No Military Family Should Have to Navigate This Journey Alone.
Building a family can already feel emotional, overwhelming, and uncertain. Add the realities of military life: deployments, relocations, changing healthcare systems, and isolation and too many military and veteran families are left carrying impossible weight without the support they deserve.
That’s why Building Military Families Network™ exists.
Built From Lived Experience. Created for Community.
Building Military Families Network™ was founded after experiencing firsthand the silence, isolation, and lack of support military and veteran families often face during the family-building journey.
What started as one family searching for answers became a mission to create something bigger:
A place where military families could feel understood, connected, and supported through every stage of the journey—whether navigating infertility, IVF, loss, adoption, surrogacy, foster care, or redefining what family may look like altogether.
Because no one should have to walk through these moments feeling invisible.
Why We ExistOur mission is to provide an empowering and supportive network for military and veteran families navigating the challenges of family building through peer support groups, education, advocacy, and trusted resources. We exist to reduce isolation, create emotional connection, and ensure families have access to support that truly understands the realities of military life.
What We’re Working Toward
We envision a future in which all military and veteran families have equitable access to family-building care, coverage, education, and emotional support, free from unnecessary barriers, restrictions, or requirements.
A future where every family, every story, and every path to parenthood is met with compassion, understanding, and community.
The Hearts Behind the Mission
Julie Eshelman, President
William Fontanez, Treasurer
Lisa Rosenthal, Secretary
Barb Collura, Member At Large
Julie Cooley, Member At LargeJeanell Hurley, Support Group HostVince Afaisen, AdvisorOur Board
Jennifer White, Member At LargeJoin Our Team
Our Advisors and Community Leaders
Courtney Deady, Community Support DirectorOur Board of Directors, advisory team, and community leaders are united by one purpose: creating meaningful support, connection, and lasting change for military and veteran families navigating the realities of family building. If you want to join the mission, consider joining our team.