13. There is a greater emphasis on empowering military spouses to fulfill THEIR OWN goals and dreams, in addition to supporting the career of their service member.
14. The internet has also made the PCS process easier. We are able to research schools, connect with a new community, and plan for the next chapter of our lives… all from our computers or smart phones.
15. We’ve opened a dialogue between civilian and military channels, helping to facilitate a better understanding of military life.
16. Technology is not without faults. Sometimes social media is so convenient, we no longer feel the need to attend events and make a human connection in person.
17. There has been a big upswing in understanding the challenges of milspouse employment. Thanks to improvements in licensing, many milspouses can take jobs with them during a PCS or have a better chance at finding new employment. We still have a long way to go, but progress HAS been made.
18. Military Spouse Residency Relief Act: The MSRRA, which became effective in 2009, provides clarification and protections for military spouses with regard to residency, voting, and taxation.
19. The word “Dependa”. This is one of those not-so-positive things that has changed, as the term wasn’t used frequently until a few short years ago. Used to describe a stereotypical, overweight, lazy military spouse, it is a change we wish would go away already. The majority of spouses are actually some pretty amazing folks! ”
20. More emphasis and support is now given to caregivers. Unfortunately, due to over a decade of war, we have a larger number of spouses who are in this role. We are doing a better job of supporting them. There is still much to be done in this area.
21. We have our very own magazine! For information on how to subscribe, click here!
22. The Military Spouse of the Year award recognizes military spouses’ important contributions and unwavering commitment to the military community and our country. This award program has been an important part of giving our community a voice.
23. When it comes to both education and career concerns, much has been done to help spouses achieve their goals, despite the challenges of military life. Check out this list of Spouse Education and Career Resources.
24. Military spouses have seen many improvements in how military life affects our children, especially those who had previously struggled with issues concerning transferring to different schools due to a PCS.
