Meet Julie Miller: Navy Spouse, Entrepreneur and Publisher

Many military spouses and veterans are entrepreneurs at heart. They learn, grow, and work hard to achieve their dream of business ownership. Then they work even harder to make that business a success. After spending 20 years helping build a military publishing company, Julie Miller achieved a dream shared by many entrepreneurs: she became its owner. Today, she leads U.S. Military Publishing while continuing its mission of informing, educating, and serving military members, veterans, reserve and National Guard members, and their families. Here’s how it happened.

From Sales Representative to Company Owner

In 1999, the founders of what was originally AmeriForce Publishing started the company from the ashes of a military magazine publishing company that closed its doors after serving the military community for more than 30 years. That company was smart: Their many magazine and guide titles (long before the internet and social media) focused not only on active-duty military members, but also on spouses and families. Also smart was that they realized not enough attention was paid to “Citizen Warriors” serving in the seven branches of the reserves and National Guard…a tradition Julie’s company continues today with her two print and digital brands: Military Families and Reserve + National Guard.

When Julie joined the former company, her husband was serving as a chief petty officer in the U.S. Navy, based at Naval Station Great Lakes, IL. When that business closed, and following her divorce, and with two young children and a house full of pets to support, she refused to give up on her chosen career in advertising sales, marketing and publishing. She became an executive sales representative for a major military publisher.

During that time, her former boss started AmeriForce Publishing, and after three years getting it off the ground, Julie went to work for him in 2003; and has remained ever since.

She was the top salesperson and learned the ins and outs of the niche publishing world …from printing and human resources to accounting and operations…to maintaining integrity and credibility in everything published under the company’s umbrella. In 2015, the owner decided to retire and sold the company. Julie held strong in her position until eventually buying it in 2023—20 years and nine days after she started there! Without all of that experience under her belt, and relationships she had built over the years with advertisers, none of it could have happened.

Catering to the Total Military Community

“Our mission has remained constant through three ownership transitions: To inform, educate, and entertain the total military community. We assist those who serve (and those who support them) by providing news, resources, and information tailored to the unique realities of military life.” Miller says.

She and her staff, all of whom are military spouses, work every day to uphold those standards. Most of the writers are also spouses or veterans.

Miller has learned and grown the company from print magazines and special guides on important topics pertinent to the market, to incorporate digital products like branded websites, social media platforms, sponsored content, programmatic ad delivery and more.

Adapting to Global Conflicts and Digital Shifts

Regarding the United States’ recent conflicts, and how that may have changed her business, Miller explains,

“We continually adapt our content and resources in response to changes in the market and the world around us. For example, with the onset of recent global conflicts, we made the decision earlier in 2026 to reintroduce the Military Deployment Guide, which had not been published since 2016. The Guide is designed to help service members and their families prepare for overseas deployments, offering practical information as well as guidance for managing separation and navigating reintegration upon return.

We also make it a priority to identify and incorporate valuable resources from trusted experts and reputable organizations. Our focus is always on delivering content that is relevant, helpful, and aligned with our mission—while remaining non-political. That’s simply not our lane.”

A Legacy of Military Service

Why devote a career to serving the military market? Miller shared,

“I often joke that no one goes to college planning a career in sales—although maybe some do. For most of us, it’s something we fall into. As one of my favorite mentors likes to say, ‘If sales were easy, everyone would do it.’ Today, even as an owner and publisher, sales remains my primary responsibility—it’s how we keep the lights on and wheels turning.”

She also hails from a long line of military family members: Her maternal grandfather was a Navy captain and pilot who graduated from the Naval Academy in the 1920s; her father was also a Navy pilot; her sister is retired from the Navy, and her aunt and uncle both served as Naval Reserve officers. Like entrepreneurship, she says the military is “in the blood.”

Advice for Aspiring Entrepreneurs

Miller’s advice for military spouses, veterans, or anyone else considering starting or buying a business of their own—no matter your age?

“Do your homework! Get solid experience in the field that interests you. Find good mentors. Feel the passion within you—and go for it!”