JOINT BASE SAN ANTONIO-LACKLAND, Texas -- Meet #IMSCFamily Melvin King, spouse of Tiffany King with AFIMSC’s Detachment 10 at Barksdale Air Force Base, Louisiana.
Melvin has been an Air Force spouse for about a year but has been around the military for more than 15 years.
We asked Melvin to tell us a little more about his life as a spouse.
What’s your first memory as the spouse of an Airman?
Being happy that I have more land to hunt on. On my first day as a dependent when I went on base to get my ID card, I asked the Security Forces Team at the visitor’s center about the procedures for bringing a firearm on base to hunt.
What’s your best experience as the spouse of an Airman?
With being a new spouse, my best experience is hearing others show appreciation to my spouse for her service and listening to her speak of her glory days as a super-troop Airman (she is a retired Air Force Reserves technical sergeant). And of course, receiving military discounts!
What’s a challenge you and your spouse overcame as a team?
When I first met my spouse, she worked in a major command protocol office with a very high ops tempo. On my end, I had to understand that she can’t always get off at the same time or go in at the same time; some days will be longer than others. So as a team, we worked on time management.
What is your best advice for other AFIMSC spouses?
Be as supportive as you possibly can. We don’t always understand their job and the stress or pressure that might come with it. Be the one consistent light when things sometimes look dim.
Do you have a mantra that you live by and how does it help?
“Something good is going to happen to me today.” It helps me to stay positive and helps me to look for the good in the world, to appreciate the little things.
What’s something you cherish from your time as a spouse and why?
I cherish going to my spouse’s very first base, getting the grand tour of the base and seeing where she stayed as a young Airman and the buildings she worked in.