The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs has announced that it will seek to expand employment opportunities for military spouses across the department as part of the Department of Defense (DOD) Military Spouse Employment Partnership (MSEP) program.
Military spouses will be connected to more than 390 affiliated employers who have committed to hiring military spouses in portable jobs, according to a statement from the VA.
“MSEP is part of DOD’s broader Spouse Education and Career Opportunities (SECO) program which seeks to reduce the 24% unemployment rate experienced by military spouses and 25% wage gap experienced by military wives,” the statement reads. “SECO provides education and career guidance to military spouses worldwide and offers free, comprehensive resources and tools related to career exploration to include education, training and licensing, employment readiness and career connections.”
Wilkie said in the statement that it was important to focus on hiring and retaining military spouses because it improves the quality of life and financial stability of military families, which in turn boosts the readiness and retention of military forces.
