Has your spouse experienced challenges in the job market due to frequent relocation?

Maj Larry VanBrocklin — Wed, 05 Nov 2014 16:12:25 -0500

Many employers seem to be reluctant to hire military spouses. They are concerned about longevity after spending time and money for training. Many spouses are in vocational areas that require tenure (teachers) in order to progress. Frequent reassignments prevent them from fulfilling these necessary requirements. Still, others need to obtain licenses for each new PCS location. This has forced otherwise highly educated and qualified spouses to select work in areas unrelated to their specialties.

Military Wives: Hit Hard in the Jobs Market

The official unemployment rate, currently at 6.6%, tells the story of some of the millions of jobless Americans.

Response by CW5 Private RallyPoint Member made Nov 5 at 2014 6:22 PM

CW5 Private RallyPoint Member — Wed, 05 Nov 2014 18:22:26 -0500

Maj Larry VanBrocklin, in a word - Yes. While I was on active duty, my wife struggled for the first eight or ten years of our marriage and her "career," such as it was. And then she finally succeeded in getting a federal job. That was just the ticket. There was no guarantee that she would have a government job at our next duty station (after that), but she succeeded in finding a job every time we moved. I think there's a program for spousal preference in such cases. The federal job eliminated the need to work as a waitress, at the PX, etc. (And nothing against those jobs, but they don't typically pay like a government job.)

Response by PO1 John Pokrzywa made Nov 5 at 2014 7:38 PM

PO1 John Pokrzywa — Wed, 05 Nov 2014 19:38:47 -0500

My wife basically ruined her civilian career when she married me, I got orders shortly being married, and in our new location she never could truly get into the same line of work...

Response by CWO3 Bryan Luciani made Nov 6 at 2014 3:19 PM

CWO3 Bryan Luciani — Thu, 06 Nov 2014 15:19:39 -0500

Absolutely Major. What helped my wife was her finding a critical niche. She accidently tumbled onto being a financial assistant (investments, 401k management, IRA's, etc...) and grew within the business. I moved from San Diego to Hawaii to Long Beach, back to San Diego, then North Country. She worked for American Trust, Bishop Trust, North American Trust, BMO, Scotia McLeod, and now USB Financial. All companies that critically need investment support staff that are certified to make trades (Series 67). This over a 22-year period.

It's unrealistic for our wives to hop from job to job in different areas (teacher to banking to administrative) and attain the tenures and job satisfaction they might need to feel successful. We have a high divorce rate because of this, and for a spouse to commit to supporting our crazy optempos just shows how special some of these people are.

Response by Maj Kim Patterson made Nov 7 at 2014 3:06 PM

Maj Kim Patterson — Fri, 07 Nov 2014 15:06:19 -0500

My spouse got orders and I had to decide marriage or promotion on a great military track. I picked marriage, gave up my military career for that of a spouse (much harder) and I ended up working in a sandwich shop, no that there was anything wrong with that specific job; there are lots of retail jobs I took seasonally because I will forever be a workaholic but to go from ready to pin on LC to do you want fries with that: ouch!