Ruck Up Buttercup is a podcast for military spouses, service members, and military families, brought to you by the nonprofit Deployed Love. Join hosts who are military spouses as we share real stories, practical advice, and expert insights to help you navigate deployments, PCS moves, military family life, and daily challenges.
Each episode highlights resources, tips, and guidance to help military families thrive. Whether you’re a new spouse or a seasoned veteran family, our mission is to inform, inspire, and empower—you’re not alone. Nonprofit site: www.deployedlove.org
Breaking the Silence: Military Spouse Advocacy, Invisible Labor & the Need for Real Support with Allison Burton
On this episode of Ruck Up Buttercup, Ashley sits down with Allison Burton, an Army spouse of 20 years, military family advocate, and founder of The Burton Collective, for an honest conversation about the realities military spouses face and why being called “resilient” isn't always enough.
From unsafe housing and healthcare challenges to financial strain, deployments, and the invisible labor that keeps military families running, Allison challenges the idea that these struggles are simply part of military life.
Together, they discuss why military spouses often hesitate to speak up, how fear of being labeled difficult or ungrateful can silence important conversations, and why meaningful advocacy requires more than acknowledging problems.
Allison also shares her concerns about whether existing support systems truly represent military spouses and emphasizes the need for safe spaces where families can share their experiences, find community, and ask for help without judgment.
Because military families shouldn't have to keep proving how resilient they are. They deserve systems that support them before they reach their breaking point.
Real stories. Real struggles. Real strength.
00:00 Welcome and Guest Intro
01:28 Allison Military Life Story
02:41 Breaking Spouse Stereotypes
03:42 Speak Up on Housing Hazards
06:14 Escalate and Advocate
11:14 Resiliency as a Band Aid
14:10 Deployment Uncertainty Reality
24:14 Invisible Labor and Skills
27:52 Hire Military Spouses
30:46 Pay and Cost of Living Crisis
32:36 Leave It Better Together
35:22 Speak Up And Share
36:28 Grace For Others And Self
37:51 Coalition Skepticism
39:36 Representation And Safety
43:50 Bring In Experts
47:30 You Didnt Sign Up
49:50 Escalate And Lean In
52:16 Ask For Help
56:40 Community Over Competition
01:00:32 Safe Space For Truth
01:03:57 Real Stories Real Strength
01:07:53 Closing And Support
Allison Burton
Website: www.allisonburton.co
Facebook: www.facebook.com/allisonburtonauthor IG:www.instagram.com/allisonburton_author_speaker
Reach Us
Website: https://linktr.ee/DeployedLove
Email: ashleybrown@deployedlove.org
26 Oct 2026
S6E22 Ruck Up Buttercup: Beyond the Lens The Stories We Carry and the Courage to Tell Them
Tori on Photographing Military Life, Writing Through Deployment and Cancer, and Building an Open Seat at the Table
The hosts welcome Tori, a world-renowned photographer, military veteran and longtime military spouse, mom, author, and breast cancer survivor, to discuss her 25 years in the military community and her work photographing military life across 17 installations. Tori explains how she began with photos of her daughter’s MWR cheerleading and evolved from sports photography into documenting units, aiming to show families what service looks like when they can’t be there. She describes mentoring newer spouses, the importance of community, and writing books—starting with “Praise Through It: Deployment Edition” during an unexpected Saudi deployment in DC—using raw journaling to process hardship and gratitude. She shares keeping her cancer private during her husband’s command at Fort Benning, relying on chaplains, and writing to help others navigate silent battles. The conversation highlights bridging rank barriers, including retirees, creating a “Table of 12,” and her book “True Obedience,” emphasizing inviting others in, sharing stories, and resilience.
00:00 Welcome Back Season Six
01:36 Meet Tori Photographer Vet
02:16 How Photography Began
03:25 Telling Military Stories
06:26 Mentoring New Spouses
08:25 Unexpected DC Deployment
11:01 Writing Praise Through It
14:56 Breast Cancer During Command
19:00 Finding Your People Table
24:46 Kids Watching Resilience
27:45 Military Kids Sacrifices
28:54 Writing Through Hardship
31:10 Redefining Success Over Time
33:42 Marriage Rules And Growth
36:02 Reintegration And Hidden Struggles
42:09 Mentorship Beyond Rank
49:18 Building Your Spouse Table
50:49 Retirees And Womanhood Wisdom
54:52 Real Stories Real Strengths
57:05 Final Thanks And Sendoff
Find Tori Here
Instagram- @torievansphotos @lifewithtorievans
Website- Torievansphotos.com
Reach us at ashleybrown@deployedlov.org
19 Oct 2026
Ruck Up Buttercup S6E21: We All Have Our Own Version of Hard
Meg Graves on ‘Your Own Version of Hard’: Military Life, Cancer Survivorship, and Community Support
On the Ruck Up Buttercup podcast for military families, the host interviews Meg Graves, the 2026 Navy Military Spouse of the Year, about her “own version of hard” philosophy inspired by Kate Bowler and the importance of acknowledging struggle without comparison. Meg describes being an overwhelmed military spouse with three young, neurodivergent children and facing a stage 3C triple-negative breast cancer diagnosis in late 2020 during COVID-related deployment and quarantine disruptions. She explains how military life and an action-oriented mindset helped her navigate a changing treatment plan, and she details survivorship realities, including lymphedema after removal of 26 lymph nodes, radiation fibrosis, recurrent cellulitis, and lifelong daily antibiotics. They discuss supporting others by listening, small acts of kindness, and speaking up to advocate for systemic change, and Meg advises spouses to build community by getting involved and reaching out.
00:00 Welcome and Introductions
01:45 Return Date and Reintegration
02:15 Everyone Has Hard
04:33 Life Before Cancer
05:38 Diagnosis During COVID
10:21 Military Mindset and Planning
12:55 Survivorship Side Effects
16:27 Stop Comparing Struggles
20:01 How to Support Others
22:49 Advocacy Through Stories
26:08 Closing and Community Advice
Reach and audience
Public platform figures. Ratings count people who left a rating, not total listeners.
Apple Podcasts (US)
5.0 / 5
3 ratings
Spotify
5.0 / 5
3 ratings
Podcast Authority Score: 65 / 100
A composite of feed quality, social presence, YouTube performance and engagement. Read the methodology.
Quality
88
Social presence
91
YouTube
0
Engagement
60
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