Evie King \u201908 makes her soldier choke up with the news of her latest accomplishments. \u201cThere\u2019s just something absolutely beautiful about someone who is willing to sacrifice their desires and their time to help the people around them,\u201d says Jon King \u201907, a major in the United States Army and husband to the 2023 Military Spouse of the Year.<\/p>\n
As president of InDependent, Inc., a volunteer-run wellness community for military spouses, Evie was honored with the top award from the Armed Forces Insurance program for her dedication to the health and happiness of her peers. \u201cAs military spouses, we are fantastic at taking care of others,\u201d she says. \u201cWhat we\u2019re not good at is taking care of ourselves.\u201d<\/p>\n
She points to some of the unique challenges military spouses face: They move a lot; their soldiers deploy for long periods of time, leaving them with sole responsibility for children and the home; they put their own careers on hold; and they may have feelings of resentment as they try to build relationships in new communities.<\/p>\n
\u201cI want to raise awareness of these burdens and how they can be barriers to our own well-being,\u201d she says. \u201cI think people understand the need for resources for service members, but they don\u2019t really understand why they should support a military spouse. Sometimes even the soldiers don\u2019t really understand.\u201d<\/p>\n
When Evie and Jon married in 2011, the couple thought they were well-prepared to take on a life together in the military. Evie\u2019s parents are both veterans, and she spent her early years as a military brat. Jon\u2019s dad was a chaplain in the Army Reserve, and Jon served as an ROTC cadet at TCNJ, which is where he and Evie met as community advisors.<\/p>\n
Evie says she got \u201ca great teaser into military life\u201d when, upon college graduation, she packed up her finance degree and moved to Ohio (where she knew no one) for a job with a glass manufacturer. The couple later weathered a 415-day stint apart when Jon was deployed to Afghanistan.<\/p>\n
But it was a move in 2014 that stationed the couple in South Korea when Evie felt the bottom drop out. Job opportunities were few, and she felt unfulfilled and isolated from friends. \u201cI lost my sense of self and was really struggling with my own well-being,\u201d she says.<\/p>\n
That\u2019s when she discovered InDependent. \u201cHere was this organization that asks, \u2018What if we take care of ourselves, too? Imagine how our lives would change?\u2019\u201d she says.<\/p>\n
She started to volunteer and has since made it her mission to make sure all military spouses have what they need to be the best for their families and communities, and most importantly, for themselves.<\/p>\n
Under Evie\u2019s leadership, InDependent holds an annual virtual mental health summit, provides paths for spouses to develop career skills through volunteer opportunities, and creates educational programs to help military families make nutritious food choices. Evie has brought national awareness to the mission thanks to the AFI Military Spouse of the Year award, which landed her on the TODAY show last May.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s rewarding to see her succeed,\u201d says Jon. \u201cAnd then to watch the impact that has on other people.\u201d<\/p>\n
Says Evie: \u201cHe actually tells people that the reason he is still in the military is because of me.\u201d<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Picture Evie King<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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