also will serve as a lonely reminder dented life challenges facing today’s civilian counterparts to be racial and
that a much-wanted light is missing military spouses and families. ethnic minorities. They are better
at the end of the proverbial tunnel. To The nation can show a deeper educated and younger, too. Mili-
them, it will be just like the day before gratitude by listening to the voices tary spouses are more likely to have
— and oddly unlike any experienced of those carrying the weight of those young children at home, less likely
by generations before them. challenges and taking action to help to be employed, and more likely to
The U.S. is at war. This isn’t a new them do it more effectively. be seeking work than their civilian
fact, but it’s one that bears repeating Action over accolades is what mil- counterparts. On average, military
because military spouses and families itary spouses will most appreciate. spouses earn $5,500 to $7,400 less
share the weight of this reality with than civilian wives annually. Sig-
servicemembers. They serve Ameri- Today’s military spouse nifi cantly more military spouses are
ca, sans crew cut and rank, but with a According to the 2008 Report of female than male, but the number of
committed heart nonetheless. Military Spouse Education and Em- male spouses is increasing.
Although it’s important to pay ployment to Congress, most military Numbers give us the dirty details,
tribute to those who have made spouses are active in the labor mar- but we already know the basic truth.
innumerable life sacrifi ces in sup- ket, with 69 percent either employed Military spouses did not volunteer
port of America’s defense, it simply or actively seeking employment. A for the challenging lives they often
is not enough. Accolades are appre- 2004 RAND report adds to the de- live. They choose to live them for any
ciated but hardly functional in the mographic picture by stating military number of reasons, not least because
face of the grueling and unprece- spouses are more likely than their they love someone who has dedi-
cated his or her life to the U.S. Some
readily embrace this topsy-turvy life
and love it. Others hate it. No two
spouses are exactly the same, even if
they all share some common bonds.
Generational challenges
The saying “everything old is new
again” rings true for military spouses.
Throughout the generations, there
have been tearful goodbyes. There
have been love letters written and sent
— by snail mail, v-mail, and e-mail.
There have been sleepless nights full
of worry about a loved one’s safety and
countless permanent change-of-sta-
tion (PCS) moves and adjustments for
servicemembers’ children. Recently,
there has been the struggle not just to
have a professional life but to balance
it with a military one. There always
has been the intention to be more than
someone else’s “last four.” This list
doesn’t end there.
“Fatigue is one of the greatest chal-
lenges facing military families today,”
says Laura Smith, who is married to
an active duty Navy offi cer currently
serving in Afghanistan. Smith is a
Laura Smith naval reservist herself and a program
analyst for the federal government.
5 4 M I L I T A R Y O F F I C E R M AY 2 0 0 8
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