Fort Knox, Ky. — After one year of being stationed here, military spouse Megan Rhodes earned the title of Fort Knox Armed Forces Insurance Spouse of the Year for her community building efforts.
As an active member of the community, Rhodes volunteers with the Fort Knox Red Cross Warrior Warehouse, is a member of the Fort Knox https://www.fortknoxscc.com/, and serves as the Soldier and Family Readiness Group civilian advisor for Headquarters and Headquarters Company, U.S. Army Recruiting Division.. Rhodes said she aims to prove through these roles that military spouses are powerful community leaders.
Rhodes said when she was a new military spouse the demanding nature of her husband's recruiting assignment, coupled with long training periods and frequent travel, could be isolating. She added this inspired her to get more involved and build a support system for herself and other spouses facing similar challenges.
Since then, she has been an active member of the communities she has joined throughout her Family’s five permanent changes of station.
“Building an inclusive community has always been driven by my passion for advocacy and ensuring every spouse feels heard and valued with clear, compassionate communication between command teams and Families,” Rhodes said. “Too often, critical information becomes skewed by military jargon that is second nature to service members but confusing to spouses. I have personally experienced how this can easily cause confusion to grow into stress or isolation.”
To help spouses navigate these challenges and bridge the communications gap, Rhodes hosts events like girls’ nights and spouse panels, creating open forums for communication.
“By breaking down language barriers and encouraging questions, I help Families feel informed, included and confident, alleviating stress and strengthening trust and resilience,” she said.
In addition to fostering communication, Rhodes also helped raise about $43,000 in scholarship and grant funds for Soldiers and Families through fundraisers, auctions and the SCC’s “Mother Flocker” program.
“As Mother Flocker, I have seven tubs of flamingos in my garage that go toward fundraising,” Rhodes said with a laugh. “At this point I think I'm just a public nuisance that people get a kick out of for putting flamingos in yards for $20, but that money goes directly back into grants and scholarships.”
Looking forward, Rhodes said her goal is to inspire others to build their own sense of belonging through service.
“Go find your community, get involved, and build a home,” she said. “And if your community needs you, there are things you can do to make a direct impact. Even if it’s just donating two hours of your time.”
Rhodes’ efforts earned her Kentucky Colonel recognition, the highest title of honor bestowed by the Kentucky governor.
“As the AFI Spouse of the Year for Fort Knox and a new Kentucky Colonel, I hope to amplify the true needs of military Families and create a platform that reaches far beyond our local community,” she said. “I aspire to serve as a trusted voice who can bring issues and concerns directly to the highest levels of leadership.”
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