Lauren Jerden Myers

Share your military spouse story:
My soldier and I met at an MMA fight, a beginning that set the tone for a life built on resilience, teamwork, and showing up for one another. With each new duty station, I learned that home isn’t a place on a map, it’s something you help create. Becoming deeply involved in the military spouse community transformed unfamiliar bases into supportive networks and strangers into family. Colorado Springs, our most recent and final duty station, holds a special place in my heart. Through service and community involvement, I’ve built bonds that will last a lifetime and found purpose in helping others feel connected, supported, and seen, no matter where they are stationed.

Describe any leadership positions or provide an overview of your leadership contributions within the military community.
Leadership is about leveraging your strengths to serve, regardless of season of life. While stationed in Florida, I discovered my passion for leadership when I started Muffins with Mom, a weekly meetup for military wives that created belonging during back-to-back deployments. Then, I had two children in diapers, which limited my availability but deppened my desire to support spouses. After moving to Colorado, I began volunteering with Project Angel Heart and Operation Homefront, where I learned firsthand about food insecurity and the hidden challenges military families face. That insight pushed me to think bigger and act more intentionally. I authored a 33-page community blueprint for Fort Carson families that includes housing resources, local hot spots, school districts, weigh stations, and essential community services to ease transitions. What began as volunteering became a calling, transforming my role from participant to leader and fueling sustainable, community-driven support.

What programs or projects are you currently involved in that support the needs of military families?
My involvement in the military community is rooted in consistent, hands-on service and a long-standing commitment to supporting military spouses and families. I have helped raise funds for, pack, and distribute holiday meals to more than 1,000 families through Solid Rock Community Development, supported the statewide distribution of over 10,000 meals with Project Angel Heart, and helped distribute more than 500 meals over Thanksgiving with Operation Homefront. I also host Coffee Connections with Blue Star Families, creating accessible spaces where military spouses can connect, share resources, and build community. While my professional career is in real estate, being a military spouse is my priority. I intentionally merge the two by serving as the Colorado Ambassador for eXp MILNET, remaining active in my local VAREP chapter, and serving as a Giving Tuesday Military ambassador, ensuring my work consistently supports the military community.

What moments best reflect your impact on building inclusive community among military spouses?
The moments that best reflect my impact on building inclusive community are often the quiet, personal ones, like when a military spouse who arrived feeling isolated leaves feeling connected. I see this repeatedly while hosting Coffee Connections where spouses from every branch, rank, and season of life come together in a welcoming, low-pressure space. New spouses, seasoned spouses, working parents, stay-at-home caregivers, and those navigating deployments sit at the same table and find common ground. I intentionally learn names, share resources, and introduce people who may benefit from one another’s support. Similar moments happen during community service efforts, when spouses arrive as volunteers and leave feeling valued and empowered. Watching military spouses realize they belong, that their presence matters, and that they have something meaningful to offer regardless of circumstance reinforces my belief that inclusive communities are built through intentional connection.

Identify your main advocacy effort and describe your personal connection to the cause.
My primary advocacy effort is addressing food insecurity and access to resources for military families, a cause deeply personal to me as a military spouse who has lived through seasons of financial stress with limited support. I have seen how easily families can struggle quietly, especially during transitions, and how pride often keeps them from asking for help. That awareness became action through hands-on service and expanded through large-scale meal distribution efforts with Solid Rock Community Development. My advocacy also includes proactive solutions, such as creating the community blueprint for Fort Carson families that connects them to housing and food resources. This work matters to me because I know stability, dignity, and access to support can change the entire trajectory of a military family’s experience.

Summarize your advocacy outreach strategies, including any events, media involvement, or other communication efforts.
My outreach is grounded in clear, consistent communication & sharing the realities military families face with both military and civilian audiences. I speak at town hall meetings for families approaching deployment, sharing critical resources and practical guidance to help them prepare for the challenges they may face before, during, and after deployment. I also speak at real estate conferences, using those platforms to educate industry professionals on the challenges military families experience during PCS moves and deployments, and how housing professionals can better serve them. In addition, I have shared military spouse issues through media outlets, including appearances on podcasts such as Moving With the Military, where I discuss food insecurity, community gaps, and practical solutions. Through public speaking, media engagement, written resources, and community events, I work to elevate military spouse voices, build understanding, and inspire meaningful action across communities.

What do you hope to accomplish with the AFI Military Spouse of the Year^® title?
If honored to be an AFI Military Spouse of the Year, I hope to use the platform to bring greater visibility to food insecurity and financial stress that many military families experience, especially during PCS moves, deployments, and transitions. These challenges often go unseen and unspoken, yet they impact families across all ranks and branches. My goal is to make support resources widely known, easy to access, and normalized so families feel empowered to seek help without stigma. I plan to amplify existing programs, strengthen partnerships between military and civilian organizations, and share clear, practical information that helps families navigate transitions with stability and dignity. By elevating these issues on a national stage, I hope to drive meaningful conversations, expand access to support, and ensure military families know they are not alone and that help is available when they need it most.