Alexandria Balivet-Brown’s Post

Military spouses are 5x more likely to be unemployed compared to the overall population. I remember interviewing for a role after our first cross-country move, and trying to hide the fact that I was a military spouse. "What brought you to Jacksonville?" "My husband received a new job here." "What does he do?" "He's a pilot." "Oh!, for who?" 🙃🙃🙃🙃🙃 For the military spouses that are employed, they're often underemployed. They're highly educated and yet unable to take advantage of the career opportunities they would otherwise be afforded. In addition to the immediate strain that unemployment has on the military family, The U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation found that the lack of two incomes creates considerable uncertainty related to retirement. How can we improve career prospects for military spouses? - Offer remote opportunities. If you hired them to be in-person and they're now moving, offer to adapt their role to be remote. - Offer to pay for recertification or relicensing to both current employees or new hires after a move (and update your job description to make it known before a candidate applies). - Offer PTO for PCS (permanent change of station aka moving). - Strive to understand the strain that deployments and difficult training schedules place on the family, and offer support around that. * FYI we usually never know what our next tour will be. I've moved 3 times in the last 5 years, but I have friends who have stayed in the same location for 10. If you're choosing not to hire a military spouse for fear that he/she might move, you are missing out. And most importantly, understand the value and unique skills that a military spouse brings to your organization. I guarantee what you pour into us, we will pour right back into you wholeheartedly. Happy Military Spouse Appreciation Day! I'm thankful for a team and leader who make hiring military spouses a priority. ❤️ #militaryspouses

While in D.C. a few of us decided to do a "Monuments by Moonlight" tour. Our first stop was the the memorial for Franklin D. Roosevelt at Tidal Bassin. As we walked through the eras of his presidency, this quote resonated with us, as our time in D.C. was being spent talking about military spouse employment. "No country, however rich, can afford the waste of its human resources. Demoralization caused by vast unemployment is our greatest extravagance. Morally, it is the greatest menace to our social order." - FDR, 1934 He continues, "(…) But as for this country, I stand or fall by my refusal to accept as a necessary condition of our future a permanent army of unemployed. On the contrary, we must make it a national principle that we will not tolerate a large army of unemployed and that we will arrange our national economy to end our present unemployment as soon as we can and then to take wise measures against its return. I do not want to think that it is the destiny of any American to remain permanently on relief rolls.” Military Spouses have been unemployed or underemployed consistently at 22% for at least a decade. More must be done across our country for these individuals where 36% hold at minimum a bachelor's degree. Things your organization CAN do: ▶️ Bring military spouses into your conversations ▶️ Set-up Hiring initiatives within your organization focused on recruiting and retaining military spouses (this is in addition OR separate from your veteran Hiring initiative) ▶️ Focus on THEIR knowledge, skills, and abilities rather than their spouses job and the amount of time they "might" live in your community ▶️ Lessen barriers to entry - military spouses are over 90% female - where females are known to self-eliminate more than their male counterparts ▶️ Offer flexible and remote working opportunities ▶️ Connect with your local Military Spouse Professional Network by Hiring Our Heroes Military Spouse Program ▶️ Join the 4+1 initiative by Blue Star Families & Hiring Our Heroes Military Spouses WANT to provide for their family in a financial way, however, many are not given the opportunity, for a number of reasons. I am proud to be serving alongside these individuals, working towards helping military spouses find meaningful employment: Liz Zagraniski, Tiffany Joe Kelley, Justina Ford, MHSC, Samantha Linder

The shortage of workers is a persistent issue in the US. Here's a creative solution: community hiring. By partnering with local organizations that support marginalized communities, companies can tap into a diverse talent pool that may not be using traditional employment platforms. For example, if veterans hold a special place in your life, explore community organizations that specialize in supporting veterans. #TalentAcquisition #Recruitment #Hiring #Veterans #Diversity https://lnkd.in/gGVmzuvq

There’s so much I could say for Military Spouse Appreciation Day. And there are countless military spouses I could recognize. But y’all are already saying all that stuff, so I'm just going to tell you about this one. People think of Lauren and me as partners-in-crime and I love that for us 👯♀️ But, there’s a substantial difference in our work. Lauren’s work—every hour of every day— is dedicated to creating opportunity for military spouses. — specifically #militaryspouses. That’s not an additional duty or a side-project. That is what she does. Without reprieve. And, my friends, it is extremely challenging work. Because of the nature of my role, I'm uniquely positioned to observe the contrast between creating opportunity in the veteran space and creating opportunity in the military spouse space. Let's not forget— no one is making companies hire military spouses. No one is really even incentivizing it. When you see a company working to hire military spouses, that’s a human thing. Peek behind the curtain and you're just going to see some high-integrity human leaders committed to doing something good. And, if you're lucky, you'll see someone like Lauren who executes on that commitment every single day. — in the trenches, fighting the battles, overcoming the obstacles, breaking down the barriers, getting knocked down, and doing it all over again. Inch by inch. Reflecting on where we are as a community today, I often say “it’s finally a good time to be a military spouse.” That’s because of people like Lauren. The good news is— the traits that make her who she is are OVERFLOWING in our community— grit, resilience, collaboration, adaptability, loyalty, calm in crisis, comfort in ambiguity, patience, perspective.... the list goes on. I am so grateful to be part of this community. And to do it out loud. Happy Military Spouse Appreciation Day to all. The work is totally worth it.

Yesterday I received a call from a Brigade Leadership team to collaborate with Chaplains on Military Spouse Resilience classes for spouses while their partners are on deployment. This is a call I have received many times, and has made me reflect on how my career path has transitioned over my 3 years working at Fort Cavazos. When I first got to this job, my day to day looked like riding out to ranges, squished in the back of military vehicles during the earliest hours of the morning. I was mostly working with Soldiers and trying to enhance their various performances, often coming home happily exhausted with a sore neck and shoulders from wearing helmets and IOTVs. All of that changed about a year and a half into my career when I got married to my husband, who is currently active duty in the Army. I found that once Unit Leadership heard about my Military Spouse status, they wanted me to bring my professional knowledge and new relatability factor to teach resilience skills to their Military Spouse population. This was a request I happily accepted, and one that truly opened my eyes to the struggles of being a Military Spouse. One of the classes that frequently gets requested of me is the workshop I designed based on the works of Kelly McGonigal, PhD, and her viewpoint of stress being good for you. In my workshop, I will often have Spouses list out their daily stressors. Some stressors are funny (pen explosions in the wash), some are very relatable to me as I go through my pregnancy (Tricare.), but one of the most common stressors across all Military Spouse groups I have worked with is unemployment. As a spouse who has been fortunate to have full-time employment while here at Fort Cavazos, I got curious as to the official employment rates of Active Duty Military Spouses. I found some research from the U.S. Government Accountability Office on the employment rates of Military Spouses (link to document below). The DOD did a survey for Active Duty Spouses and their current levels of employment and out of 540,000 civilian spouses surveyed, the results were as followed: 34% of spouses had full-time employment 16% of spouses had part-time work 36% of spouses weren’t looking for employment or could not due to school/childcare needs 14% of spouses were consistently looking for employment but remained unemployed A 14% unemployment rate of those who were actively seeking employment was an eye opening number, especially when the national average for the United States is 4%. It’s eye opening in the sense that I will soon be one of those Military Spouses actively seeking out employment as my husband and I prepare for a career of PCSing, TDY travel, housing waitlists, deployments, and all the other common stressors faced by Military Families. I am fortunate that I have the professional knowledge to help with mindset during times of transition and stress, and hope I can continue to bring that information to other Military Spouses as well. 

Military spouse employment is a great example of how we have to address issues at various levels, including the individual and the systemic. Careers encompass our work, learning and leisure activities. Everyone has a career and everyone's career is different. Individual career development support enables people to discover and understand their needs, values, interests and skills and the world of work, and how to use this information to make good career decisions. But our careers don't happen in isolation – far from it! The context in which individuals make career decisions matters very much. And for military spouses that context includes frequent moves (with little say in when and where), high caregiving loads and a career that may take a back seat to the serving member’s – all of which can cause issues with finding and sustaining good quality, meaningful employment. Military spouses can factor in the known and foreseeable challenges and opportunities associated with military life in their career decision making. At the same time, it's essential that barriers to meaningful and sustainable employment are removed wherever possible. Investing in a comprehensive career support ecosystem that tackles the issues at all levels and involves all stakeholders is essential.This isn't just important for spouses themselves (although there is a large and obvious financial and wellbeing benefit) but also to their families, the military, the communities in which they live, the economy and national security. #defencefamilies #militaryspouseemployment #unlockpotential #careerdevelopment

Pioneer Utility Resources empowers military spouses in the workforce. 🇺🇸 Based on her firsthand experience as a Space Force spouse, former Pioneer Vice-President Melissa Shaw, first brought the idea of military spouse-friendly HR policies to the cooperatively owned marketing agency. Pioneer began working to ensure many of its positions offer the flexibility and support that are crucial for career sustainability. Today, more than 15% of the agency's staff is either veterans or military spouses stationed around the world! Pioneer's commitment goes far beyond hiring; they provide a high-functioning, fully remote workspace easing the challenges of frequent relocations and career transitions. They also offer transferability, flexible work hours, and paid or permissive PCS leave. Pioneer offers twelve federal holidays - the average employee in the U.S. receives 6-7 paid holidays! They go above and beyond to support military spouse employment, recognizing that military spouses’ resilience, adaptability, and strong work ethic contribute significantly to Pioneer’s success and collaborative spirit. Thank you, Pioneer Utility Resources! Your ongoing support of Five & Thrive is invaluable in helping us connect with military leaders, families, and community partners to help military families thrive. Find out more about the 4+1 Commitment and learn how you can #DoYourPart: https://lnkd.in/guRKaC33 Hiring Our Heroes Blue Star Families #fiveandthrive #UtilityPioneers #4plus1Commitment #MilitarySpouseEmployment

The 2013 version of me in this photo had NO idea what the next decade held in store, but was graced with incredible military spouses in both my workplace and social circles. Military Spouses who showed me exactly how independent and resilient I would need to be to navigate this life. 🎉 Today is #MilitarySpouseAppreciationDay! 🎉 Growing up, I strived to one day build a career that afforded financial security and independence: I don’t remember once dreaming of a wedding. Becoming a Military Spouse – a 'dependent' – a few years after college graduation? That was not on the agenda, but partners like Phillip Wagner are rare. I quickly learned that to be a military spouse, is to be part of a community that demands adaptability, resilience and commitment. I’ve navigated this beautiful, unanticipated adventure using a compass comprised of two parts: 🏋♀️ The support of fellow military spouses who demonstrated not only a commitment to their spouse and their service, but ensured that newlywed-spouses like myself could see that I had a place among them. 💼 Meaningful employment. Financially contributing to my family’s goals, supporting causes I deeply believe in, and being valued by employers who understand my career trajectory. 🚨 Here's the bottom line: Military spouses are committed to their support of US servicemembers as they ensure U.S. national security, ensuring that homes and families continue to thrive in regardless of the mission or absence of a deployed servicemember. Yet, with unemployment and underemployment rates exceeding 20% and 30% (respectively), military spouses are not seen for the incredibly committed professionals that we are. As you celebrate Military Spouses today, please take a moment to consider these actionable ways to support our employment opportunities... and elevate your organization's talent in the process! ✅️ Learn about and sign the 4+1 Commitment https://lnkd.in/gF-S2NYf ✅️ Host a military spouse fellow and participate in a hiring event through Hiring Our Heroes https://lnkd.in/gvWk8TCi ✅️ Join the United States Department of Defense's Military Spouse Employment Partnership (MSEP) https://lnkd.in/gHqFxr6R and also become a host of the Military Spouse Career Accelerator Pilot(MSCAP) https://lnkd.in/g4_4ci6j ✅️ Mentor a military spouse through American Corporate Partners (ACP) https://lnkd.in/gAb47FjN ✅️ Join the Military Spouse Employment Summit virtually or in D.C. on May 22, 2024 https://lnkd.in/gaS8bGzT

🌟 Community Engagement: A Crucial Support System for Transitioning Service Members 🌟 Transitioning from military to civilian life is a monumental shift, one that demands not just skill adjustments, but a profound adaptation to a new environment. As a fellow transitioning service member, I've come to appreciate the incredible value of community engagement throughout this journey. 🤝 Building Connections: The power of networks cannot be overstated. Engaging with communities—whether it's veteran groups, industry-specific networks, or local support organizations—has been instrumental in easing this transition. These connections offer guidance, mentorship, and opportunities that bridge the gap between military expertise and civilian careers. 🔍 Access to Resources: Transitioning can feel like navigating uncharted waters. Engaging with communities provides access to resources, workshops, and invaluable insights shared by those who've successfully navigated similar journeys. These resources often prove to be the missing piece in our transition puzzle. 🧠 Learning and Growth: Embracing community engagement facilitates continuous learning. It allows us to tap into diverse perspectives, learn industry-specific insights, and acquire new skills necessary for thriving in civilian roles. 🌐 Impact and Support: Engaged communities offer more than just professional growth; they provide a sense of belonging and support. They understand the unique challenges we face and stand as a pillar of strength during the transition phase. 💬 Join the Conversation: If you're a transitioning service member, I encourage you to actively engage with communities both within and outside the military sphere. Share your experiences, seek guidance, and contribute your insights. Together, we can create a robust support system that propels us toward fulfilling civilian careers. 👥 Let's Connect: I'm dedicated to fostering connections and sharing insights with fellow transitioning service members. Feel free to connect with me to exchange experiences, discuss strategies, or explore opportunities together. Remember, our community engagement doesn’t just benefit us individually; it strengthens the collective fabric of transitioning service members, ensuring a smoother and more fulfilling transition into civilian life. #transitioningmilitary #communityengagement #veteranssupport #careertransition #supportsystem

We hire veterans (and so can you!) Do you want to hire veterans? Here are a couple tips for how you can increase your veteran hiring and unlock a talent pool of hardworking, professional candidates. -- 1) Consider transferrable skills. Military resumes may look different than civilian ones, but relevant skills are still there! Check out the military crosswalk tool to help you translate military skills to civilian ones and ask veterans during the interview about they did day-to-day in the military. https://lnkd.in/gxgG3mAt 2) Find local veteran employment partners. We work closely with Texas Veterans Commission and their employment representatives are part of a nationwide network of veteran advocates. Shout out to some of our local contacts Carlton Robinson, Jessica Buerger, Paul Julio, Phillip Caldwell, Keith Callands. You can also tap into a nationwide network such as U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, shout out to Diane Tu. These great people send us veteran job seekers every day. 3) Attend veteran hiring events. We attend many free veteran hiring events every year. If you're just getting started, I recommend looking into the statewide "Red White and You" held in November. (https://lnkd.in/ga4ta-b6) 4) Find an internal champion. It kills me that Erich Butler wasn't able to attend this event. He's worked hard here at Peak to educate and inspire our staff to hire more veterans. Seek out an internal staff member like Erich who can talk about the unique lived experience of veterans as well as the unique employment barriers they face. 5) Be disability-friendly. Many veterans have acquired a disability as a result of service to their country. Whether they're missing a leg or managing PTSD, we can thank them for their service by making our workplaces more disability-friendly, accessible, and open to accommodations. -- Did you know there is a statewide award for employers who employ at least 10% veterans? (https://lnkd.in/gFzBqBrz) I'm proud to be pictured here with Cruz Montemayor Sr., M.A. as well as Casey Wade, Isaac Marquez-Diaz, and Joe Esparza receiving the award on behalf of Peak Performers for hiring 14% veterans. We hire vets and so can you! #Veteran #PeakPerformers #Disability #Hiring #WeHireVets