. James G. Hartline, USA (Ret), in 2012, she found support from the Greater Birmingham (Ala.) Chapter. It didn’t take long for her to reciprocate that support when she became surviving spouse liaison of the chapter. A year later, Hartline took on the same role at the council level.

Since then, she has dedicated her time to ensuring not only surviving spouses but also spouses and other members have the resources and support they need to navigate the loss of a loved one.

Hartline started a chapter women’s committee, comprising surviving spouses, spouses, and women military officers, that meets and hears from speakers on a range of helpful topics and provides opportunities for connection and support.

“I realized the spouses of living members also need the information so they can be prepared,” Hartline explained.

The opportunity to disseminate this information grew during her tenure on national MOAA’s Surviving Spouses Advisory Council. Hartline worked with two colleagues to develop a surviving spouse liaison training that is now part of the Regional Chapter Leaders’ Workshops. Hartline delivered the training at six workshops.

“We realized how little most people know — even basic things about getting your spouse to apply at the VA for benefits and making sure you have your own credit card,” she said. “We wanted to provide information to make life easier.”

Hartline’s professional background paved the way for this effort. In addition to working as a high school teacher and guidance counselor, she developed and managed the Safe and Drug Free Schools Program for the new Hoover School System in a Birmingham suburb.

“Doing that and following the research and designing and delivering trainings led to developing this training program for MOAA,” she said.

She is grateful for the opportunity to support other surviving spouses and MOAA members

“I feel good that I think we’ve impacted some people and hopefully made their lives easier,” Hartline said.   

'We realized how little most people know — even basic things about getting your spouse to apply at the VA for benefits and making sure you have your own credit card.'