Military Birth Resource Network and Postpartum Coalition’s Post

❗ ❗ ➡️ "For the seventh consecutive year, spouse employment remains the top concern for active-duty spouse respondents" ⬅️ ❗ ❗ This statement, from the attached Forbes article, will come as no surprise to any military spouse. The incredible Blue Star Families have released the results of their Military Family Lifestyle Survey, and in this article, Forbes has highlighted some of the key findings in BSF's latest survey. They have even highlighted the incredible work American Corporate Partners (ACP) does, bringing free, year-long mentorships to not only veterans, but military spouses too. If you're interested in what a free, year-long mentorship can do for you and your next career, I'll drop the link in the comments! With underemployment such a rampant issue in our community, lets work together to change that! #militaryspouses #ACP #mentorship

Military families are the backbone of our national security, but many face challenges like employment gaps, housing costs, and food insecurity. #BlueStarFamilies is addressing these issues head-on through initiatives like the DEPLOY Fellows program and partnerships with organizations like American Corporate Partners (ACP), offering crucial mentorship and employment support for military spouses and Veterans. Supporting military families helps strengthen recruitment and retention — and keeps our nation strong. How is your business making a difference? Read more: https://bit.ly/3NjVzOI

Worklife issues have become a matter of national security now… there are employers who get it, and then there are those who will. 🌟 “Military families steer the younger generation away from service in part because of quality-of-life issues, including persistent problems with spousal employment, pay and housing. Time away from family is also one of the main factors that contribute to the growing dissatisfaction with the military service, indicating that active-duty service members and their spouses are finding it challenging to balance work and family..” #military #nationalsecurity #organizationalculture #workplacetransformation #worklife #qualityoflife #militaryreadiness #worklifebalance #militaryspouses #futureofwork #culturaltransformation

For employers of Military-Affiliated members here are some good things to consider. "For the safety and security of their loved ones, there are many instances when specific details are unable to be shared, such as a military member’s location during deployment, their date of return, or even aspects of their job. Also, be #mindful that certain topics may be emotionally sensitive to discuss, such as the loss of a friend or family member during service, navigating a loved one’s battle with #PTSD, and other hardships. Allow your #MilitaryAffiliated employees to guide the conversation, and respect when they prefer not to discuss certain parts of their military life." Read more in the link below. #MilLife #MilitaryFamily #MilitarySpouse #EqualOpportunityEmployeer #EEOC #Inclusion #CultureOfCare

𝙊𝙘𝙩𝙤𝙗𝙚𝙧 𝙞𝙨 𝙈𝙞𝙡𝙞𝙩𝙖𝙧𝙮 𝙁𝙖𝙢𝙞𝙡𝙞𝙚𝙨 𝙎𝙪𝙥𝙥𝙤𝙧𝙩 𝙈𝙤𝙣𝙩𝙝 #StressRelief Peak Mind's Founder comes from a long line of military family and is part of the core reason we aim to support first responders and the armed services. https://lnkd.in/gmXJtaSb Highlights from the article above: "It is important to take time to recognize the sacrifices that military families have made. It’s also an opportunity for companies to consider how they can better support military families in the workplace. For instance, the military spouse population has had an unemployment rate of 22% over the past decade, reflecting the challenges of frequent moves across the country. By comparison, the overall unemployment rate measured between 3% and 15% over the same time period. Also, 90% of military spouses agree that their careers have suffered negative impacts due to the military. Here are several other data points to note: 𝘛𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘦 𝘢𝘳𝘦 𝘢𝘣𝘰𝘶𝘵 1 𝘮𝘪𝘭𝘭𝘪𝘰𝘯 𝘮𝘪𝘭𝘪𝘵𝘢𝘳𝘺 𝘴𝘱𝘰𝘶𝘴𝘦𝘴, 𝘢𝘮𝘰𝘯𝘨 𝘸𝘩𝘪𝘤𝘩 87% 𝘢𝘳𝘦 𝘧𝘦𝘮𝘢𝘭𝘦. 𝘍𝘰𝘳𝘵𝘺-𝘯𝘪𝘯𝘦 𝘱𝘦𝘳𝘤𝘦𝘯𝘵 𝘰𝘧 𝘮𝘪𝘭𝘪𝘵𝘢𝘳𝘺 𝘴𝘱𝘰𝘶𝘴𝘦𝘴 𝘩𝘢𝘷𝘦 𝘢𝘵 𝘭𝘦𝘢𝘴𝘵 𝘢 𝘣𝘢𝘤𝘩𝘦𝘭𝘰𝘳’𝘴 𝘥𝘦𝘨𝘳𝘦𝘦, 𝘤𝘰𝘮𝘱𝘢𝘳𝘦𝘥 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 37.9% 𝘰𝘧 𝘢𝘭𝘭 𝘢𝘥𝘶𝘭𝘵𝘴 𝘪𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘜.𝘚., 𝘢𝘨𝘦 25 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘰𝘭𝘥𝘦𝘳.𝘈 2021 𝘴𝘶𝘳𝘷𝘦𝘺 𝘧𝘰𝘶𝘯𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵, 𝘵𝘩𝘳𝘰𝘶𝘨𝘩𝘰𝘶𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘱𝘳𝘦𝘷𝘪𝘰𝘶𝘴 12 𝘮𝘰𝘯𝘵𝘩𝘴, 28% 𝘰𝘧 𝘮𝘪𝘭𝘪𝘵𝘢𝘳𝘺 𝘧𝘢𝘮𝘪𝘭𝘪𝘦𝘴 𝘩𝘢𝘥 𝘢 𝘱𝘦𝘳𝘮𝘢𝘯𝘦𝘯𝘵 𝘤𝘩𝘢𝘯𝘨𝘦 𝘰𝘧 𝘴𝘵𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯 (𝘗𝘊𝘚) 𝘮𝘰𝘷𝘦, 𝘢𝘯𝘥 74% 𝘩𝘢𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘪𝘳 𝘴𝘱𝘰𝘶𝘴𝘦 𝘥𝘦𝘱𝘭𝘰𝘺𝘦𝘥 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘮𝘰𝘳𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘯 30 𝘥𝘢𝘺𝘴. 𝘍𝘪𝘯𝘥𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘦𝘮𝘱𝘭𝘰𝘺𝘮𝘦𝘯𝘵 𝘳𝘢𝘯𝘬𝘴 𝘢𝘴 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘯𝘶𝘮𝘣𝘦𝘳 𝘰𝘯𝘦 𝘪𝘴𝘴𝘶𝘦 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘴𝘱𝘰𝘶𝘴𝘦𝘴 𝘢𝘧𝘵𝘦𝘳 𝘢 𝘗𝘊𝘚 𝘮𝘰𝘷𝘦." If you can, reach out to support someone who might be in a valley of despair or struggling with this. #mentalwellbeing #mentalhealthmatters #stressrelief #Veterans #MilLife #VetFamily #PeakAtWork #BeWellAtWork #BeWellAtWorkBook

Not everyone who separates or retires from the military will land a job right away. This is 100 percent OK. It sucks, yes...but it does NOT mean that you're "failing" in any way. Some AFSC's/MOS's/Ratings are very difficult to translate into civilian lingo. This sh#$ is hard! ESPECIALLY if you try to job-hunt solo. If this is you, or if you know someone who is struggling, that has recently separated or retired please share this with them. How it works: Benefits are accessed through state workforce agencies. Each state agency is reimbursed (dollar for dollar) by each branch of service. Retirees won't receive as much as those who separate. Your VA disability is not a factor! That's as far as I am going to go because the unemployment compensation for ex-service members, or #UCX can be extremely complicated. I don't like complicated. All you need to do is understand that you are indeed a badaas and to schedule an appointment with your local state workforce agency. The experts at these locations are ready to help you! More info about this program and how to find your local state work force agency below: https://lnkd.in/gUQpVEZ6 #unemploymentcompensationsmikitary #veteranunemployment #UCXprogram #transitioningmilitary

The transition from military to civilian life is a significant event, not just for the member but the whole family. In our latest blog: Beyond the Uniform: Navigating the Shift of Family Transition, we look at: 👉Benefits and challenges of transition for families 👉DFA's advocacy for families in transition 👉Key research 👉Available support We also have a linked blog coming soon, which details many of the resources and supports available to families during the transition process. Read the full blog at https://lnkd.in/g6qcfbw8 💻Does your family have a transition experience you'd like to share with us? Email advocacy@dfa.org.au

Last week, Samuel T. Reddy was able to speak with Minister Alistair Carns, Minister for Veterans and People, on the reform needed so Commonwealth and overseas troops can become more economically inclusive in Britain after giving their service. His first impression when handed him a copy of my new book OP: BELONGING - When Did Britain Stop Seeing Us as a Band of Brothers? was, 'I really like it. You guys served equally, just like me'. We look forward to working closely with the team and engaging in those difficult and much-needed constructive conversations on how everyone who served the crown can be less discriminated against when it comes to career transition. When a Commonwealth or overseas personnel give their service to Britain, it is an act of servitude that comes with a responsibility for both parties and if not respected, can solve in the lack of trust in the system for many generations. Career transition and integration into British society are vital responsibilities. Understanding each individual's background is essential to support Commonwealth and Overseas service leavers effectively. Over the next three months, Op Belonging will focus on helping organisations recognise the cultural backgrounds of these individuals, shaped by their ethnicities and military experiences. A key principle is that a service member's background significantly influences their career transition. Integration is not uniform; it requires a personalised approach, emphasising individual experiences and community connections. If you're curious about the complexities faced by Commonwealth and Overseas troops and veterans in Britain, wehighly recommend reading "OP: BELONGING." ' I wrote it not just for others but to help myself understand these challenges as a Commonwealth citizen in the UK. It's important for me to grasp these issues so I can explain them to my daughters and the many first-generation children growing up here'. Samuel T. Reddy For more details about OP:BELONGING, and being part of our mission to 'Build Bridges and Foster Belonging' visit: www.opbelonging.com or contact us. #OPBELONGING #Commonwealth #Gurkha #belong #integration #CareerGrowth #careertransition #military #veterans #militarywives #leaverstoleaders

As Jennifer says in this article, there is a nuance to this conversation. Even with so many changes and opportunities opening for military spouse employment, it is still far from being perfect. Unlike our civilian counterparts, military spouses are more often faced with tough decisions regarding employment and careers. Twenty years ago I had to walk away from a great and growing career in order to make our military lifestyle work. In the years since, I’ve struggled to get back to the professional level I was at. I’ve turned down “jobs” that would’ve either been just busy work or a paycheck too small to make the sacrifices worth it. Here we are in 2024 still having this conversation. Retention issues? Recruitment issues? Let’s make sure spouse employment continues to be part of that conversation. #militaryspouse