LEAVENWORTH, Kan. (January 8, 2010)—Armed Forces Insurance (www.afi.org ) today announced that the company will sponsor Military Spouse magazine's 2010 “Military Spouse of the Year” award.

The award honors a military spouse who embodies the sacrifice, patriotism, professionalism and altruism that embody the community of 1.1 million current and 20 million former military spouses, according to Col. Tom Dials (U. S. Army, Ret.), chairman of Armed Forces Insurance.

“Military Spouse of the Year recognizes the fact that it is not simply the service member who serves the nation, the military family is a critical part of that service,” Dials said. “We're proud to be a part of this competition, which honors the military families our organization was founded to protect.” 

Public voting to select winners from each military branch began January 6 and continues through February 10. The branch winners will be announced on March 1, followed by voting through March 19 to determine the final winner. Nominees' profiles and photos are featured online along with the essays submitted by their nominators. Each of the 25 nominees was evaluated based on their altruism in the military spouse community, as well as impact on community change; volunteerism; personal sacrifice; education and career pursuits; and related efforts.

"We are thrilled to have Armed Forces Insurance as the presenting sponsor for the 2010 Military Spouse of the Year. AFI truly understands the needs and passions of military spouses and we cannot imagine a better suited organization to sponsor this award," said Babette Maxwell, co-founder, executive editor, Military Spouse magazine. 

The 2010 Military Spouse of the Year will be announced at a special event in honor of the competition on May 7 in Washington, D.C. The 2010 award will be the third consecutive year that Military Spouse magazine has recognized a Military Spouse of the Year. To vote, please visit www.msoy.milspouse.com . 

About Armed Forces Insurance
AFI was founded in 1887 by military leaders with a single mission: to protect the property of those who protect our nation. The company provides premium quality, competitively-priced property and casualty insurance to military professionals throughout the United States and overseas. Headquartered in Leavenworth, Kansas, AFI understands that its subscribers have unique circumstances and insurance needs, enabling the company to offer a level of personalized service that's unequaled in the industry. For more information, visit the Web site at www.afi.org or call 1-800-495-8234.

About Military Spouse
Military Spouse magazine and www.milspouse.com , published by Victory Media, is the leading national magazine and online destination for the nation's 1.1 million military spouses. The company also publishes G.I. Jobs magazine (www.gijobs.com ) and Vetrepreneur magazine (www.navoba.com ).