An official website of the United States government
A .mil website belongs to an official U.S. Department of Defense organization in the United States.
A lock (lock ) or https:// means you’ve safely connected to the .mil website. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites.

Home : News : Article View
NEWS | June 23, 2011

New partnership to expand job opportunities for military spouses

By Terri Moon Cronk American Forces Press Service

WASHINGTON - The Defense Department is scheduled to launch a new partnership next week intended to expand job opportunities for military spouses by connecting them with employers actively seeking to hire them.

About 60 corporations and companies, from Fortune 500 to banking institutions, have signed on with the DOD partnership, said Robert L. Gordon III, deputy assistant secretary of defense for military community and family policy.

The partnership is expected to launch at the Chamber of Commerce here June 29. Gordon said 14 more companies may be added to the partnership's roster.

"The design of this program is to bring together those spouses who want to work with a web portal where companies that would like to employ our military spouses can find them," he said.

That web portal is Military OneSource, which also offers job-seeking resources such as resume building.

The partnership is based on memoranda of agreement to hire military spouses, Gordon said. Some 100 job fairs are scheduled, starting in Los Angeles July 10, with 200 companies ready to offer jobs to spouses.

"Military spouses bring a lot to the table," he said. "They've volunteered and lead different activities on and off our installations. They are skilled, diverse and know how to operate in a team environment."

Their sense of team focus and strong work ethic are some of the attributes and characteristics employers are looking for in a 21st century work force, he said.

Military spouses have been hit hard by the job market and face an unemployment rate of 28 percent, Gordon said.

Of the military's 1.2 million spouses, 80 percent want to work, but have been held back by multiple moves and deployments, he said. Additionally, a 25 percent wage gap divides military spouses and their civilian counterparts.

Because of those factors, the partnership pinpointed organizations that could offer telework options and portable jobs, he said.

In the course of setting up the program's framework, Gordon has asked spouses what they would like to see in such a partnership.
"One of them said, 'Don't over-engineer things. We want to look for jobs. We want to be empowered,'" he said. "And that's what we've done. We've devised a program that will bring spouses together with employers who are looking for their skills."

The partnership is aligned with the White House's government-wide approach to military family support that involves an interagency effort to strengthen families and enhance their well-being and quality of life.

For more information visit militaryonesource.com

 

 

Related Articles
U.S. Air Force Chief Warrant Officer 2 Robert Peck, officer of information technology with 242nd Combat Communications Squadron, Washington Air National Guard, operates a small unmanned aircraft system during Exercise Phoenix Dawn 2025 at Saylor Creek Range near Mountain Home Air Force Base, Idaho, May 6, 2025. The 194th Wing's inaugural class of Warrant Officers are paving the way by re-establishing the role in the Air Force and setting standards for future generations.
Washington Air Guard’s Warrant Officers Pave Way
By Airman 1st Class Jordaan Kvale, | May 29, 2025
CAMP MURRAY, Washington – The 194th Wing’s warrant officers are not only breaking new ground — they’re laying the foundation for generations to come.For the first time in more than 65 years, the Air Force reintroduced warrant...

Airmen with the Washington Air National Guard and the Royal Thai Air Force work alongside their RTAF counterparts in small groups to finalize their respective training objectives at the Enduring Partners 2025 final planning conference in Spokane, Wash., May 20, 2025. The working groups focused on areas such as air operations, ground-controlled interception, Air Force Special Warfare, cyber, combat communication, humanitarian assistance and disaster relief medical logistics, intel, and space.
Royal Thai Air Force, Washington Guard Finalize Plans for Enduring Partners 2025
By Staff Sgt. Adeline Witherspoon, | May 29, 2025
SPOKANE, Wash. – Airmen with the Washington Air National Guard and the Royal Thai Air Force assembled in western Washington May 19-24 to finalize plans for Enduring Partners 2025, an exercise involving RTAF and the Washington...

Maj. Gen. Thomas Friloux, adjutant general of Louisiana, discusses briefing details with Col. Augusto Villalaz, director of the Joint Staff for the Louisiana National Guard, during the annual Hurricane Rehearsal of Concept (ROC) Drill at the Armed Forces Reserve Center in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, May 21, 2025. The drill helps synchronize plans and strengthen coordination across LANG’s senior leadership ahead of hurricane season.
Louisiana Guard Rehearses Emergency Plans for Hurricane Season
By Capt. Peter Drasutis, | May 28, 2025
NEW ORLEANS – The Louisiana National Guard conducted its annual Hurricane Rehearsal of Concept (ROC) Drill at the Armed Forces Reserve Center in Baton Rouge May 21, uniting key personnel across multiple commands to refine...