As a self-described Gen X and “latchkey kid,” Corie Weathers idolized Wonder Woman growing up.
What started in childhood with defending her older brother and herself fiercely from bullies eventually morphed into a career as a clinician to help with unseen wounds. When Weathers’ husband completed seminary and entered the Army Chaplain Corps, her focus shifted, but her mission of helping others only grew.
Her work led to her being named the Armed Forces Insurance Military Spouse of the Year in 2015.
For nearly 20 years, Weathers has devoted her time and energy to serving those in need as a licensed counselor. She also challenged things she knew were wrong, like confronting TRICARE policy with a video that went viral in 2019.
Though Weathers is no stranger to writing (she penned Sacred Spaces, published in 2016) she became convicted to research and write something different, especially after she watched the withdrawal of troops from Afghanistan in 2021 and her heart broke for the families who dedicated so much to the region.
This time, she tackled the Military Culture Shift and addressed the generational issues and disconnect without holding back. Military leadership took notice.
“When I really heard all of the issues and the number of people those issues affected, I started to see them from a clinical perspective, an organizational psychology perspective, and applying family systems to the institution,” Weathers explained. “In family systems, you can tug on one part of the system to change the entire system. That inspired me to tackle some of the bigger issues in the institution. This [the military] is very much like a big family—a family set of problems with conflict and multi-generational differences in values and communication. I thought, what would happen if instead of just addressing one family at a time, we actually talked about the bigger issues in the whole system? I just wanted to maximize the message.”
Weathers did that and more. Military Culture Shift: The Impact of War, Money, and Generational Perspective on Morale, Retention, and Leadership was released in Fall 2023. It provoked deep conversation around issues like retention, recruitment and the future of America’s Armed Forces. She was interviewed on all major news networks and asked to expand upon her research and perspective on the very real issues facing the military.
“Being a professional, a female and a military spouse has been challenging at times to navigate. Entering into this space where I can teach military leaders and work with policy leaders as well as be seen as a cultural expert has allowed me to break through a ceiling. This is something I feel has been really challenging for many military spouses,” Weathers shared. “Now I have spouses come up to me and say, ‘You are showing what is possible,’ and I can’t tell you how special that is to hear.”
Since the book’s successful release, Weathers has traveled across the country teaching NCOs and senior leadership alike. Her book is being considered for an elective at the Air Force Academy; she’s teaching at the National Defense University and consulting with the Army War College.
“The big reason why I wrote the book was that all of the stories coming out about the recruiting crisis were very much about Gen Z being to blame or the DoD to blame. There were a lot of pointing fingers, and I felt like it wasn’t going to get us anywhere when the problems we have are so complicated,” Weathers explained. “So I thought, what if I could get everybody to the table and let’s actually talk about the complexity of the issues? Maybe we would stop pointing fingers and instead understand the problem better and then figure out each of our individual parts in providing solutions. There isn’t just one solution. We can’t just say Gen Z needs to straighten up and we can’t just say the DoD needs to clean up its mess. It’s much more complicated than that. Each of us has a part to play, and I wanted to get everybody at the table.”
What set Weathers’ work apart from others is the clinical perspective she brought to the issues facing the military community. Her goal was to utilize an organizational psychology framework to help leaders gain the insight they need to make measurable improvements and impact. Like any hero’s journey, it was an effort that didn’t come without some roadblocks.
“I’ve had too many situations where I sat at a table and was unable to participate in the conversation because people assumed I didn’t know what they were talking about when I actually had an incredible amount to offer,” she added.
Weathers said her husband gave her one piece of advice going into the work of writing this book: be all in. And she was.
“I think to hear from senior leaders and their spouses who’ve read the book, to have the opportunity to go into DoD Family Policy and teach about cultural change on the family and community policy perspective has been incredible,” she said. “Gaining people’s trust and feedback regarding the generations in conflict as well as validating that leadership wants to get it right has been the most rewarding.”
As for what she’d say to the military community to encourage them as they continue to build the world’s strongest fighting force, it was simple:
“Success is not rewarding if you get there and you’re alone,” Weathers said. “It can be deeply lonely to turn around and feel like nobody was with you. Know your mission, your why, and lift others up to cross the finish line with you. Now more than ever, loyalty is won or lost in how we care for our most valuable asset: people.“
You can learn more about Military Culture Shift here.