Mindy king

Share your military spouse story:
My story started with being an active duty soldier myself. My husband and I met in Iraq while crewing on blackhawks together. Our courtship was short, as we returned from a 15-month deployment, my (future) husband was pending orders to Germany, so we were married 6 weeks after redeployment. That was almost 16 years ago. In that time, we PCSd to Germany, deployed from there, I was sent back early and spent ten days at Landstuhl before transitioning to being the rear D 1SG and FRL for our unit for the remainder of our year long deployment that started in Iraq and ended in Afghanistan. About six months after the unit's return, I was medically retired for injuries from my first deployment. Since fully transitioning fully to the spouse side - we have had two boys, been through another multiple rounds of deployment and separations, my husband was promoted from SPC (when we were married) to SSG before being selected for flight school in 2013. In the 13 years since I was medically retired, we have moved multiple times, found multiple communities and found new ways to get involved in each location. Every location has it's list of downfalls, but it also has opportunities to grow and become a better person and strengthen your relationships - including your marriage, your family, your friendships and your connection in each community.

Share an example of your leadership experience within the military community:
In the last 19 years, I have found myself in positions from Rear D 1SG and FRL from my soldier days to serving as key contact, FRG leader, flight school FRG leader, battalion advisor, battalion CARE team coordinator on the spouses side. In the last year, I have served as the vice president and then president of a local military non-profit that supports creative arts in the community and helps military affiliated small businesses, have been the retreats coordinator for our local PWOC and recently stepped into the battalion advisor role to help re-establish SFRG within our battalion, in addition to serving as the webmaster for my hometown American Legion and getting connected and involved in community events with the local VFW. I also volunteer with a number of groups in the community including our local Quilts of Valor and Bailey Military Family Group, as well as using my small business to donate to local organizations.

Describe your involvement in the military community:
My involvement has included being involved in the SFRG on multiple different levels from key contact to battalion level advisor, being the CARE team coordinator for CARE team response for the loss of a soldier during a training accident, serving with the American Legion to run the behind-the-scenes role for multiple years for Big Red One Turkey Run and Operation North Pole at Fort Riley that provided meals and Christmas gifts for the families of hundreds of wounded soldiers and their families, as well as families of deployed service members. I've served here as part of the board to help expand military-affiliated small businesses, currently serving as the battalion advisor to our assault battalion and assisting with resources for our military spouses. Additionally, I work with my hometown veterans organizations to help connect younger veterans and provide them with resources. priviledge

Describe how you support your community:
I strongly believe in getting involved in our community, regardless of how long we may be part of that community. In the time since we have been at Fort Carson, I've had the privilege of getting connected with our local Quilts of Valor, as well as our local police and fire departments. We've raised funds to sponsor a ballistic vest for a local police K9, raise funds for the family of a fallen deputy, taken items to the honor our firefighters and dispatchers, participated in many local events and been able to get connected with organizations like Shield616. I've also spent time working with organizations like the Salvation Army and Safe Passage, as well as assisting with providing support bags for our BHCON unit for our local PD.

What do you advocate for? Why?
Mental health is such a challenge in this life. Soldiers often don't seek help because they are afraid of the consequences. As someone who struggles with the effects of both PTSD and MST, and who has climbed the hills and faced the valleys that both our service members and spouses have faced - I know the true value of a support system. Mental health isn't just going to a doctor or taking a pill (or three, like I do) to get through the day - it's knowing people are behind you. No matter how introverted someone is, everyone needs that person they can connect with, someone outside of their spouses that they are accountable to, who genuinely cares about them. Entities like the SFRG have become a thing of the past, but the reality is - we need not only the connection that can provide, but the reputable resources they have access to reach on our behalf.

How have you spread the message of your platform/advocacy?
Often times, those that need it most, aren't going to be the ones asking for help - so it's getting those resources out there and making people aware of what's available. I use social media a lot to help share resources that are available. While many shy away from the different spouses groups on social media, I engage in them. When someone asks how to get ahold of their soldier's chain of command, most of the time there's a much bigger issue there and they don't know how to address it. Reaching out with nothing more than the purpose of providing a genuine support can make a huge difference in other spouses lives. And honestly, just being who I am - I say hi to people, sometimes they simply say hi back or sometimes there's the awkward pause that lets you know there's something else going on. It's asking how someone is doing and actually listening to hear their answer for what it is and not a canned response.

What do you hope to accomplish with the AFI Military Spouse of the Year^® title?
I struggle to answer this, because I tend to shy away from the spotlight. I'm a behind the scenes kind of person that simply tries to do the best I can with gifts that God has graced me with. Above all, I think what I would do is help others see the capabilities that they have. This life isn't easy most of the time, but we have the abilities within ourselves to overcome whatever may be thrown at us. Sometimes, we just need someone to help us see that within ourselves and above all, that's what I would hope for every spouse out there - is to see how able we truly are.