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The recent federal hiring freeze, put in place by President Donald Trump on his first day in office, has made it even harder for military spouses to find and keep jobs.
Notably, while veterans are exempt from this hiring freeze, military spouses are not.
The message is loud and clear: We don't matter.
This policy exacerbates the already high unemployment rate among military spouses, which stands at 21%, and undermines previous efforts to support our employment within the federal workforce. The lack of exemption for military spouses not only disregards their unique challenges but also threatens the financial stability of military families and, by extension, the readiness and retention of our armed forces.
Never mind that supporting military spouses isn't just good policy; it's a national security issue.
When military spouses can't find work, it puts financial strain on families, increases mental health challenges and forces service members to reconsider their military careers.
And yet, here we are, exemptions for veterans, nothing for spouses.
Historically, the federal government offered a rare opportunity for spouses who can struggle to find acceptance from other employers.
In particular, military spouses were told, "Work for the Department of Defense. We understand your challenges. We will support you."
So we did.
We followed the advice. We pursued federal careers, believing that this was the one place where our sacrifices would be recognized, where our careers wouldn't have to take a backseat to military life.
And for a moment, it felt like we had found a way forward.
Remote work and the Domestic Employees Teleworking Overseas (DETO) program gave us a path to stability -- a way to keep a career despite frequent relocations. These policies allowed us to keep our jobs when the military moved us, maintaining job stability and career progression while avoiding the cycle of unemployment and underemployment. It's why I began working for the Defense Department after a career in education and experiencing the struggles of maintaining a career outside of government.
A Career Sabotaged
For more than two decades, I guided students, shaped young minds and dreamed of taking the next step, becoming a school administrator. I was so close.
I never wanted to leave the classroom.
I had a plan. I was set to transfer to a new district, enter an Aspiring Administrators program and apply to a doctoral program. I could finally see it, a future where I wasn't just following my husband's career but growing my own.
Then, the orders came.
And just like that, everything I had worked for was gone.
This is the reality of military spouse life: Your career is never fully yours. It exists in the gaps between duty stations, deployments and unexpected moves. And no matter how hard you work, it can all disappear with one set of orders.
A few years after I lost my shot at becoming an administrator, I saw another opportunity, a job opening for an assistant principal position.
I met every single qualification and made it onto the referral list. That should have meant an interview.
But when I reached out, my principal told me, "I have no say in who I interview."
And then, the real gut punch:
"Why did you apply if you're leaving anyway?"
We didn't even have military orders at the time, but it didn't matter. The assumption was made for me: I wasn't worth investing in.
I wasn't even given a chance to compete.
Let's be clear, I don't want special treatment. I don't want handouts.
I just want the opportunity to show what I can do. I want to stop proving myself over and over again, just to be pushed aside.
After leaving education, I transitioned into federal service because I believed what I had been told: that DoD would support military spouses. And for the first time in years, I felt hope -- a path forward where I wasn't constantly starting over.
These policies gave me hope, a path forward where I wasn't constantly starting over.
And now? Even those options are at risk.
Federal workplace policies have been in constant flux, shifting from widespread telework during the COVID-19 pandemic to a full-scale rollback in 2025.
Telework has existed in the federal government at least since 2010, and over the years, departments and agencies have successfully created telework programs, proving that productivity and performance do not require a traditional office setting.
Despite this long-standing precedent, in January 2025, an executive order mandated federal employees return to in-person work, significantly restricting telework and limiting agencies' ability to approve full-time remote positions.
For most federal employees, this means a forced return to the office, even for those who had successfully worked remotely for years. However, military spouses are technically exempt from the return-to-office mandate, as many rely on full-time remote work through the Domestic Employees Teleworking Overseas (DETO) program or other federal employment options that allow them to work from home.
But while military spouses may be exempt on paper, the instability surrounding constantly shifting federal telework and remote work policies creates significant challenges. For military spouses, full-time remote work isn't a perk; it's a necessity. Frequent relocations mean that without consistent remote work policies, many spouses are forced to leave their jobs entirely. If agencies reduce or eliminate remote positions, military spouses will once again be left without viable career options.
The uncertainty surrounding these policy changes reinforces the already high unemployment and underemployment rates among military spouses, making career continuity nearly impossible. While federal agencies demand employees return to the office, military spouses are left in career limbo, again, wondering whether the government truly understands or values their contributions.
I'm tired of starting over.
I'm tired of watching my husband's career thrive while mine crumbles.
I'm tired of being told that my contributions don't matter.
Enough is enough.
I Don't Want Special Treatment. I Just Want to Work.
The reality is, this isn't just about jobs; it's about the financial stability of military families and the strength of our force.
By limiting employment opportunities for military spouses, the government is removing up to 50% of a service member's household income -- an income that military families depend on to pay rent, afford child care and build a future.
A financially unstable force is a weaker force. A distracted service member, worried about making ends meet at home, isn't fully mission ready. Military retention and readiness are at stake when families are forced into financial hardship.
If policymakers truly care about strengthening our military and preserving its lethality, they must recognize that a strong force starts with strong families. And strong families require economic stability.
We are not asking for favors.
Because when military spouses are left behind, our entire military is weakened.
This is no longer just about fairness. It's about national security.
