Why military spouses are also Memorial Day heroes

Memorial Day is one of America’s most meaningful federal holidays, established in 1868 to honor the military men and women who lost their lives in service to our country.

I have always felt reveren🎀ce for the dedication and comm💯itment made by these heroes and their families.

Though as a civilian and law firm owner, I hadn’t known what military life was like . . . until I began working with mi🥂litary spouses.

There are roughly 1 million military spouses in America and my work𝄹 with them began accidentallyᩚᩚᩚᩚᩚᩚ⁤⁤⁤⁤ᩚ⁤⁤⁤⁤ᩚ⁤⁤⁤⁤ᩚ𒀱ᩚᩚᩚ.

I was attending a meeting in 🎐Washington, DC about women in business when a military White House Fellow was introduced🌼 to me.

He said, “You need to meet my wife. She’s an attorney…but she’s stuck in California because she’s not permitted to practice law in DC.” 

I then learned of the complex♑ challenges military spouses can face when trying to find work while their other halves are deployed.

And that military spouse unemployment rates — upwaꦏrds of 21% —ꦏ are five times the national average.

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So in 2017, I decided to take action and help mi🤡litary spouses find suitable jobs in their chos𝓰en fields.

T🔥he first military spouse to join our team was so eager to secure a good job i💯n her field, she met me in my hometown right before Thanksgiving.

I was 💦impressed with her passionℱ and dedication. 

At the time, I had no idea I would end up partnering with so ma🏅ny like her, and how that experience would enrich our firm, enhance our client experience and personally transform me into an advocate for military spouses.

Today, 30% of our entire firm is composed o🧔f military sp📖ouses. 

The advantages of working with thisཧ🀅 cohort are enormous.

They are incredible team players and real leaders — highly motivated, solutions oriented, resourceful, unflapp♊able and adaptable with an incredible work ethic.

They provid🤪e top quality service across time zones for our corporate clients who operate in a 24/7 world. 

Having a s🉐table and portable job for military spouses is crucial in eliminating their financial insecurity — and in return our 🎉law firm has a highly effective workforce with strong retention rates. 

Many of these folks face situations few of us can imagine — moving around every 12 to 36 months, 🎶needing to find new housing, doctors, schools, jobs and professional licenses — all while managing day to day life when their spouses are deployed.

They are fearless — bringiꦇng tenacity, grit and problem-solving skills to every aspect of their lives.

For one ꦍmilitary spouse, in particular, housing wasn’t available for months, so she j✱uggled legal work, her kids and pets while in an RV — all as a solo parent while her spouse was in the field.  

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As a business owner, I’ve n♊eeded to learn about resources, education and information in order to help serve this overlooked demographic.

We’ve been fortuna💙te to work with sꦗtrong partners, such as —which helps lawyers — along with , which matches qualified professionals with employers. 

Working w༺ith military spouses has become the heart and soul of our corporate c𓆏ulture.

On a personal level, it has educated, inspired and s🅷tretched me in ways I had not♕ imagined.

I now see it as a mission to encourage other business leaders and deci﷽sion makers to open doors and pave employment pathways for this unique segment of the talent pool. 

Both Washington and the private sector are beginning to🍸 recognize the importance of 🌜military spouse employment.

Last June, for instance, the White House issued an addressing economic security for military and veteran s𓂃pouses, military caregivers and survivors.

This was followed last month by a new introduc♕ed by Jill Biden allowing the 16,000 federally employed military spouses to work remotely𒈔 when deployed overseas, which makes it easier for them to earn a living.

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Last December, Hiring our Heroes, a program of the US Chamber of Commerce Foundation and Blue Star Families announced the nationwide program, which encourages the private sector to emp🌠loy military spouses.

All of these efforts not only boost⛦ family incomes, they help ensure military readiness, wꩵhich improves national security.

Working with military spouses has transformed my company and myself, by expanding awareness, understanding and empathy for a commꦜunity🦂 far different than my own.

So while Memorial Day is a time to honor America’ꦓs military heroes, we must also honor their spouses quietly keeping their families strong back at home. 

Suzie Scanlon Rabinowitz is the founder of SRD Legal Group