Mary Elaine and Brett experienced what most young military families experience—a stressful life of uncertainty and oftentimes, chaos. After Brett's 9th combat deployment Mary Elaine longed for a change of pace for their family. She desired a better work-life balance and a way to be more present for her children since their father was absent so much of the time. What she found in her job search was an opportunity to work from home as a virtual assistant. They both decided it was worth exploring.

Mary Elaine and Brett Baker are the co-founders of VAUSA®. The two met over ten years ago in Savannah, Georgia, when Brett was on active duty with the U.S. Army’s 1st Ranger Battalion. A few years later they were married with two young children. A typical military family, Mary Elaine worked in a demanding profession as an elementary school teacher, Brett deployed frequently, and together they struggled to balance often competing priorities.


Our Story

We are VAUSA® and we are America's Choice® for VIRTUAL ASSISTANTS

The change in their home life was immediate. Soon Mary Elaine discovered that the freedom to work remotely allowed her to thrive in other areas of her life. It didn't take long after that for them to realize how this new career was ideal for military families in general. The seed was planted to take this newfound freedom and share it with their friends and community.

Patriot Advantage was established in January 2018, and since then they have served clients across the country. Their team has grown to become a powerful force of approximately 70% military spouses with remarkable talents who are determined to thrive in their careers and in service to their clients.

In 2020 Mary Elaine and Brett decided that a new name for the growing company was needed.