Kelley Strycharz
Kelley Strycharz | U.S. Air Force Veteran | Nonprofit Leader | Alzheimer’s Advocate (Florida Gulf Coast)
Kelley Strycharz (she notes she was “Kelley Katie” when she joined) was born in Springfield, Massachusetts, moved to Florida at age 3, and considers herself “raised in Southwest Florida.”
Why she joined
Kelley joined the U.S. Air Force for one big reason: to get out, travel, and see the world. After two years of college in Tallahassee, she walked into an Air Force recruiter’s office—partly inspired by her grandfather, an Air Force Lieutenant Colonel and pilot, and by the lifelong family connection to bases, commissaries, and military culture (including trips to Washington, D.C. and visits to MacDill).
Her family didn’t want her to go and even tried to talk her out of it—but she did it anyway, describing it as “the best thing I ever did” because it forced her to stand on her own feet and grow.
Air Force role and how her real “job” became people
Her AFSC was in the computer/workgroup management lane (she recalls it as “3C0-something” from that era), but she jokes she rarely did the technical job.
Her first duty station was Vandenberg Air Force Base, assigned to a comm squadron—but she ended up working directly for the commander and chief, running the kinds of things that keep units functioning and morale alive:
Booster club support
Tours for incoming Airmen
Golf tournaments
Retirement ceremonies
Base events and commander’s priorities
Vandenberg being a “space base,” she remembers frequent protests at the gates and even meeting Martin Sheen during one of those protest cycles.
Total service: 6 years
The leader who shaped her: “Chief McMerry”
When asked who mattered most, she immediately points to Chief McMerry, who took her under his wing from day one and—together with his family—helped her through a rough chapter of personal loss and family health crises.
She shares a particularly meaningful connection: his wife had battled cancer and was active in support organizations, which helped introduce Kelley to a world of nonprofits and mission-driven service—a path she says directly shaped what she does today.
Family, love, and the military as the “meeting place”
Kelley met her husband at Special Olympics while stationed at Vandenberg. Their athletes were best friends, which forced them into the same orbit—she tells a funny story about struggling to push a 350-lb athlete in a wheelchair and ending up “trading” with him, which became the beginning of their friendship and later their relationship.
They shared 20 years together
Her husband served 22.5 years (staying longer so their daughter could receive GI Bill benefits)
Children: Tyler (23) and Kendall (20)
Kendall had interest in serving until a Type 1 diabetes diagnosis made military service no longer an option
Why she separated
Her separation aligned with a pivotal moment:
Post-9/11
Her daughter was born
Her enlistment ended at the close of maternity leave
Deployments and operational tempo were increasing
They decided one of them should stay in and one should get out, and Kelley became the at-home parent for a period before returning to the workforce.
Nonprofit career: from cancer to heart to Alzheimer’s
Kelley’s professional life became service-focused:
American Cancer Society (first nonprofit role)
American Heart Association (8 years, including transfer from Florida to Virginia Beach when her husband moved to Langley)
Eventually returned to Florida when family health crises hit while her husband went to Seoul, Korea on orders (she moved with the kids to Tampa; he later returned to MacDill to retire)
What she does now
Kelley works for the Alzheimer’s Association, covering the entire Florida Gulf Coast (she mentions 16 chapters in her scope). Her focus spans the full mission:
Research fundraising (including global research support)
Programs and education
Support groups and services for families and patients
Multiple annual events (she mentions 8 walks in her chapter)
A DIY fundraising initiative: “Do What You Love to End ALZ” (year-round, fundraise your way)
She shares personal motivation too: she lost her grandmother to Alzheimer’s, and there’s family history that keeps the mission close.
She also notes recent progress: newer medications in the last few years have helped slow progression for some patients—but there is still no cure, which is why the mission stays urgent.
What she says the Air Force gave her
Her biggest takeaway isn’t technical—it’s human:
How to work with people from all walks of life
Listening as a learned skill
Learning each person’s “why” and meeting them where they are
She connects that directly to her nonprofit leadership: donors, families, volunteers, and patients all have different stories—and she believes the military trained her to listen and lead across differences.
Advice to a young woman considering the military
Kelley’s message is clear and personal:
At 18–19, most people think they know what they want—but they usually don’t
The military can be a purposeful alternative to spending money on school without direction
Basic training is hard and scary, but finishing it creates deep confidence and pride
The friendships last decades (she still connects with people from 1999)
Follow your gut—even if others doubt you
If you can, stick it out—the long-term benefits are real, including the ability to retire young and provide educational benefits to your kids
Her closing “time capsule” message
Kelley speaks directly to her children, Kendall and Tyler, expressing pride in the adults they’ve become. She honors her late husband—saying she knows he’s still with them—and gives special gratitude to her father-in-law, whom she calls a steady “rock” for the family. Her final note is simple and emotional: love, gratitude, and pride.