Military Spouse Appreciation Day
Behind many of our honored soldiers are dedicated spouses who sacrifice time, effort, holiday celebrations, and so much more to support their troops. Military Spouse Appreciation Day is about remembering and honoring those who make us stronger. Sometimes we take those we love most for granted. Think of your spouse and all that they sacrifice in the name of family. Today is the day to take some time and reflect on all the things you appreciate about your spouse. Today show your spouse your support, gratitude, and love.
You might be a military spouse if . . .
- You’re getting ready for your next PCS move again.
- No holiday is better than a homecoming.
- Prepping dress uniforms is no problem.
- Your garage is full of unpacked boxes from three moves ago.
- Each of your kids was born in a different state.
Sound familiar? Military spouses share even more similarities with each other, and these (frustrating, funny, sad, and even stress-inducing) experiences tend to bring friends together who can lean on one another through tough times because each understands what the other is going through.
Giving Up One Dream for Something Better
Military spouses don’t have to give up on their dreams. But their dreams do often change drastically. Careers become difficult to develop when you move at least every couple of years—usually more. In fact, the unemployment rate for the spouses of military members is much higher than the national average.
Nowadays, it’s usually necessary to have two working parents in the home, but again, it’s difficult to find success in job hunting if your resume has large gaps in it and you never work in once place for very long. This is the nature of military family life! Because of this, spouses tend to settle more frequently in their work lives—perhaps choosing a job simply because of its hours and pay rather than because it fulfills any sort of life dream.
Many spouses find they pass on a career entirely for something just as fulfilling: being a stay-at-home parent. Being a military spouse and parent is its own full-time position. It means you are the manager of every PCS move—no small feat! It means you are the sole commander of your children’s lives for large chunks of the year. And it means you are the problem-solver for every burst pipe, blown fuse, and burned dinner.
Of course, none of this means a military spouse can’t have a career. Many do. In fact, there are several helps offered through military programs that give these spouses an extra boost to still pursue lifetime careers.
Don’t Give Up on Textbooks Yet
Having a husband or wife in the military doesn’t mean you have to put your education on hold either or that you can’t go any further in the academic world. Most people are aware of the education benefits available to service members, but there are actually several benefits available for their spouses as well. These can affordably get you through those school doors.
- MyCAA, or My Career Advancement Account, gives you $4,000 towards getting an associate’s degree or a professional certification.
- Education benefits are offered by the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to spouses and survivors.
- SECO, or the Spouse Education and Career Opportunities program, gives you a lot of resources for degree planning. This program is offered through the Department of Defense.
- Getting a memorial scholarship through the VA is another option, though there are many other scholarships available. Look around for a scholarship that could benefit you most.
Giving Back
At Low VA Rates, we truly respect the husbands and wives of those who serve. It takes so much dedication and frequent heartbreak to say goodbye to the one you love over and over again. The military spouses in the country serve the U.S. in their own ways. We at Low VA Rates give back to these incredible people in whatever way we can–through home loans and even our own donation program that was set up a few years ago. If you’d like to know more about what we do for our troops or to learn more about the family members of those who serve, contact us 855-223-0705.
Thanks again for visiting our blog and have a wonderful Military spouse appreciation day!
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