Rachel Bilderback

Share your military spouse story:
My husband and I got married between my junior and senior year of college in Oklahoma. Six months later he enlisted in the Coast Guard and went to bootcamp, and then moved to Michigan while I finished up my final semester of college. He previously had been in the Marines for 4 years, so the Military lifestyle was comfortable for him, but it was completely new to me. After my college graduation, I joined him in Michigan and began the journey of being a Military spouse. We've since lived in California, Maine, Alaska, West Virginia, and now in Virginia in the National Capital Region. From the time he was in bootcamp, I began to get connected with the Military spouse community. Back then (the early 2000s) the main platform was message boards. Facebook was just becoming a thing. I found a couple of different Coast Guard spouse centered message boards, and those quickly became my home. It became standard to share information about duty stations, life issues, and pretty much anything. Moving to a new location and already "knowing" someone who also was living there was such a comfort. Many of the networks created back then are still connected today- even if the message boards aren't. Learning to connect with others and share information has been a valuable part of my Military spouse journey. It feels strange to think that now almost 20 years into it that I am on the other side of it- "other" meaning having the experience or knowledge, though most of the time I feel like there are many others who know much more than I do!

Share an example of your leadership experience within the military community:
I would not describe myself as a leader as I tend to want to be more in the background and not have the spotlight shown on me. I like to show up and help with things- put me to work and I will help get it done! If there is a need, I will do what I can to help fill that need.

Describe your involvement in the military community:
Communications Chair- Coast Guard Spouses' Club of Washington DC: I send out the email & Facebook communications to our membership to keep everyone apprised of upcoming events, news, etc. Along with the CGSCDC, I helped distribute hundreds of toys that had been donated to Operation Homefront for Military kids. We coordinated with our local Coast Guard units to distribute them at our Coast Guard Day celebrations. I regularly volunteer with the PTO at Fort Belvoir Elementary School. We live on post on Fort Belvoir, and my kids have attended school there, which is made up of Military kids from all different backgrounds and experiences.

Describe how you support your community:
I don't feel that the things I do are above or beyond what any normal Military spouse/mom/friend would do- I try to be there for those who need help and give what I can contribute to help. I consider myself more of a connector than anything. I am always willing to connect someone to another person or resource that they might be looking for. The feeling of being connected to a community is so important, especially in the Military community. Moving to a new location, not knowing anyone- it is something special when you can find someone to connect with and build your community. Living on Fort Belvoir as a Coast Guard family, we are somewhat in the minority- however the Coast Guard family is small and tends to stay well connected. I helped facilitate a Coast Guard family get together last summer for Coast Guard families who live on Fort Belvoir.

What do you advocate for? Why?
Being a Coast Guard family, we are used to sometimes being left out or looked over in the Military community- so when needed I have advocated to make sure the Coast Guard is recognized or included. During the Government shut down in 2019 when the Coast Guard did not get paid, that situation helped to shine the light on the Coast Guard community. With the anticipation of a shut down recently, I was prepared to volunteer alongside the CGSCDC to provide needed items to families who would be in a tough position. I am willing to advocate and lend my helping hand to the Military spouse community in anyway that I can- and if I don't know the answer, I am willing to research and ask to find who might have the answer or help needed.

How have you spread the message of your platform/advocacy?
I have utilized social media to raise awareness of issues that are important to me. Social media has become such a great tool for connecting with others and spreading information to a wide audience. Staying in contact with our Representatives and Senators is also an important step, especially when government shutdowns seem to be constantly looming and the threat of the Military getting paid is a real issue that they may not always be aware of.

What do you hope to accomplish with the AFI Military Spouse of the Year^® title?
Spreading awareness & working toward solutions for the sacrifices and difficulties that come along with the adventures of the Military lifestyle. We hit roadblocks when it comes to education, employment, childcare, food insecurity, housing, etc. Providing support to the Military community & bringing meaningful connections to Military spouses.