Mindy king

Share your military spouse story:
We met in Iraq during both our first deployments. We married six weeks after returning from that 15 month deployment and then spent our first six months separated, as I was TDY for training and he PCSd to Germany from Fort Hood. I arrived in Germany on our six month anniversary. We spent the first three years together as a dual military couple that was in different places the majority of the time. We finally hit a level balance of time together versus apart in year 9 of being married. During that time, I was medically retired from the Army and we welcomed our two boys. We haven't had a normal deployment or even one that originally went as planned. From 15-month deployments to deployments that started in Iraq and ended in Afghanistan. We've been in situations where letters were the only communication source and others were things like PTSD became a life changer. We're on the downhill to retirement now, but it's definitely been an adventure thus far.

Share an example of your leadership experience within the military community:
Over the years, on the green suitor side I have served as the rear D 1SG and FRL. Since my medical retirement, I have served as key caller, FRG co-leader, FRG leader, AFTB trainer, Battalion advisor and Care Team coordinator (BN level) with two activations, one loss during training event and one suicide.

Describe your involvement in the military community:
Outside of the regular on post positions, I have worked directly with Fort Riley ACS to coordinate more than 1000 meals through Big Red One Turkey Run and thousands of Christmas gifts through Operation North Pole by volunteering with the American Legion. I try to be a resource to other spouses whether in bigger venues, but more in one-on-one interactions including helping find resources in family advocacy, domestic situations, financial challenges and small business establishment.

Describe how you support your community:
While I believe the involvement within the military community is very important, I also see our connection with our local communities being a very valuable relationship. Our temporary communities off post support our military members in a number of ways, so I also try to support those entities. Since we've been here, that's been partnering with another veteran-owned business to raise funds and awareness for local veterans non-profits, donating a K9 ballistics vest for a local police K9, supporting entities like Bailey Military Family Support Group and working with the American Legion to continue breaking down barriers to younger veterans and their families by making it a more family friendly environment.

What do you advocate for? Why?
I strongly believe in breaking down the stigmas for mental health. While this has been a highlight in the active duty and veteran community for a number of years now, there's still a lack of focus on the mental health for dependents. The military has a culture that has been 'suck it up and move on' and that only works for so long before you have to face your trials and traumas and process through them. This culture has largely transferred over into the military families, especially when the data is not actively remoted where the civilian population can fully grasp the weight of being a service member and military family.

How have you spread the message of your platform/advocacy?
Through my small business, I actively share items with local entities including our local police BHCON unit and schools in the area like semicolon key fobs for them to give out as a small reminder. When I see someone, even in a local group, that is struggling, I reach out to try to provide resources available to them. I also work to share information via our American Legion social media to show the reality of the issue and provide more information on resources that are out there that might not be well-known.

What do you hope to accomplish with the AFI Military Spouse of the Year^® title?
As I do within my small business and homeschool group, my focus is to show that everyone is capable of doing something. Sometimes we can get so overwhelmed in this lifestyle that it seems that only one person can't accomplish much. The fact is that even big organizations started as one person with an idea. Even if our impact is small, it often starts a domino effect in those around us because it helps them realize that every small impact can affect the bigger picture.