Biggest Misconceptions about Military Spouses
Military families face a lot of hardships in their everyday lives which other households might be unaware of. Military professionals often find themselves away for months, leaving much of the family duties and responsibilities on the spouse who’s left behind. While milspouses may overcome challenges courageously on a regular basis and are often seen breaking stereotypes, a lot of people remain oblivious on just how hard life can be for military families. This article will look to debunk some of the biggest misconceptions about military spouses.
They Are Solely Dependent on Their Spouse’s Salary
One of the biggest misconceptions people have about military spouses is that they are dependent on their spouse to fulfill their expenses. Reality couldn’t be further from this statement. Military spouses belong to all walks of life and occupations – constituting a diverse community. There are a variety of professions and occupations for military spouses. Military spouses consist of business professionals, entrepreneurs, doctors, lawyers, scientists, educators, and even programmers! Marrying a military person has little to do with the ability and profession of their significant other. Contrary to the stay-at-home mom/dad stereotype, military spouses contribute to society in more ways than one.
All Military Spouses Are Women
The notion that all military spouses are women is disrespectful to the brave women that serve in the armed forces, as well as to their partners that ably look after the household in their absence. Just like Military is not limited to one ethnicity or race, neither is it limited to only one gender. Claiming all military spouses are women is one of the biggest misconceptions about military spouses. Women constitute a significant chunk of our military forces, and that leaves behind male spouses who are left to cater to household chores, children, and their own respective careers. The military also employs a vast number of LGBT soldiers. Gay couples also leave behind their partners, and they can be either male or female.
Military Spouses Can’t Hold Steady Jobs
Military couples face situations where the soldier has to change residence or is dispatched to a faraway area. Military families are on the road for a large part of their lives. This has led people to believe that because of such an on-the-go lifestyle it is unlikely for employers to hire military spouses. This perception is totally wrong. According to a Gallup Survey, 35 percent of newly employed civilians will switch jobs in under three years. In sharp contrast, military spouses, on average, spend more than three years at with employer. Accustomed to challenges, military spouses prove to be more loyal, hardworking, and more adept at multitasking than regular employees.
The Military Provides a Luxurious Lifestyle for Military Spouses
There is a common perception among the masses that the military provides a lavish lifestyle for the families of soldiers on duty. However, this is a false perception. The steep rise in the cost of living has made it very difficult to sustain a family on a single income. To meet the needs of the family, military spouses need to work hard. In fact, the majority of the military families are middle-class. Approximately 25 percent of military families need food assistance which ends any conversation about lavish lifestyles.
Military Spouses Don’t Want To Work
One notion that plagues people minds is that military spouses don’t want to work. This is one of the biggest misconceptions about military spouses that they are lazy and do not want to work. This is yet another example of negative stereotyping as facts say otherwise. Though government efforts to offer scholarships to military spouses has led to employment, there still is a disparity. According to research, 90 percent of military spouses are underemployed based on their experiences. Additionally, military spouses in the workforce have approximately a $ 16,000-year gap as compared to their civilian counterparts. Many military spouses before have previously struggled to land the job they want, especially when moving to a new location. However, with online training, they now have access to hundreds of career training programs that should help them adapt and find their way back to the workforce. It’s never too late to learn a new skill, and for milspouses, very few things could be better than having the option to study at their own pace and time.
