UMGC Global Media Center Author: Sarah Berner Nelson

Claudia Escobar’s marriage to Army Staff Sgt. Justin Langdo had barely started when he was given a cancer diagnosis that would turn their lives upside down. Among other things, the medical news meant they might have to live on Claudia’s salary alone.

Trevor Donnatien had already left the Army by the time he met Rachel. The man she describes as “the rock of our family” embraced her children when they married, and the couple has a 7-month-old girl and another child on the way.

Being a man taking care of a wounded veteran woman often takes some explaining, said Michael Vyas, one of the four men who were awarded Pillars of Strength scholarships for the first time this year.

When Melissa was introduced to Edward O’Connell in 2005, he was a highly decorated petty officer first class, who served as a Cryptologic Technician Network specialist for Naval Information Warfare Activity at the Office of Naval Intelligence at Fort Meade. He was one of the first 100 cryptologic technicians in the U.S. Navy and a man in demand.

As long as she can remember, Abigail Compton has loved caring for others, but the birth of her first child and her husband’s deployment to Afghanistan meant leaving a career behind to become a stay-at-home mom. And then life changed.

Maryland resident has been her father’s primary caregiver since high school. After excelling at her job at a music venue, she is using her Pillars of Strength Scholarship to earn a bachelor’s degree and advance her career.