Military Spouse Employment: 5 Recommendations for Removing Barriers to Entrepreneurship

Abstract: In recent years, a growing number of military spouses have begun leveraging advances in technology to transition away from traditional employment to operating their own businesses or engaging in contract work. In 2014, 28 percent of military spouses reported that they had either been self-employed or operated their own businesses, and 34 percent indicated they had an interest in online or work-from-home opportunities, according to a survey administered by Blue Star Families. 1 Maintaining traditional employment and advancing in careers while relocating every few years —and taking care of children, oftentimes on their own—has historically been a hardship military spouses have found extremely difficult, if not impossible, to overcome. In 2016, 50 percent of female military spouses cited family obligations as a top career obstacle, which should come 2 as no surprise considering the long-term effects frequent relocations have on career advancement, seniority accrual, and earnings growth. In the same survey referenced above, 77 percent of military spouse respondents reported that being a military spouse had negatively impacted their careers. Choosing the life of a military spouse has, in turn, generally meant that the spouse must give up career aspirations of their own in lieu of their servicemember’s. For many, however, those days may be numbered.