subscribe: Posts | Comments

US military wives struggle to find and retain jobs

0 comments

Summary of story from NPR, seek July 28, 2011

As the US economy struggles to get back on its feet, spouses of military personnel are having a tough time to find and keep a job.

Employers are wary of hiring workers with short term prospects and possible transfer risks.

Take 2nd Lt. Charles Davis’s wife Stephanie Davis as a good example.

She thought she had picked a field that would be portable: teaching. That is, until last year when her husband got orders to transfer to Fort Hood in Texas where a wave of state and local government layoffs meant she could not find another job.

Although the national unemployment rate is above 9 percent, it runs at about 26%, according to a Defense Department survey conducted late last year. This figure includes both spouses who are looking for work and those who want to work but have given up the search.

Katie Savant, another military spouse claims that, on average, they are more educated than the general population, but they make less money. Employers notice the holes in the resume, the frequent moves to cities and towns with bases.

There are also other obstacles to employment like different state licensing requirements.

The military has known about these problems for years. The Defense Department says it is working to get state legislatures to take on the certification issues for teachers, nurses and other jobs that require state licensing.

And last month, it launched a partnership with the US Chamber of Commerce to match military spouses with portable careers.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *