Military Service and Family Life

Military spouses continue to face persistent unemployment and underemployment despite being highly educated, skilled, and motivated to work. This blog explores the latest research, the growing recognition of spouse employment as a readiness issue, and how service providers can better support military spouses through informed, strategic action.

Some purchases are considered “big ticket,” meaning they cost more than a single paycheck. According to the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (2025), service members often borrow more, put less down, pay higher APRs, and take longer loan terms than the general population. Explore ten tips to guide service members through the car-buying process.

This post-webinar recap highlights a recent session focused on expanding global talent by improving employment opportunities for foreign-born and OCONUS military spouses. Participants—including service providers, career counselors, and community leaders—examined the unique challenges these spouses encounter and explored practical, locally informed strategies to address them. The discussion emphasized how strong partnerships and accessible resources are essential to helping spouses build meaningful, sustainable careers.

Amid the day-to-day demands of military service and family life, estate planning can easily fall off the radar. But taking time to plan now can prevent unnecessary stress later and give families the confidence that their wishes will be honored, even in unexpected situations.

Military spouses stationed overseas or navigating life in a new country face complex, often overlooked employment barriers. With the proper tools, strong partnerships, and effective programming, we can turn these trends around and create clear pathways to career success for every military spouse. Seize this chance to play a role in creating meaningful change.

Frequent relocations, limited access to childcare, and job inflexibility continue to make stable employment elusive for military spouses, impacting not just individuals but the resilience of entire families. New state policy initiatives from the Defense State Liaison Office (DSLO) aim to ease these burdens. Just as crucial are support systems for military-connected youth, like the 4-H Military Partnership, which empowers military youth with life skills and stability amidst constant change. Together, these efforts signal a growing commitment to the well-being and readiness of military families nationwide.

[M]ilitary youth who live on base go to school with other youth who are also military-connected, making them inevitably able to relate to each other and understand many of each other’s unique experiences. For military families who live off base, it can sometimes be harder for youth to connect, due to a lack of access to military community members (Kaeppler & Lucier-Greer, 2020; O’Neal et al., 2022). 

Military families may experience unique challenges and transitions that deeply influence their day-to-day lives, and these experiences often shape how military-connected youth engage with their communities (Belin, 2025). For Extension professionals and other providers working in youth development, having an understanding of military culture is important for designing and implementing programs that are responsive and impactful.

Family caregivers remain an essential piece of the U.S. healthcare system, providing unpaid support to loved ones while juggling personal, financial, and professional responsibilities. According to Caregiving in the U.S., 2025, nearly 63 million Americans, about one in four adults, now serve as caregivers, marking a 45% increase since 2015 (AARP & NAC, 2025).

Data from the 2024 Active-Duty Spouse Survey reveal a complex picture of progress and persistent barriers for military families. While more spouses are joining the labor force, high unemployment and underemployment remain, worsened by frequent PCS moves and limited access to affordable childcare. These challenges underscore a critical truth: supporting military spouses isn’t just a family issue—it’s a force readiness imperative.