Rachel Bilderback

Share your military spouse story:
I met my husband while I was in college, and he was freshly out of the Marines. Once we got married a couple of years later, I was finishing college and we were looking at what was ahead. I guess you could say that fate stepped in, because he received a notice in the mail that he was being recalled and had 90 days to report back to the Marines or join another service. The Coast Guard had been thrown around as an option, as he had fond memories of some Coasties he encountered while he was a Marine. Just a few weeks later, he left for bootcamp and I continued in my final semester of college. In the 21 years since, we have lived in 6 states, 3 sets of Military owned housing, apartments, townhomes, and single family homes. Connections with other Military spouses has been a mainstay of my Military spouse story. Each place we have lived has brought new friendships and connections- some that are just for that season and some that have lasted throughout.

Describe any leadership positions or provide an overview of your leadership contributions within the military community.
I serve as the Communications Chair for the Coast Guard Spouses Club of Washington DC. I facilitate communication to the club via a weekly email that gives a snapshot of what the club has planned for the upcoming weeks. I initiated this weekly email last year because our club was planning many more events and activities as the club continued to strengthen and grow post-pandemic. It's been a great reminder that simple actions can mean a lot. I help admin the club's Facebook page & private group and help to create & send out any communication about club events & activities. I am a volunteer Team Captain with Operation Homefront here in the National Capital Region. In this role, I help with the execution of events that benefit Military families, such as the Back to School Brigade, Holiday Meals for Families, and Star Spangled Babies. I work with the local coordinators in any capacity that I'm available for to help ensure these events are successful for our local Military families.

What programs or projects are you currently involved in that support the needs of military families?
Working with Operation Homefront, in addition to the Back to School and Holiday Meals events, I have had the opportunity to help distribute food boxes within our local Military community. Operation Homefront generously receives donations from various sponsors, who sometimes come together to pack boxes of food for Military families. During the most recent government shutdown, we received and distributed over 100 food boxes, as well as in the aftermath of the January 2025 plane crash in Washington DC, we were able to give food boxes to the Coast Guard units who were tirelessly working during that time.

What moments best reflect your impact on building inclusive community among military spouses?
Over the past year, the Coast Guard Spouses club has really worked to engage not just Coast Guard spouses, but the entire family. We've started a new tradition of celebrating April "The Month of the Military Child" with a family BBQ, our first last year was a huge success and we look forward to planning this years. We currently live in housing on Fort Belvoir, so our neighbors make up every branch of the Military. Our neighborhood works hard to create and sustain community through a book club, meal trains, neighborhood parties, etc. It has been a bright spot in the last 3+ years that we have lived in Virginia.

Identify your main advocacy effort and describe your personal connection to the cause.
Being involved with both the Coast Guard Spouses Club and Operation Homefront over the past three years has impacted me in many ways. With the Coast Guard Spouses Club, I've assisted the board in increasing our membership and helping to implement more activities and events, from a simple coffee gathering to larger events open to the entire family. Working with Operation Homefront has been so meaningful because it is a way to see the impact instantly- via a family coming to get a backpack and school supplies or food & gifts to help make the Holidays easier.

Summarize your advocacy outreach strategies, including any events, media involvement, or other communication efforts.
I'm a introvert by nature, so I prefer to advocate and communicate from behind the scenes versus the front lines. Throughout the years, I have frequently reached out to my elected representatives with issues concerning the Coast Guard and Military families (such as not the possibility of not being paid during a Government shutdown as the Coast Guard experienced in 2018/2019). I appreciate the efforts of organizations such as Secure Families Initiative and National Military Family Association who over the past few years have put together user-friendly and succinct methods for contacting our elected representatives on issues that affect Military families. Something that has moved me over the past few years is to "do what you can with what you have" because even when what you are able to do may seem small, it can still lead to a larger impact.

What do you hope to accomplish with the AFI Military Spouse of the Year^® title?
I will continue to advocate for all Military families - to encourage positive communication, fostering relationships, and advocating for support from the top down.