Every year, about 200 thousand service members complete their military service and transition to civilian communities and the civilian workforce. Military downsizing—forced by budget pressures and the end of large-scale combat operations in Iraq and Afghanistan—will mean even more troops needing jobs. Unlike previous post-war downsizings, more of these troops will be joined by spouses and children on their journey to civilian life. Half of our all-volunteer force has spouses and/or kids, and these families have been through our nation’s longest war. Two million children have had a parent at war over the past 14 years. Communities around the country will welcome these families in the coming years, and we owe them our open arms. These families bring with them the scars of their wartime experiences, but they also bring promise.
The training and skill-set of our military members are often overlooked. Regrettably, employers don’t always comprehend how the experience of veterans or their spouses can be an asset. Men and women who have worn the uniform have strong leadership skills, integrity, and an unmatched ability to get things done. Military spouses, who often put their careers on hold for many years to maintain their households and support their service members, have unique skills and share that sense of duty—it is part of what makes our military so strong and respected. Years of association with the military mean military spouses and veterans are flexible, honor service above self, have a strong cultural education, and value volunteerism. Aren’t these characteristics any company would be lucky to have in an employee?
Unemployment among our newest veterans has fluctuated widely over the past few years, sometimes tracking significantly higher than the national average. The Department of Defense reports that 26 percent of military spouses are unemployed, and it’s estimated that approximately half of the spouses currently employed are underemployed. This is unacceptable. If we don’t step up and care for those who cared for us, we are doing these veterans, their families, and ourselves a disservice.
These new veterans and their families will be your neighbors. They will worship with your family and volunteer to support their community. Their kids will go to school with your kids and be on your kids’ sports teams. These families, just like your family, hope to build meaningful careers and a secure future. It will benefit us all to help them feel welcome and supported.
It is impossible to create long-term well-being for the veteran by focusing on the veteran alone. In the National Military Family Association’s survey of families transitioning out of the military, spouses asked for better information to support their veterans, but they also expressed fears about their own identities upon leaving the military. They will wear no insignia or special clothes to identify themselves as veterans’ families, but they need the rest of America to seek them out and help them build a new identity as members and assets in their new communities.
When our nation talks "holistic care," too many people think that only means treating a veteran's physical and behavioral health needs at the same time. But veterans aren’t the only ones worthy of our support. This Veterans Day, let’s stand together for veterans AND their families. Let’s build a bridge of support over that ravine that separates their old military life and their new life in civilian communities. By building that bridge, we strengthen these families who have served us so well, and strengthen our workplaces and communities as well.
Gail McGinn is Chairman of the National Military Family Association’s Board of Governors. She has more than 37 years of service with the Department of Defense, most recently as Deputy Under Secretary of Defense for Plans, where she was the personal proponent for establishing policies to address sexual assault and enhance diversity. McGinn is a recipient of the Presidential Distinguished Executive Rank Award and two-time recipient of the Presidential Meritorious Executive Rank Award.
