Photo By Senior Master Sgt. Julie Avey | 2026 National Guard Spouse of the Year, Nicole Gebhardt, poses for a photo. Gebhardt...... read more read more
Turning Pain Into Purpose: 2026 National Guard Spouse of the Year Advocates for Military Families
For many military spouses, service extends far beyond the uniform. It is found in the quiet sacrifices, unwavering resilience, and commitment to supporting others through life's most challenging moments. For Nicole Gebhardt, the 2026 National Guard Spouse of the Year and a Key Support Liaison for the 168th Wing, that service has become a mission rooted in compassion, connection, and community.
Gebhardt’s journey as a military spouse has been marked by both hardship and growth. Like many military families, she learned to navigate deployments, frequent changes, and the challenge of building a sense of home wherever military life led her. Along the way, she also faced profound personal challenges, including infant loss, miscarriage, trauma, and overcoming addiction.
Rather than allowing those experiences to define her, she transformed them into a source of strength and purpose.
"Those experiences changed me," she said. "But they also gave me a deep passion for helping others feel seen, supported, and never alone. I realized healing often begins with connection and community—and that is exactly what military families need, especially during difficult seasons.”
That passion ultimately led her to become a Key Support Liaison for the 168th Wing, where she has dedicated herself to strengthening military family readiness through connection and support. From organizing coffee meetups and family events to deployment support programs and newcomer outreach, her mission is simple: ensure no military family feels isolated.
"Behind every service member is a family serving too," Gebhardt said. "I am honored to advocate for and support those families every day. Being a Key Support Liaison is more than a volunteer role to me—it is a calling. It allows me to turn my pain into purpose and serve the military community that has supported my own family in so many ways.”
One of her most impactful contributions has been the creation of pregnancy and infant loss support groups for military spouses and mothers. Drawing from her own experiences with loss, she recognized a critical need within the military community.
"There were so many spouses silently grieving behind closed doors," she explained. "Many felt unseen, misunderstood, or afraid to talk about their loss."
Determined to change that, she established safe spaces where women could openly share their experiences, find support, and connect with others who understood their grief. The groups provide opportunities for healing through regular meetings, remembrance events, and annual candlelight vigils during Pregnancy and Infant Loss Awareness Month.
One spouse's experience reinforced the importance of that mission. After losing her baby while stationed far from family support, the spouse joined the support group feeling isolated and overwhelmed by grief.
"Over time, I watched her slowly begin to heal," Gebhardt recalled. "She started connecting with other spouses and realized she didn't have to carry her grief alone."
The moment that stayed with her came when the spouse shared a simple but powerful statement: "For the first time since losing my baby, I feel seen."
"That reminded me exactly why I do this work," Gebhardt said.
“Serving as a Key Support Liaison has shown me that readiness is about so much more than mission performance — it’s about making sure military members know their families are supported, connected, and cared for while they serve.”
In addition to her role as Key Support Liaison, she serves as president of the Eielson Spouses Club, helping lead volunteer initiatives, community outreach efforts, and programs that bring military families together. From deployment dinners and Friendsgiving celebrations to family fun days and random acts of kindness events, she works to foster belonging and resilience throughout the community.
Her efforts have had a direct impact on military readiness.
"When families feel supported emotionally and socially, it strengthens resilience," she said. "Service members are able to focus on the mission knowing their loved ones have a strong support system behind them."
As a National Guard spouse, she understands the unique challenges Guard families face, balancing civilian careers, military responsibilities, parenting, and deployments while often living far from traditional military support networks. Those experiences have fueled her commitment to advocating for stronger resources and greater connection among National Guard families nationwide.
Being named the 2026 National Guard Spouse of the Year represents more than individual recognition.
"This award is so much bigger than me," she said. "It represents the strength, sacrifice, resilience, and heart of military spouses across the entire National Guard community."
She hopes the recognition will shine a light on the countless spouses who quietly support missions, families, and fellow military members every day.
"Military spouses are the heartbeat of our military community," she said. "We hold families together through deployments, uncertainty, grief, and constant change. If my story helps even one spouse feel seen, empowered, or reminded that their pain can become purpose, then I believe I'm honoring what this award truly stands for."
Gebhardt credits much of her inspiration and leadership philosophy to the military spouses, families, and mentors who have influenced her throughout her journey.
"Some of my greatest influence has honestly come from the spouses and families I serve alongside every day," she said. "Watching military spouses continue to show up for their families and communities through deployments, grief, isolation, and constant change has deeply inspired me. They remind me what strength, sacrifice, and resilience truly look like."
She also acknowledges the military leaders and mentors who demonstrated the power of servant leadership. Through their example, she learned that even the smallest acts of kindness and support can have a lasting impact. "They taught me to lead with empathy, authenticity, and heart," she said. "Those lessons continue to guide how I serve others and advocate for military families today."
Looking ahead, she plans to continue expanding programs that support military families while increasing awareness surrounding pregnancy and infant loss within the military community. Through advocacy, mentorship, speaking engagements, and community-building efforts, her focus remains unchanged.
"Moving forward, my goal is to continue creating spaces where military families feel seen, supported, and never alone," Gebhardt said. "I want to continue turning pain into purpose and changing the world one military family at a time."
For military spouses across the country, her message is one of hope and encouragement:
"Your sacrifices matter, your strength matters, and you matter. Community is everything. Reach out, lean on one another, and never be afraid to ask for support. When military families are strong, our force is stronger too."
At the heart of her story is a simple belief. Service means showing up for others, especially during life's hardest seasons. Through her leadership, advocacy, and compassion, she continues to do exactly that—leaving people better than she found them and strengthening the military community one family at a time.
| Date Taken: | 05.26.2026 |
| Date Posted: | 05.26.2026 21:22 |
| Story ID: | 566166 |
| Location: | EIELSON AIR FORCE BASE, ALASKA, US |
| Web Views: | 58 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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