Logo with two hands, one blue and one red, forming a circle around the letters 'MSI' in the center.
Text reading "Military Sisterhood Initiative" in blue on a white background.
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Connect with fellow Veterans in sisterhood & camaraderie

Launched in 2018, the Military Sisterhood Initiative (MSI) is a national peer support network of and for women of the military. In effect, it's a network built on the tried and true military concept of having your sister's "six".

Join MSI Today

About MSI

Founded in 2018, MSI is rooted in the enduring military principle of having your sister’s six - fostering connection, trust, and mutual support among women who serve and have served. As a project of Challenge America, MSI offers meaningful opportunities for connection through creative arts, shared experiences, and community engagement, strengthening bonds and building a supportive sisterhood that extends beyond service. Designed by military women, the Military Sisterhood Initiative aspires to connect and empower every military sister in the country. With a growing community of more than 6,000 members, MSI members support one another while building strong, lasting connections through shared experiences in mental health, MST, PTSD, art, cooking, and more. MSI is a project of Challenge America, inspired by the vision of U.S. Army Veteran Zaneta Adams - attorney, speaker, nonprofit founder, consultant, and Family Court Referee.

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MSI Workshops & Events

Guided by the creative vision of members, volunteers, and community partners, the Challenge America team creates meaningful opportunities for connection within the MSI community through engaging content, the creative arts and community experiences, including therapeutic music and visual arts workshops, concerts featuring Challenge America Songwriters, discussion groups, MSI Book Club, and informational sessions.

Support MSI

MSI Book Club

The MSI Book Club is a well-established community of women Veterans that has been meeting for several years. Gathering twice a month on Mondays, members discuss a selected book, connect with one another, and enjoy time together. All women Veterans are welcome to join through the MSI community, even if they haven’t read the book. Bring along your favorite books and join your sister Veterans for meaningful conversation and camaraderie!

Thanks to the generous support of our donors, MSI Sisters are able to receive donated copies of books to participate in the Book Club. Your contribution can make a real difference - a donation of just $10 could help ensure an MSI Sister can join in, connect with the community, and share in the experience of reading a book in community. We are deeply grateful for your support!

Donate to the MSI Book Club

Impact

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6,000+ Members

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25 Countries

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Every U.S. State

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50+ Workshops & Events in 2025

  • "These women have changed my outlook so much that I couldn’t even begin to describe. For once since 1992, I don’t feel alone.”

    —Linda

  • "I really do appreciate this platform, even on the days when I think I don't. I've been able to connect with many sisters, and having been an only child until I was 24, I love having sisters!"

    —Ann

  • "I would say that the Military Sisterhood Initiative is first and foremost a safe place for women! MSI gives us a place to share, commiserate, laugh, and lift up each other. It’s a place where we can meet women who have had similar life experiences, which often leads to friendships."

    —Catherine

  • "I have met some great women. I love the roundtable talks we've had - the information that's being shared is great. I love the respect, camaraderie, and support that I've seen."

    —Cheryl

  • "That is the beauty about MSI...we never have to feel alone as we navigate through the darkness that can consume our lives after service. Much love to you, Sisters."

    —Victoria

  • "MSI has made a big difference. It's so nice to have a safe place to talk with others who know what life is like."

    —MSI Member

  • "MSI is a safe place to interact with fellow service members."

    —MSI Member

  • The MSI Resource Library was a great resource for me In researching benefits. The library has all the resources in one place making it a great and easy resource for any Veteran’s research."

    —MSI Member

  • "MSI is available 24/7 unlike other resource centers."

    —MSI Member

  • "MSI has connected me to other Sisters and made me happier!"

    —MSI Member

  • "I get to interact with Sisters and learn and laugh with them."

    —MSI Member

  • "The MSI Book Club on zoom has been wonderful!"

    —MSI Member

  • "The MSI community has given me something to look forward to via the book club. I get to interact with other women with whom I have a shared experience, namely, military service to our country."

    —MSI Member

  • "I like the joyful connections that MSI allows me to make with the other women."

    —MSI Member

  • "I belong to other groups but none afford me the privilege of interacting with other military women. MSI bridges that gap for me."

    —MSI Member

  • "MSI is a great group of caring Sisters who help each other when we can and we learn and laugh together."

    —MSI Member

  • "I recommend the MSI community because it uplifts me and can do so for other women Veterans. It helps to provide some of that human need to belong and to connect on a deeper level than one might ordinarily do. If nothing else, the MSI community provides a place where you can smile, laugh, and be supported by other female Veterans. Priceless!"

    —MSI Member

  • "MSI allowed us to meet with one major thing in common—we all had experienced the military. Whether persons had served a single enlistment or retired after 30 years, we all have a significant life experience that others do not have. It immediately offers a common bond."

    —MSI Member

  • "I am in book club and I look forward to sharing conversations about life, the book we read or didn’t read and other topics. It is a gathering that allows us to touch base and just be with each other. I also loved the cafe concert! I look forward to being even more active in other events and activities as time allows."

    —MSI Member

  • "MSI is a safe space where I can just be with my Sisters without expectations and/or posturing required."

    —MSI Member

  • "I have made some very meaningful connections with the people I have met through MSI!"

    —MSI Member

  • "MSI makes me feel like I’m not alone."

    —MSI Member

Member Features

MSI Sister Diaries is a space for sharing and discovering the stories that shape who we are. This ongoing series invites members of the Military Sisterhood Initiative to share their personal stories and to read reflections from fellow MSI Sisters. Submissions are free-form and come from any chapter of life - before, during, or after military experience - and are not necessarily service-related. Over the years, the stories shared through Sister Diaries have opened powerful doors to connection, community, camaraderie, and reflection. Every story shared deepens our bonds and reminds us that our experiences - while unique - are often deeply rooted in connection. Your story matters, and your military sisters are ready to hear it.

MSI Spotlight is a space for members to share more about who they are, what they love, and what the Military Sisterhood Initiative means to them. Presented in a written, interview-style format, these features offer a more lighthearted and personal look at the women who make the MSI community the vibrant, supportive, and special space that it has blossomed into over the years.

MSI Spotlight: Linda Gray
MSI Spotlight Challenge America . MSI Spotlight Challenge America .

MSI Spotlight: Linda Gray

This week, we’re proud to spotlight an inspiring MSI Sister whose joy and dedication shine through everything she does. A Navy Veteran living in New York’s Southern Tier, she brings creativity, mindfulness, and heart to her community through paper crafting, crochet, and Tai Chi.

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MSI Spotlight: Eldaliz Sanchez
MSI Spotlight Challenge America . MSI Spotlight Challenge America .

MSI Spotlight: Eldaliz Sanchez

In this MSI Spotlight feature, meet Eldaliz Sanchez, whose love for nature shines through her art. Inspired by the way nature expresses itself, Eldaliz uses creativity as a form of reflection and connection. Featured here alongside her artwork and photo, her piece invites us to pause, observe, and appreciate the beauty and meaning found in the natural world.

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MSI Spotlight: Malisa Wacker
MSI Spotlight Challenge America . MSI Spotlight Challenge America .

MSI Spotlight: Malisa Wacker

This MSI Spotlight features a member that embodies service, strength, and joy. Most proud of her children and deeply connected to community, Malisa Wacker is a true example of what the MSI Community represents.

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MSI Spotlight: Theresa Adams
MSI Spotlight Challenge America . MSI Spotlight Challenge America .

MSI Spotlight: Theresa Adams

This MSI Spotlight feature is a celebration of someone who shows up with an open heart and a generous spirit. Full of support, love, and joy, she reminds us what it looks like to lift others simply by being herself. We’re so excited to share a closer look at the light she brings to our community.

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