Military spouses, we see you and we appreciate your service and sacrifice.
There are currently around one million military spouses in our country. While each military spouse has a unique experience, there are many common threads that connect them. Military spouses uplift and support their Service members. They play an integral role in our military’s strength, morale, and readiness. They make great sacrifices for their families.
Celebrating the crucial role of military spouses, understanding some of the challenges they face, and learning more about the resources available to support them are important ways to show our appreciation for just how much they do for their Service members, families, and our country.
The Challenges
Military spouses are strong, independent, and resilient. They support their Service members in times of adventure, excitement, and advancement. But equally so, they are there during times of difficulty, stress, and upheaval. Military spouses face challenges including:
- Balancing career, family, and military life.
- Moving frequently, sometimes as often as a new duty station every two to three years, leaving behind jobs, homes, and friends.
- Managing deployments and long separations.
- Facing underemployment or unemployment, as relocations and deployments often make it hard to maintain a steady career.
- Feeling isolated or lonely when a spouse is deployed or after moving away from family and friends.
Recognizing some of the common challenges faced by military spouses can help us find the best ways to celebrate them.
Celebrate Military Spouses
Military Spouse Appreciation Day was first recognized by President Ronald Reagan in 1984. Now it’s celebrated each May on the Friday before Mother’s Day. Families and communities around the country celebrate this date to honor the sacrifices and contributions of military spouses.
Whether you’re a family member, friend, co-worker, or neighbor to a military spouse, there are several ways we can show our support.
- Learn more about them. Sometimes, showing appreciation is as easy as trying to understand more about someone’s life, what they go through, and what challenges they face. This may include reading articles and blog posts, asking questions, or attending military family events within your community.
- Call and check in. Military spouses go through relocations, deployments, and other challenging times. Call before a move and see how you can help. Check in after a move and provide a comforting voice. Get in touch during a deployment to listen and offer support.
- Offer practical help. Military spouses often juggle extra responsibilities, so offering to help is a great way to show your appreciation. Making a meal, watching the kids, or helping with yardwork can all help reduce stress and provide moments of respite for military spouses.
- Send a thank you. Write a simple card listing things you appreciate, place a care package in the mail, send a video of family and friends expressing gratitude, or come up with your own simple way to show your appreciation.
- Listen. A supportive, non-judgmental ear can be a lifesaver in stressful times. Listen to their challenges, their complaints, their wins, and their accomplishments. It’s not important to offer advice or solutions; just listen.
- Volunteer. A great way to honor and support military spouses and their families is through volunteering. Get involved at a military-impacted school or with a Veterans organization in your area. Send military care packages or connect with nonprofits like Blue Star Families to learn more about volunteer opportunities in your community.
- Host or plan a military spouse appreciation event. Invite other military families and celebrate your military spouses with a backyard party, a group dinner at a restaurant, or something else. Be sure your military spouse isn’t responsible for any of the planning. The idea is to give them a break and celebrate all they do.
- Encourage them. Many times, military spouses put their own desires and goals on the back burner as they support their Service members and their families. Encourage and help your military spouse achieve something that matters to them, whether it’s joining a gym, going back to school, trying a new activity, or pursuing a business idea.
- Advocate for policies that support them. There are several meaningful ways to support military spouses that go beyond thank yous and acts of kindness. Support policies that include making child care more affordable or encourage employers to make hiring and retaining military spouses a priority.
Support and Resources for Military Spouses
TRICARE – Your TRICARE health care plan has several resources to help military families thrive, including health and wellness resources, mental health support, and more. In addition, read about TriWest’s commitment to hiring military spouses and hear stories from military spouse employees on Healthy Homefront.
The Spouse Education and Career Opportunities Program – This program offers several free services to connect military spouses with education and career opportunities. Military spouses can access free career coaching, scholarships, partnerships with employers committed to hiring military spouses, and more.
Confidential counseling – Both Military OneSource and the Military and Family Life Counseling Program offer free and confidential counseling to help Service members, spouses, and their families address a wide range of issues, such as relationship challenges, stress management, deployments, and more.
Blog Brigade – Blog Brigade features posts from military spouses on a range of topics, like military life, deployments, relocations, and more. Get comfort and perspective from other military spouses who have walked in your shoes.
Veterans’ Employment and Training Service (VETS) Program – The Department of Labor’s VETS program prepares Veterans, Service members, and military spouses for meaningful careers, provides them with employment resources, helps to protect their employment rights, and promotes their employment opportunities. VETS offers virtual workshops, training for specific employment skills, and more.
Hiring Our Heroes – Hiring Our Heroes connects Service members, military spouses, and Veterans with American businesses. Hiring Our Heroes hosts more than 50 hiring events annually, offers fellowships and internships, and provides workshops and networking opportunities.
Blue Star Families – Blue Star Families offers several resources for military families, including connections to local resources and support, community events, and Blue Star Careers, which helps military spouses achieve their goals with comprehensive career development resources.
Military spouses, we see you and we appreciate your service and sacrifice.