Underemployment, elusive childcare, frequent moves, financial strain – these are some of the top problems that spouses of active duty military members report.
The Department of Defense is again soliciting opinions for its 2024 Survey of Active Duty Spouses, which evaluates how military life impacts both spouses and their families.
Survey results can shape military policy. For example, the federal government last year passed a law requiring that states accept valid occupational licenses from previous jurisdictions – which helps spouses employed in fields like teaching and healthcare to maintain employment during military moves.
Of spouses actively seeking work, 21% are unemployed, the military reports, compared to the federal unemployment rate of 3.7%.
And with frequent moves putting strain on careers and spouses who are seldom home to help with any children – 46% of spouses have children under six living at home – many military spouses decide to remove themselves from the job market.
This does not just impact a family’s immediate earnings, but also can hurt military spouses’ long-term career trajectories and retirement savings. The military is facing a recruiting crisis, and the top concern of active duty U.S. Army soldiers in 2022 was on the military’s impact on their families, listing spousal employment as a chief concern.
Other strains include securing childcare. Although the military operates child development centers meant to assist, their waitlists stretch months or even years.
“The frequent moves with shorter dwell times (under 10 months in some cases) prevents military spouses from finding employment, completing their college or certification courses, or gaining licensure in their professions,” one spouse reported in a previous survey. “We move too quickly and too often. Our (basic housing allowance) rates do not accurately reflect the fair market value of housing in many locations, leading to military families incurring additional expenses or dealing with extensive commutes.”
About a third of military service members undergo a permanent change of station (PCS) move each year. For individual service members, the average time between moves is two years, with officers moving more frequently, according to the U.S. Government Accountability Office.
Another key concern among spouses was financial pressure. One in four military spouses is food insecure, the DOD reports.
Patricia Montes Barron, deputy assistant secretary of defense for Military Community and Family Policy, said the survey provides the department with a barometer on how to adjust family policy and programs in the coming years.
“We strongly encourage all active-duty spouses to take a few minutes from their busy days to complete the 2024 Survey of Active Duty Spouses, so we can hear directly from them about what is and isn’t working,” Barron said. “The DOD is committed to the well-being of military spouses and relies on the survey findings to make the decisions that will best meet their needs.”
The 2024 Survey of Active Duty Spouses includes expanded sections on remote work and financial well-being, in addition to measuring important aspects of military life, such as employment and child care. The survey takes about 20 minutes to complete, and spouses only answer questions that pertain to them.
Spouses can access the survey from early January for about eight weeks here to provide their answers to questions about their current quality of life in the military.
Megan Kitt is married to an active duty military service member.
