Working Around The Military Challenges To Military Spouse Employment And Education

Many characteristics of U.S. military life are well known-deployments, frequent relocation, long and unpredictable work schedules, and so on. But these factors also restrict the ability of service members' spouses to pursue their own employment or educational interests. Why, for example, are military spouses being paid less than their civilian counterparts, even when all other observable factors between the two groups, such as educational level, are equal? The authors quantify the differences between military spouses and their civilian counterparts, and explore the reasons for these differences. Based on interviews with more than 1,100 military spouses, their discussions provide an understanding of military spouses' jobs, motivations for working, and general perceptions and struggles with the military lifestyle in relation to career and education. In the long run, the authors' recommendations for improving the quality-of-life issues for service members and spouses may help the Department of Defense retain the qualified personnel it needs. This volume should interest policymakers and staff responsible for family issues in the military services, as well as academics and specialists interested in gender studies.Harrell, Margaret is the author of 'Working Around The Military Challenges To Military Spouse Employment And Education', published 2003 under ISBN 9780833036568 and ISBN 0833036564.