By: Mary Lane Montoya

On April 19, 2023, at MilSpouseFest D.C. Area AFTER HOURS while hundreds of military spouses looked on, MilSpouseFest and Military Spouse Jobs (MSJ) announced a new partnership to bring valuable resources and employment opportunities to military spouses across the globe. Together, the two brands will work together to provide free and valuable resources to military spouse career seekers.

“We are so proud to partner with Military Spouse Jobs who is committed to serving our military spouses with meaningful employment and career readiness tools” said Jen Pilcher, Client Partner, Recurrent and Founder of MilSpouseFest. “Every spouse and employer should connect with Military Spouse Jobs to join us in the mission of military spouse employment.” 

Since 2010, Military Spouse Jobs and their sister site, VetJobs, have helped over 90,000+  military-connected individuals find new and meaningful careers. With 3.5 million jobs available on their job board, there is a career opportunity for everyone. MSJ’s Recruiter Connect (RC) Specialists have streamlined the process of assessing and validating qualified veterans and military spouses for open positions. MSJ does not send hundreds of candidates to an employer; they send the right candidate, making MSJ valuable to career-seekers.

MSJ takes pride in being the only job placement site that has its target audience on staff. The staff working diligently to provide white glove service are military spouses and military-affiliated service members. One hundred percent of their services are free to the military-affiliated job seeker. MSJ also offers training courses and career development opportunities to make candidates stand out to potential employers.

“Military Spouse Jobs is honored to be a partner with MilSpouseFest,” says Denise Lewis, Director of DEI Initiatives at Military Spouse Jobs and VetJobs. “MilSpouseFest has a unique ability to bring military-affiliated spouses together with premier venues, entertainment, activities, prizes and resources.  We are honored to be the premier career and employment resource at MilSpouseFest events and we look forward to empowering military-affiliated spouses through our partnership.”

In July 2023, VetJobs & Military Spouse Jobs signed a significant memorandum of understanding (MOU) with Hiring Our Heroes, U.S. Chamber of Commerce. This MOU aligns both organizations to provide resume & job placement services, peer support and custom career assistance. These services are provided at no-cost to all military-affiliated candidates to last their career lifetime.

“Our nonprofits exist to make the employment journey, job placement, retention, and career progression of military-connected candidates easier and less expensive, while connecting them directly to the jobs held by corporate recruiters and hiring managers; all at zero cost to the military candidate and corporate recruiters,” said Deb Kloeppel, Navy Spouse (ret.), Founder and President of Military Spouse Jobs and VetJobs.

To learn more about Military Spouse Jobs, visit their website here.

Want to learn about MSJ in person? Register for free for our upcoming MilSpouseFest events in Texas!

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“Community was my takeaway from today’s event,” said one event attendee. “I felt a part of a community of spouses that share similar interests and adversities that I have endured. The best part was that it wasn’t just the audience, but the facilitators as well.”

The agenda included a Caregiver and Mental Health Fireside Chat with Alicia Maddaloni (Alaska Fellow, Elizabeth Dole Foundation), Jennifer Jenkins (Warriors Speak® communications specialist, Wounded Warrior Project Inc), Susan Guillory LCSW (Coordinator for the Program of General Caregiver Support Services, PGCSS), and MaryBeth Goodman (Clinic Director, Cohen Clinic @ Alaska Behavioral Health). 

Kate Williams, Community Initiative Program Manager with Twelve Million Plus discussed how spouses can maintain their identities when change is constant. USAA entertained the crowd with a Truth or Dare game, and Tutor.com got attendees moving and shaking with an interactive segment.

“Wow! What an amazing day with military spouses in Alaska,” said MSF Director, Danya Devine. “I heard over and over again how thankful the spouses were that we brought MSF to AK. I could feel the impact we were making in the room. To top it off, the locals told us to go to base to find the moose and bears. They were NOT wrong! Thank you Alaska.”

“As the Key Spouse for my spouse’s squadron, it gave me more information and knowledge about services available to the spouses, not just the service member that I can share with the entire unit,” said another event attendee.

MilSpouseFest will be traveling back to Texas September 12th and 14th to host events in San Antonio and Fort Cavazos FKA Fort Hood. For more information on these events, head to our website.

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“The event was spectacular,” said one Washington, D.C. event attendee. “Thank you so much for providing a place where military spouses can feel empowered.”

Military spouse comedian Ashley Gutermuth entertained guests with laughs. Operation Child Care founder, Kayla Corbitt spoke about the challenges military families face with the lack of child care.

A fireside chat featuring the CEO of Spouse-ly Monica Fullerton, USAA Relationship Director Chuck Bunch, and Recurrent Military Client Success Partner, Jen Pilcher, discussed entrepreneurship tips and tricks for military spouses.

“I absolutely loved this event,” said a Norfolk attendee. “I have never been to a military spouse event, I now feel proud to be a military spouse. I feel I need to reach out and share my story and help other spouses. This event was so inspiring.”

Attendees also played Truth or Dare with USAA and got up and moving with Tutor.com. AAFMAA graciously sponsored our meals and the Elizabeth Dole Foundation shared what it means to be a caregiver.

“It is amazing to see in person events thriving again,” said MSF Director, Danya Devine. “We had over 200 attendees in the room at Army Navy Country Club in Arlington, VA! I can’t wait for our first ever events in Alaska and to head back to Texas in September, where we are always able to reach hundreds of spouses.”

In an unprecedented move, MSF announced a partnership with Military Spouse Jobs during the event week, with a live signing of the agreement during the program. MilSpouse Jobs is the non-profit leader in delivering impactful career readiness programs and thousands of jobs for spouses at no cost to employers and recruiters

“This is a major win-win for economic advancement for our nation’s service members’ families and the companies who are eager to hire this extraordinary talent pool,” said Katherine Torres-Pummill, VP of Military Partnerships at MSF’s parent company Recurrent Ventures. “We are honored to serve alongside Military Spouse Jobs to ensure we leave no spouse behind.” 

MSF will be hosting a military spouse employment and careers webinar on June 1. For the first time in program history, MSF will travel to Anchorage, Alaska on June 13, 2023. To stay up-to-date on event information and to register, visit our website.

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Starting with the first in-person MSF events on April 18 and 19 in Virginia, you will see a new logo and color scheme. Registration is now open for these two days. 

“With seven years of events under the MilSpouseFest brand, it was time to shake things up,” said MSF Director Danya Devine. “From the events themselves to the look and feel of the brand, I am excited to watch the new year unfold.”

Significant changes will be made to the MSF website, newsletter, social media presence, and more throughout the year. If you want to see the changes in full effect at an event, check out our upcoming events calendar. 

Stay tuned for the fun!

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MilSpouseFest has also partnered with military spouse comedian, Ashley Gutermuth, for laughs and fun. Gutermuth will be attending all in-person events and one virtual event. 

Ashley Gutermuth is a stand-up comedian, actor and military family advocate. She appeared on ‘The Tonight Show’ with Jimmy Fallon where she was chosen by Jerry Seinfeld to win the ‘Seinfeld Challenge.’ In 2021, Ashley won the headliner category of the US Comedy Contest.

Ashley regularly posts on social media and her hilarious videos of her stand-up and life as a spouse of a United States Military Veteran have exploded to over 250 million views!

“I am so excited to be a part of MilSpouseFest 2023! I can’t wait to meet everyone and hear all the stories of your dryers being filled with pens,” said Gutermuth.

MSF will be returning to the ever-popular locations, Norfolk, Virginia and the Washington D.C. area. For the first time in program history, MSF will travel to Anchorage, Alaska. MSF has not been to the state of Texas since 2020 and is thrilled to host events in San Antonio and Fort Hood. 

“I am excited about our 2023 MSF lineup and thrilled to have Ashley along for the ride,” said MSF Director, Danya Devine. “Returning to locations where we can reach a large number of families is important, but I have always wanted to travel to areas where our military families don’t get much attention. We are making that happen by hosting two events in Anchorage, AK.” 

We will also host the first-ever virtual event for military spouses located at installations in Asia and Hawaii, running on Korean Standard Time. Two webinars are also on the calendar. The first topic is military spouse education and careers. The second will highlight military child education. 

Not only will we have our own events, but we will also be hosting events at Military Influencer Conference and Central Texas Serves. Registration for MilSpouseFest AFTER HOURS @ Central Texas Serves on March 9, 2023, is live. Click here to RSVP. 

“For a while now, I have wanted to shake up our events,” said Devine. “Stay tuned for some fresh changes to the program content.”

Check our website often to see the full calendar and stay up to date on registration links. Registration will open 4-6 weeks before each event.

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If you are the parent of a young person who has recently come out as gay, nonbinary, queer, trans, or the term of their choice, then this is for you. To help you and assist you in helping them as they embrace their identity in the LGBTQIA+ spectrum. In fact, how they identify may evolve as they grow and begin to understand better who they are as an adult. 

Remember, it isn’t about you. It’s about your children being themselves, their true self as they know it, see it and feel it. While their announcement may be new to you, they have wrestled with the concept and related emotions for years. This is a journey for them, and they need support all along the way.

Being supportive is mostly about listening. Offer resources when asked – we have many linked at the end of this article. Be aware of your language; use their chosen name and pronouns. Be inclusive. Be present. Be an advocate. Be an ally. Attend Pride events as a family. A supportive family provides a stable base allowing an LGBTQIA+ child or young adult to be themselves without risking their mental health and possibly, their life.

If your child does not identify under the LGBTQIA+ spectrum, please do not fear exposing them to Pride Month activities will “turn them.” It won’t. It will help them become a nicer, more well-rounded citizen, a supportive friend, and hopefully, an ally. 

Parenting: How to explain Pride Month to a child

Parenting: The Parents Guide To Supporting LGBTQIA+ Kids

PopSci: How to use science to talk to a child about gender

Human Rights Campaign Glossary of Terms

GLAAD Media Reference Guide

PFLAG

Born This Way Foundation

The Trevor Project

Gender Spectrum

Family Acceptance

Everyone Is Gay

Trans-Parenting

Modern Military Association of America

Recommended Facebook groups:

Serendipitydodah- Home of the Mama Bears

MilPride — MMAA Families with LGBTQ MilKids

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The 2021 Blue Star Families Military Family Life Survey supports this fact. In the results, military spouse employment is again a top-five military life issue for nearly half (43%) of active-duty spouse respondents and a quarter of active-duty service member respondents (25%). 

Why is it so hard?

According to the BSF survey, military spouses face particular barriers when looking for employment, which include their service members unpredictable schedule, expensive child care, and the amount of time out of the workforce due to numerous relocations. In some cases, state licensing requirements can be challenging to obtain.

Instant Teams Chief People Officer Erica McMannes gave insight on why military spouses struggle. “There is a lot of information out there, and it can be an overwhelming process, in addition to the barriers listed earlier,” said McMannes. “Potential employees may be limited by the time they have and the unique demands they face and education, skills, or labor gaps. A combination of any of these factors basically forces candidates in a corner, so they take whatever job they can that just fills a current need.”

Military spouses can be some of the most educated individuals. According to a Department of Labor facts sheet, 89% have some college education. 30% have a four-year degree, while 15% have an advanced degree. 31.6% of military spouses are employed part-time but may prefer full-time work, according to the DOL. Even though spouses are highly qualified, many are underemployed.

“I don’t think it is hard to find reputable employment; the issue is that sometimes military spouses aren’t valued for reputable employment,” said Denise Lewis, VetJobs and Military Spouse Jobs Senior Lead, Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Director and Outreach Specialist. “Recruiters often look at a military spouse’s resume and discount them because of gaps in their resume.”

Since job choices can be limited for military spouses due to lack of flexibility in location and schedules, many spouses can find what looks like a guaranteed position but ultimately find themselves in the middle of a lie.  “Unfortunately, our community can often also be a target for scams,” said McMannes. “It’s why I am also passionate about educating spouses on red flags for employment scams!”

Pandemic employment woes

As if finding a decent job wasn’t hard enough, a global pandemic made it even harder for military spouses to find work. COVID-19 was a barrier to employment in the BSF survey. With school and child care facility closures, many spouses had to turn to the job of teacher and caregiver. 

“I think that after the pandemic military spouses face some of the same challenges,” said Lewis. “During the pandemic, children were at home, and spouses had to balance teaching and parenting. Post pandemic, I believe childcare is still a factor. Many spouses have shared staying out of the job market because of high childcare costs.”

While the pandemic had adverse effects military spouse employment, many employers have added remote work opportunities or hybrid options. The openness to shifting to remote work after COVID-19 has dramatically changed the outlook of military spouses keeping their jobs wherever they move to or obtaining new employment. Nearly half of the active-duty spouses that responded to the BSF survey stated that remote work opportunities would best address any employment concerns. 

Information saturation

While resources are abundant for military spouses, it can be overwhelming to decide what to trust or how to apply. “It can be challenging navigating them all and figuring out what works best for that specific military spouse,” said McMannes. 

“It can be very overwhelming because there are so many resources out there,” said Lewis. 

Fortunately, there are resources available for military spouses no matter what part of the employment journey they are in. McMannes’s company, Instant Teams, helps connect spouses to remote positions with numerous companies. “Instant Teams is different in that we offer remote career opportunities based on their skills and desired work-life balance; a job they can take anywhere regardless of permanent change of station (PCS),” said McMannes. 

Lewis and her team at Military Spouse Jobs have made it a point to help military spouses with any aspect of the job hunt. “We provide one on one personalized services, upskilling, Linkedin Optimization, Salary Negotiations, Interview practice, and internal application access to our employer partners,” said Lewis. 

There is hope

All is not lost for military spouses seeking employment. Resumes are the most crucial step in any application process. “If spouses could just focus on their knowledge, skills, and abilities, that would be a huge positive,” said McMannes. “Focus on articulating exactly the type of work you are looking for and why you’d be a great contribution to the employer.”

Lewis also had words of wisdom for military spouse job hunters. “Don’t give up,” said Lewis. “We are here to help you wherever you are in your career journey.”

Join MilSpouseFest on June 2nd and June 16th in Whova for two great MSF Casts! Register for free and connect with MilSpouse Employment resources all month long. 

Blue Star Families has launched their 2022 Military Family Lifestyle Survey. You can participate here until July 10, 2022. MilSpouseFest is a proud sponsor of the 2022 survey. 

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