Creating Real Community in a Digital World

No matter what space I am in, I hear leaders discussing similar challenges. One challenge I have heard brought up in many spaces is the challenge of building community. While there has been a societal shift where focus has moved to the digital world, community and connection are still essential to perform at our highest mentally.

While traditionally National Guard units live in the same town or near the unit in which they serve, it is also fairly common for servicemembers to live a few hours or even states away from their unit. That has always been our experience. As my husband grew into leadership roles, we wanted to create the close-knit atmosphere we experienced when he was Active Duty. Here are 3 ways we built community in his unit.

1. We started a group chat. The servicemembers provided contact info for their spouses if they wanted to participate. The group chat was typically quiet except for holidays, TDYs, etc. It was a place to share resources, commiserate when Murphy's law came to visit, and keep a pulse on what was going on in each other's lives.

2. We celebrated and rallied when needed. When there was a new baby, we could not show up with a casserole or throw a baby shower. Instead, we all chipped in and sent DoorDash gift cards. When a spouse faced major medical issues, we sent care baskets off of Etsy. When my husband was injured, one of the spouses gave a teammate my number and they helped me figure out a plan.

3. We occasionally had team parties. Now these are much more difficult to pull off. But our servicemembers are close. The group chat has brought us spouses closer- not in the we chat everyday sense, but we know people who will show up and rally for us sense. We did not do it often, however once every 3-5 years we prioritized gathering from 6 or more states in one location was manageable. We do not have the capacity get together more frequently and honestly, that makes us prioritize the get togethers as they are rare and special.

At the end of the day, it is the small things that matter. It's someone showing up with food- or a DoorDash gift card, sending a Christmas card, and the text complaining about DEERs messing up TRICARE again that makes us feel less alone. That is what community is all about. Start the group chat. Build the community. Celebrate together.