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isa Bradley and fellow Army spouse Cameron Cruse started R. Riveter in 2011. In true Rosie spirit, the entrepre- neurs and their team of 40 riveters — all military spouses — handcraft custom handbags using “upcycled” military blankets and uniforms. Why are military spouses particularly suited to entrepreneurship? It’s very challenging to grow within a career field when you move every three to five years. Starting a small business can set the military spouse up for long-term success. Attributes that help spouses thrive in the military lifestyle also set them up to be a successful entre- preneur. The military lifestyle can throw some curveballs at you just like running a small business. How do you come up with unique designs? Cameron is the brains behind our designs, but the whole team weighs in on new products. The handbags have classic design patterns made of leather and canvas that are durable and fashionable. Besides employing 40 military spouses, in what ways do you give back to the military community? We are connected with a Montana-based

charity, Warriors and Quiet Waters, provid- ing products for the families they help. We’ve also partnered with Dogs on Deployment and donated to the Army Ranger Association.

Tell me about one particular handbag from the heirloom line that really in- spired you. A deployed servicemem- ber recently surprised his wife on her birthday with a custom bag made from his flight suit. He included this message: “The uniform that lines your handbag is a part of me that was worn on the streets of Baghdad, Iraq, and in the mountains of Afghanistan. Every moment I spend away from you,

you were with me in my heart. Now when we are apart, something of mine will be with you.” Why is MOAA membership important to you? The meaningful connections we make throughout this military journey are what make it all worthwhile. MOAA pro- vides an opportunity to connect with many like-minded people across all parts of the armed services and the country. To learn more visit www.rriveter.com.

— Molly Blake Attention! Check out these military-related entertainment offerings.

FILM THE FINEST HOURS (Walt Disney Pic- tures) In 1952, four mem- bers of the Coast Guard set out to rescue sailors aboard a rapidly sinking tanker off the coast of Cape Cod. The event still is considered the greatest small-boat rescue in Coast Guard history.

BOOK SHOCK FACTOR: AMERICAN SNIPERS IN THE WAR ON TERROR (St. Martin’s Press Griffin, 2015) Former Marine sniper Gunnery Sgt. Jack Coughlin and New York Times best- selling coauthor John R. Bruning examine Cough- lin’s extraordinary career

28 MILITARY OFFICER JANUARY 2016

as a sniper and explore the lives and careers of some of America’s most effective snipers during key missions and campaigns.

FILM 13 HOURS: THE SECRET SOLDIERS OF BENGHAZI (Paramount) Based on the 2013 book

of the same name, this thriller recounts the true story of the six-man spe- cial operations team sent in after the Sept. 11, 2012, attack on an American diplomatic compound and nearby CIA annex, which left four Americans dead in Benghazi, Libya. MO

PHOTO: SHACKLETT’S PHOTOGRAPHY