Military spouses often face challenges in building a stable career path due to the frequent relocations necessitated by the deployment of active-duty service members, which can lead to gaps in employment and an inconsistent work history. Additionally, many companies express a reluctance to hire military spouses, due to the fact that military families move frequently.

This situation causes military families a tremendous amount of stress and frustration. Indeed, a survey of more than 10,000 veterans and active-duty service members conducted by Blue Star Families found that 62% of respondents reported having stress due to their financial situation; 52% reported that their spouse being unable to find employment was the greatest financial obstacle they faced; and 37% reported feeling insecure about their financial future.

 

Recognizing that military readiness involves the whole military family, the U.S. Department of Defense (DOD) and the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) have instituted a number of programs designed to help alleviate some of the issues that face military spouses seeking employment. 

One of the most comprehensive resources is the DOD’s Spouse Education Career Opportunities (SECO) program. Through SECO, military spouses can access government-sponsored career and education resources, work with specially-trained employment counselors, and take advantage of networking opportunities. Through SECO, military spouses also can access resources and tools related to career exploration, education, training and licensing, and employment readiness.

SECO also helps military spouses contact various affiliated organizations, such as Blue Star Families and the Military Spouse Employment Partnership (MSEP), who can assist them in connecting with employers who are committed to hiring military spouses.

To be eligible for SECO services, individuals must be either:

• The spouse of an active-duty, National Guard, or Reserve service member in the Army, Marine Corps, Navy, or Air Force.
• The spouse of a service member who has been separated from active duty, National Guard, or Reserves for less than 180 days.
• The surviving spouse of a service member who died while on active duty.

SECO also works with various agencies to promote entrepreneurship among military spouses. These organizations include SCORE, the Small Business Administration (SBA), and Entrepreneurship Boot Camp, and help budding entrepreneurs learn about everything from start-up costs to business, accounting, and financial assistance.

Miliary spouses also may be eligible for the My Career Advancement Account (MyCAA) scholarship program, a workforce development initiative that provides up to $4,000 in financial assistance to eligible military spouses for the pursuit or maintenance of a license, certification, or an associate degree necessary to gain employment in an occupation or career field, including continuing education courses.

Additional assistance is available for spouses who are employed in fields requiring licensure or certification, such as teaching, healthcare, insurance, law, or real estate. The 2018 National Defense Authorization Act allows each service branch to reimburse spouses up to $1,000 for associated costs when transferring a license or certification resulting from relocations or PCS moves that cross U.S. state lines.

There are also many states that have agreements called “occupational licensure compacts” to ensure that qualifications in one state will be accepted in other participating states. The 2023 Veterans Auto and Education Improvement Act amended the Servicemembers Civil Relief Act to ensure military spouses could easily take their professional license with them when they PCS to a new state. Many states have implemented professional license portability measures for military spouses that may include expedited applications, temporary licenses, or license reciprocity. 

For example, the Interstate Teacher Mobility Compact was developed through a cooperative agreement funded by the Defense Department in partnership with The Council of State Governments, and has been adopted in 12 states and is pending in other states. Similarly, the National Association of State Directors of Teacher Education and Certification administers an agreement that helps teachers transfer their credentials within member states. Visit its Interstate Agreement page for details. Also, DOD schools’ human resources overseas accept teaching licenses from any state or territory as long as the teaching categories are marked on the license.

There are varying degrees of portability for licenses and certifications in the occupations listed below (which can be found on the Military One Source website at https://www.militaryonesource.mil/benefits/transferring-your-professional-license/#accordiongroup-education-panel.)

• Attorney 
• Audiology and speech-language pathology
• Child care worker
• Cosmetologist 
• Counselor
• Dentist and dental hygienist
• Emergency medical technician and paramedic
• Massage therapist
• Medical doctor
• Medical transcriptionist
• Nurse practitioner
• Nursing
• Occupational therapist
• Paralegal
• Physical therapist
• Physician assistant
• Psychologist interjurisdictional
• Real estate agent
• Registered dietician
• School psychologist
• Social work

Visit the Department of Labor Military Spouse Interstate License Recognition Options for up-to-date legislation and licensure information for your specific state.

Helpful Links:

Go to the SECO website to learn more about the program

Go to the MSEP website for career and education opportunities

Go to the SECO website to learn more about the MyCAA scholarship program

Go to the Blue Star Families' website to learn more about assistance for spouses

Learn more about starting a business on the SCORE website

Learn more about starting a business on the SBA website

Learn more about starting a business with the Entrepreneurship Boot Camp program