New employment opportunities available to military spouses Published July 14, 2010 By Airman 1st Class Alessandra N. Hurley 28th Bomb Wing Public Affairs ELLSWORTH AIR FORCE BASE, S.D. -- Most military spouses know all too well that when it comes to employment, a new move can mean not only new opportunities but new challenges, as well. Fortunately, there are agencies in place to help minimize the anxiety caused by these new challenges. The Airmen and Family Readiness Center is one such agency ready to help make the adjustment smoother by providing a network of connections and announcing job openings. "One of our eight missions is to support military spouses as they move from base to base by circumventing the time it takes to rebuild networks and connections by supplying those networks and connections," said Dr. Mark Kjellerson, 28th Force Support Squadron, AFRC chief. One of the ways this is accomplished is through mini-employment fairs which take place twice a month on Thursday afternoons at the AFRC. The fairs are free, with no prior registration required, and are open to both military spouses and active duty servicemembers preparing for separation. "About five to ten employers as well as several field representatives from different colleges and universities attend the fair and are happy to accept applications, answer questions about resumes and offer feedback about interviews," said Dr. Kjellerson. The fairs usually last a few hours and offer benefits for all participants. "The employers find qualified employees and military spouses gain experience and find out about career opportunities in the local area. It's a win-win for everyone." In addition to the mini-employment fairs, the AFRC can also help spouses find a specific job, such as in teaching and nursing, by letting them know when a job opening becomes available in one of these fields. "The challenge [for military spouses] is typically finding work in what they went to school [for] and are trained to do, such as many health professions or as a teacher, because of states [not] recognizing out-of-state licenses," said Jacline L. Harriman, the Department of Defense State Liaison Office western region liaison - .who works in support of the USA4 Military Families Initiative through the DSLO "I'm involved in working state policy to help improve portability of professional licenses." Ms. Harriman is just one example of someone who is working in support of military spouses by making state licenses mobile. Some other examples of support for military spouses include Military.com and National Military Family Association.org. "The DoD and Air Force have started an initiative to recognize the importance for maintaining quality of life for two-income families by helping spouses find employment as fast as possible," said Dr. Kjellerson. As a result of this DoD and Air Force initiative, employment assistance for military spouses is never more than a mouse-click or phone call away.