Helping the families of those who served
Andrea Gallagher
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As a former military spouse, I know firsthand that raising a family is never an easy task for any parent. However, it becomes more challenging when you have to navigate historic levels of inflation and economic stagnation. The difficulty multiplies when you are also dealing with the unique demands of being a military spouse, such as frequent moves and deployments while trying to help your children adjust to these changes. It can be overwhelming, to say the least, and all of these factors combined often result in financial stress due to unemployment or underemployment. Unfortunately, this is a reality that far too many military spouses face, but it doesn’t have to be this way. There need to be solutions and support available to help military families overcome these challenges and thrive despite the difficulties they face.
Being a military spouse is often considered one of the most challenging positions in the military. It’s certainly one of the hardest positions to have in the job market, and the numbers bear that out. According to a study by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation from September, around 22% of almost half a million military spouses are unemployed.
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According to numbers from Blue Star Families’s 2022 Military Family Lifestyle Survey, military spouses experience unemployment levels almost four times those of their civilian counterparts, while 48% of active-duty families cited spousal unemployment as a top concern. The same national nonprofit group has also found that the matter is a leading cause of financial stress for military families in the United States, and I know there were probably more than a few people silently nodding their heads as they read that. When it comes to underemployment, a 2018 report from President Donald Trump’s White House Council of Economic Advisers notes that the rate of part-time employment for military spouses was 31.6 % — more than 10 points higher than the population at large. The same survey found that half of the active-duty and recent-veteran spouses who were employed part time actually wanted full-time work.
The reasons are pretty obvious. When you’re moving around constantly, employers are nervous at best to take a chance on you, knowing that it’s unlikely that you can be a long-term member of the team. Some employers simply can’t hire you because occupational license standards differ so much from state to state. Federalism and the free market are both very good things; we shouldn’t begrudge state legislatures from setting their own regulatory standards any more than we should hold it against small businesses who have to make hard choices about whom to hire — especially in this economy.
We must find a way to address these challenges with urgency, determination, and unwavering support for the sake of those who serve our country and the families who stand behind them. Despite the overwhelming and heartbreaking employment challenges faced by military spouses, there is a glimmer of hope.
Earlier this year, a bipartisan group of federal lawmakers in the House and Senate introduced the Military Spouse Hiring Act. The bill, which was led by Sens. John Boozman (R-AR) and Tim Kaine (D-VA) in the Senate, would adjust the tax code to incentivize employers to hire military spouses. It would do this by “expanding the Work Opportunity Tax Credit program — which incentivizes employers to hire individuals who experience unique employment barriers — to include military spouses,” according to the lawmakers’ statement. If any group faces “unique employment barriers,” it’s the one full of people who have to pick up stakes and move to a new place based on wherever Uncle Sam needs them.
The simple fact that over a fifth of military spouses are unemployed, and so many are underemployed, despite 45% of them having a bachelor’s degree or higher speaks to the need for a bill such as this one. Kaine and Boozman, as well as all of the bill’s dozens of co-sponsors, should be commended for introducing it and for highlighting the importance of the matter.
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America is great because of the sacrifices of countless men and women who have put their lives on the line to defend her, her principles, and the way of life that makes her great. Too often, however, we can forget that sacrifice does not stop at the battlefield or the barracks. The life we enjoy as free people places demands on whole families, as well as those who serve. As a grateful society, we owe it to those who sacrifice their stability and careers along with their spouses to make things as easy on them as we can, and we can start by making it easier for them to support their families and find meaningful work wherever the call to service takes them. Together, we can make a difference.
Andrea Gallagher is a businesswoman and a Co-Founder of the Pipe Hitter Foundation. She is the wife of Ret Navy SEAL Chief Eddie Gallagher and the mother of three children.