Making it in the MilLife

Spouse council member Karen Francis, reports on the one year mark of the Military Spouse Employment Partnership and induction ceremony. 

By Karen Francis

This week 34 new employers joined the Military Spouse Employment Partnership, the one year old Joining Forces program set up to connect military spouses job seekers with employers who want great employees. As Robert L. Gordon III, Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Military Community and Family Policy stated, the website has connected spouses with over 22,000 jobs in the past year! The new corporate partners include ADP, Association for the United States Army, East Carolina University, Marine Corps Community Services (MCCS), Safeway, TriWest, US Bank and The Major Group. The Signatory Corporate Partners pledge to:

• “increase employment opportunities for military spouses that sustain a talented workforce for Corporate America while maintaining employment status for military spouses as they relocate to new locations across the nation and around the world”
• “provide career promotion opportunities to military spouses who are helping their employers meet key business goals & objectives”
• “support pay equity for military spouses commensurate with their level of training, work experience, accomplishments and credentials”

At a (sweltering) ceremony in the Pentagon Courtyard, the new partners signed the Statement of Support, joining the 94 current partners. They committed to: Identify & promote career employment opportunities, post job openings on the MSEP portal, offer transferable, portable career opportunities to relocating military spouse employees, mentor new MSEP corporate partners and provide data on military spouses hired.

The speakers, including senior spouses, explained why these employers need military spouses in their ranks. Mary Winnefeld, the spouse of the Vice Chairman of the Joint Chiefs, after giving everyone permission to get up, move around, take off the jackets since it was oppressively hot, remarked on the adaptability of military spouses.

More senior military spouses, including Mrs. Charlene Austin and Mrs. Nonie Bird, with Mrs. Cindy Breedlove, told us about how educated our spouses are, how talented and motivated… all to illustrate the TEAM aspect of MSEP. Mrs. Bird, speaking on education, has kept her teaching credentials through multiple moves. In fact she just took two classes this past semester.

Mrs. Shinseki, from the Joining Forces Advisory Board, referred to the 2012 Blue Star Families survey results, in which spouse employment and education was one of the top issues. The speakers all discussed that for many families, an employed spouse is crucial to the family wellbeing. With the more than 60 percent of military spouses having some college education, student loans are taking a bite out of the finances as well.

After the ceremony, the real networking started. While talking to Secretary Gordon, MOAA Spouse Council member the Hon. Erin Masson Wirth discussed the Military Spouse JD Network and was encouraged that there are now 150 attorney jobs advertised on the MSEP site – a great illustration that the jobs on the site really do run the gamut from “senior vice presidents to barista” as Secretary Gordon had mentioned. As he said, 20,000 spouses have found jobs through MSEP, and if the median income figure is $20,000 a year – that’s $400 million in military family income. While MSEP has been concentrating on Fortune 500+ companies, they are now also beginning to “build out a government strategy” now.

New partners, new jobs, new programs, MSEP is growing.

Military Spouse Employment Partnership
MOAA Spouse Advisory Council

There is a 30,000 space shortage at Child Development Centers within the military, according Mr. Robert Gordon, Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense, Military Community & Family Policy, at the Congressional Military Family Caucus launch last year.

Blue Star Families 2012 Lifestyle Survey found that 67 percent of unemployed military spouses who wanted to work, cited child care issues as a barrier to employment. And military families aren’t alone in their struggle to find affordable child care.

Today, MSNBC reported how child care costs are derailing women’s careers. State budgets are being slashed and recovery money is drying up, affecting thousands of families. According to the story:

Many of the cutbacks by states are a result of federal dollars drying up from the 2009 American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, said Blank.  [Helen Blank, director of leadership and public policy at the National Women’s Law Center] While President Barack Obama’s fiscal 2013 budget proposes $825 million to help states, many working family advocates expect a shortfall.

“The problem we continually face is as a country we’re not willing to put the resources into child care to make that available,” said Blank. “Families can’t afford it, and it’s an endless struggle for providers, families and policymakers.”

How much does childcare cost where you live? Does this affect your ability to find work?