Kathleen Spearman’s Post

While national security is paramount, it's vital to acknowledge that the wellbeing of service members and their families directly impacts military readiness. Military spouses often face unique employment challenges due to frequent relocations. Addressing these needs is crucial for maintaining morale and retention among service members, ultimately strengthening national defense. As a military spouse, I'm thankful for companies such as Instant Teams, who are actively contributing to this change through their innovative remote talent marketplace, and are making a significant #impact by providing #militaryspouses with flexible, #remotework opportunities, ensuring career continuity regardless of location.

Advocacy is crucial in ensuring that the needs and concerns of military spouses are heard and addressed. By standing together and finding ways to research and amplify our voices, military spouses can work towards creating positive change and support for their community. It's important for leaders to understand the experiences and challenges faced by military families when discussing in order to make informed decisions. First, I would like to thank Rep. Scott Perry for sharing his perspective on the way military spouses should support their active duty service member. It gave me the opportunity to do some research. I will start by breaking down Rep. Scott Perry’s, R-Pa military and political timeline. He first enlisted in the Army in 1980 and retired in 2019 as a one-star general in the Pennsylvania National Guard. Commanded the 2-104th General Support Aviation Battalion (Pennsylvania National Guard), deployed to Iraq from 2009-2010. In 2011, became Commander of the Fort Indiantown Gap National Training Site, PA. In 2014, served as the Assistant Division Commander of the 28th Infantry Division (Harrisburg, PA). Then retired in 2019 from the Pennsylvania National Guard. Perry served three terms in the Pennsylvania State House (2006-2012). Perry served as the Congressman from Pennsylvania’s 4th Congressional District from 2013-2017. He earned re-election to the newly-redistricted 10th District in 2018, and presently serves on the U.S. House Committees. Perry co-founded the company, Hyrdotech Mechanical Services in 1993. In 2002, the company was accused of altering sewage monitoring reports. Perry said that after taking a Department of Environmental Protection course on how to properly run a sewage plant, they realized that the work they had been doing at the plant was wrong and notified the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection, triggering the investigation. He admitted his participation in falsifying state-mandated sewage records and avoided criminal charges. While Perry has an extensive military background and has served in various positions, it is true that personal experiences may differ among individuals and families. Each military family has their own unique set of circumstances and challenges that they face, including the frequent moves and career disruptions that come with military life. Perry may just need some education to understand the struggle of a PCS is enough without the added stress of unemployment for military families. I believe that Perry and his family never had to endure the pains of PCS nor some of the joys. It is important for leaders to listen and empathize with the experiences of military families, even if they haven't personally experienced it themselves. Empathy and understanding can lead to better policies and support systems for military spouses and their families. Our voice and experiences are valuable in shaping discussions and policies that affect the lives of our military families.

Stop the press! What is happening??? I was honored to serve my country but that doesn't mean that I didn't want a FAIR opportunity for adequate employment or pay. Military Spouse Jobs offers military spouses an opportunity to do it all while serving their country. I would love to hear your thoughts on this article.

Here's my 2 cents: When a military spouse is able to have a profession that offers fulfillment, a good wage, and FLEXIBILITY to accommodate our military lifestyle....Guess what that does for a military family? - It allows the service member to not feel like their only option is to race into a civilian job after retirement. - It helps a military family to build their savings and financial worth instead of scraping by month after month. - It gives financial freedom to both people in the relationship. Despite the "dependa" jokes...we spouses are not all about living off our SM’s paycheck. - It helps your relationship, because not having a career when you want one, is a recipe for soul-crushing feelings of inadequacy, uselessness, and frustration.

Sharing this because it’s important and I’m heated. The Army is facing huge recruitment shortfalls and this is a part of that. The families can’t afford to live. All of their costs are up, base housing is toxic in some places and the childcare shortage is insane. If we don’t work, we don’t get social security credits. We don’t have retirements to vest into. We don’t have the means for our own survival. I haven’t read the bill, and to be honest, it’s irrelevant. The flippancy for an all-volunteer force is so disrespectful and the reason they separate and try to find opportunities civilian as soon as they can. We aren’t even going to touch in the fact that half of the skills they learn aren’t even recognized because they don’t get the certifications attached to them so it’s even more complicated. Your military members and the security they provide are strengthened when they are financially secure. I realize 1980 was 40+ years ago when he was jr. Enlisted but I clearly remember 2010 when my spouse enlisted in the Air Force. I can’t imagine having to live on that pay today. Even with raises, it would still have been impossible to make ends meet. You will never attract good talent if you dismiss their universe with outdated and tired tropes that no longer apply. Maybe that’s the point, maybe Scott Perry doesn’t want to attract the right people, he just wants bodies. Maybe that works for his branch (unlikely based on their current situation) but that doesn’t work for the other branches that require smart people with talent and skills to keep us on the forefront.

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As a military spouse who is also working a career, I am deeply troubled by Rep. Scott Perry's recent remarks regarding the challenges military spouses face in their careers. Suggesting that our struggles are simply part of the sacrifice overlooks the tangible barriers we encounter. However, it's essential to not just highlight the problems but also focus on solutions. One crucial step we can take is to advocate for policies like the READINESS Act, which provides flexibility for military spouses working for the federal government during military-mandated moves. This act allows spouses to request temporary remote work, reassignment, or transfer to comparable positions, ensuring continuity in their careers despite frequent relocations. Moreover, we must emphasize the benefits of having a dual-income household for military families. Not only does it alleviate financial strain, but it also provides stability and support for the service member. A spouse's employment not only contributes to the family's financial well-being but also elevates stress on the soldier while they are deployed, knowing their family is secure. By advocating for policies that support military spouses' careers and recognizing the invaluable contribution of dual-income households to military families' resilience, we can ensure that our servicemen and women can focus on their duty to protect our country without worrying about their loved ones' well-being. #SupportMilitarySpouses #DualIncomeSupportsServiceMembers

As a military spouse with over 28 years of experience as an educator, I am appalled by the recent comments made by some of our congress members. The notion that the struggles of military spouses to have fulfilling careers are just "part of the sacrifice" is antiquated and harmful. I have dedicated my life to supporting my Marine husband and our family, often putting my own career aspirations on hold. Despite my education and experience, I had to forgo my dream of becoming a school administrator and now work as a DoD civilian outside my area of expertise. Supporting our military families should be a priority. The sacrifices we make are immense, but we should still be able to pursue our own dreams and careers. We contribute financially, emotionally, and in countless other ways. Military families, like all families, often need two incomes to survive. The READINESS Act offers a lifeline to spouses who move with their service members, allowing them to maintain employment stability. This isn’t about guaranteeing jobs for life; it’s about recognizing and supporting the essential role military families play in national security. We deserve better. It’s time for a change. #SupportMilitaryFamilies #READINESSAct #MilitarySpouseEmployment Read more: https://lnkd.in/efng5FJs

The US Government Accountability Office assesses that there are 275k military families on some form of welfare. While we work towards systemic solutions, it's crucial that we support military spouses in any way we can as they manage their careers and their families. United States Air Force US Army US Navy United States Space Force United States Marine Corps United States Department of Defense Michelle Richart Military Spouse Advocacy Network Hiring Our Heroes Military Spouse Program Military Spouse Jobs #veteran #employment #nonprofit

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