Making it in the MilLife®

MOAA President Vice Admiral Norb Ryan, USN (Ret) was among military and veteran association leaders invited to the White House this week for a Joining Forces Employment Event. Along with Ryan, were members of the President’s Cabinet, the Joint Chiefs of Staff, and business and community leaders.

President Obama, First Lady Michelle Obama, Vice President Biden, and Dr. Jill Biden also participated in the event.

To date, over 290,000 veterans and military spouses have found employment or received training through the Joining Forces Initiative– nearly three times the original goal of 100,000 set by President Obama two years ago.

Mrs. Obama announced that Joining Forces received pledges from companies to hire or train 435,000 more veterans and military spouses over the next five years. Those companies include the Blackstone Group, Deloitte, USAA, McDonald’s, Home Depot, UPS, and BNSF Railroad.

Today’s announcement was positive, but more work remains to be done.

MOAA’s award winning career transition services and spouse symposiums will aide in confronting these challenges.

Karen serves as a Deputy Director, Government Relations (Military Family Issues)

By:  Kathryn Werner, MPAS, PA-C

I was very excited when I was asked to represent MOAA at the signing of the Maryland Veteran’s Full Employment Act of 2013.

In 2011, my husband and I moved from Idaho to Maryland.  As soon as we arrived, I began the licensing procedure so that I could start working as a physician assistant.  The process proved to be a lengthy, expensive, and frustrating one, which just compounded the inevitable chaos involved in a military move.

Shortly after, I learned of efforts by Michelle Obama and Jill Biden’s Joining Forces Initiative to resolve such an important issue for military families and had been following the campaign’s progress.

The Maryland Veteran’s Employment Act is a great example of that progress.  It aims to remove barriers to credentialing for military members, spouses and veterans and also to allow for professional and educational credit for previous military work experience.

To be at the signing of an act so relevant to me personally was particularly meaningful.  The fact that Michelle Obama was the keynote speaker at the ceremony was also a just a little exciting!

First Lady Michelle Obama speaking at the Veterans Full Employment Act Bill Signing in Annapolis, MD. (Photo by: Kathryn Werner)

As a member of MOAA’s Spouse’s Advisory Council, there is often the opportunity to voice one’s opinion about matters relevant to military life.  It’s easy to see the great job MOAA does in listening to our concerns and in working hard to represent those ideas to our elected officials.

However, between negative press and the complicated nature of the law making process, it isn’t always as evident to see our law makers working on our behalf.

Yesterday’s ceremony was a shining example of military advocacy groups, interested citizens, our First Lady, and our state legislators working together to make a real and meaningful impact on the lives of military families.

Kathryn Werner, MPAS, PA-C, is a member of the 2012-2013 MOAA Spouse Advisory Council. Click here to learn more about Kathryn and others on the MOAA Spouse Advisory Council.

Interested in applying for the 2013-2014 spouse council?   Please email moaaspouse@moaa.org to be notified when the application is open. Meanwhile, sign up for MOAA Spouse E-news for the latest on the spouse council and more at MOAA Spouse.