McConnell wife named Key Spouse of the Year

  • Published
  • By Senior Airman Jessica Lockoski
  • 22nd Air Refueling Wing Public Affairs
MCCONNELL AIR FORCE BASE, Kan. --  Megan Mitchell is proof when people marry servicemembers, they also say "I do" to the military. 

She too adheres to the Air Force's "Service before Self" core value, and her dedication hasn't gone unnoticed. 

As part of the July 2009 - July 2010 Year of the Air Force family initiative, Air Mobility Command recently recognized her as the first-ever Key Spouse of the Year for her contributions in the Air Force's revised and standardized Key Spouses Program. 

Mrs. Mitchell, who is married to Senior Airman Brian Mitchell, 22nd Logistics Readiness Squadron, volunteers her time to serve as a link between other families in her husband's unit and its leadership. Though many Airmen across the base know her as the "cake lady," for cakes she bakes for wing-wide events, more importantly, she is recognized by squadron members for helping them during tough times. 

"If an LRS family is in need, she either directly takes care of the need or coordinates assistance through unit leadership," said Master Sgt. Brian Ward, a former 22nd LRS first sergeant who nominated Mrs. Mitchell. "The 22nd LRS is a very busy unit as far as deployments are concerned, and Meagan has helped sustain a high level of morale for our spouses, while ensuring the needs of LRS families are addressed." 

The Airman and Family Readiness Center provided training for Mrs. Mitchell and other key spouses to be peer supporters for families during deployments. Key spouses act as liaisons between unit families, their commanders, first sergeants and the AFRC. 

Mrs. Mitchell said she's gained so much from getting to know each spouse by mentoring and equipping them with resources to ease family separation. 

"If all they know is they have another spouse to talk to, then I am thrilled with that," she said. "I'm not sure I can vouch for their thoughts, but I hope I have empowered them in some way." 

Even while Mrs. Mitchell, a homemaker and mother of two children, is currently separated from her husband while he attends officer's training school, she eases the minds of fellow spouses and can relate to the feelings of a short-term single parent. 

"The list of things that pop up when your spouse is gone generates all the same emotions," she said. "No one is exempt from those feelings." 

As a key spouse, she takes on "to-do" lists from other families.

She cooks meals, provides play dates for parents, grocery shops for those who can't and coordinates lawn care and snow removal for spouses who need help, said Sergeant Ward.

Mrs. Mitchell said she wanted to be a key spouse because of the support her family has received the past two years they've been an active-duty family. 

"I've never been a part of something that has such a vast amount resources for the people who work for them and their families as the Air Force," she said. "If I can reach out to families like the Air Force has reached mine, and share with these families what they can have as well, then mission accomplished for the moment." 

Airman Mitchell said as his family prepares to change duty stations, some squadron members joke to leave his wife behind. The promotion cakes will be greatly missed, he said. 

"I am always in awe of just how creative and driven my wife is to make other people's lives better," he said. 

For her, playing a role as a key spouse and sharing an Air Force career with her husband has been an adventure, she said. "It's helped me find my sense of where I belong as an Air Force wife."