Here's how you know
 **Official websites use .mil** .mil
 **Secure .mil websites use HTTPS** lock () https://


Skip to main content (Press Enter).
 Toggle navigation
            
            
            
            
            National Guard
                        Always Ready Always There
                    National Guard
            
            Search National Guard:
                        Search
                    Search
                        Search National Guard:
                            Search
    Home

    News
    
        Guard News

    Overseas Operations

    State Partnership Program

    News Features

    RSS Feeds

    Press Releases

    Transcripts

    Features
    
        Features by Year

    Posture Statement

    State Partnership Program

    Special Features

    About the Guard
    
        How We Began

    Air National Guard

    Army National Guard    
    
        DEERS Soldier Journey

    Leader Development Program

    History and Heritage

    I am the Guard

    NGB Official March

    Leadership
    
        CNGB

    VCNGB

    SEA

    DANG

    DARNG

    Joint Staff    
    
        J-1

    J-2

    J-3

    J-4

    J-5

    J-6

    J-7

    J-8

    Personal Staff    
    
        Inspector General

    General Counsel

    Public Affairs

    Executive Support Services

    Legislative Liaison

    Special Staff    
    
        National Guard Office of Special Victims' Counsel

    Office of the Provost Marshal

    Office of the Joint Surgeon

    Director of Acquisitions

    Small Business Programs

    Chaplain

    Senior Leader Management Office

    Diversity Equity Inclusion

    Comptroller

    Resources    
        National Defense Strategy Implementation Guidance

    Community Engagement

    FOIA

    Fact Sheets

    Helpful Links

    Image Gallery
    
        News Images

    Graphics

    Historical Paintings

    Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion

    Legislative Liaison

    Small Business Programs

    Social Media

    State Websites

    Videos    
    
        Featured Videos

    On Every Front

    2019 Videos

    2020 Videos

    2021 Videos

    Suicide Prevention

    Family Programs

    Environmental

    Trial Defense Service

    Holistic Wellness Challenge

    Contact Us  Home
  News
  Article View
 
 Download
 Details
 Share
 NEWS
 Efforts continue for spouse professional license portability By Terri Moon Cronk
                American Forces Press Service
 WASHINGTON - Defense Department officials recognize that an unemployed spouse can affect a service member's retention, so efforts continue to allow spouses' professional licenses to transfer from state to state as military families move from one duty station to another, a Pentagon official told American Forces Press Service and the Pentagon Channel. Marcus Beauregard, chief of DOD's states liaison office, noted that certain occupations such as nursing and other medical positions require licensing. And when a military family moves to a new state, he added, obtaining a license can take several months. This, he said, can "dramatically limit" the time spouses have to further careers in their professions. Just finding and securing a job presents its own set of challenges in any military family move, Beauregard said, noting that the tempo and frequency of moves is disruptive. A spouse may be at a duty station for two to four years, he added, and in that time must establish a home, get children in school and look for employment. Because licensing can become a barrier to spouses seeking employment, Beauregard said, the Defense Department led an initiative for states to recognize job licenses that come from other states. Concern over spouse employment from President Barack Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama has given the issue "an immense amount of visibility," Beauregard said, and a White House report helped to get states to modify some requirements. The report showed military spouses move 10 times more often than their civilian counterparts, and 5 percent of them are in occupations that require licensing, so it is an important issue to military families, he said. "It gave us the opportunity to work with the first lady's ‘Joining Forces' initiative to promote the idea of changing licensing requirements to expedite them to improve spouses' situations," Beauregard said. Three mechanisms are in place to expedite licenses, he said: The spouse can present her previous license to the new state for acceptance if the requirements for the occupation are "substantially equivalent"
    The new state can issue a temporary license so the spouse has an opportunity to fulfill the requirements of the state through education and training
    Expediting the state's process for military spouses to obtain a new license. Military spouses searching for work following an overseas assignment might encounter a different set of circumstances that requires a state license, Beauregard said. If the service member married to a spouse returning from overseas had a break in service, the spouse might face a "recent experience" licensing requirement to show competency, he said. "We've gotten states to accept something other than recent experience to show competency," Beauregard said, "such as continuing education [credits], or perhaps taking a test." If licensing and job hunting in a new state takes more time than expected, military spouses are entitled to file a claim for unemployment insurance, Beauregard said. "It is something they have available to them, and it certainly should be something to consider when they transition to their new location," he added. State officials fully understand that military spouses have no choice but to move to keep their families intact. Eligibility requirements and how to file are available online on state websites, Beauregard said, and the Military OneSource website also has information on unemployment compensation. "The decision to stay in the military involves not just the service member, but the family," he said. "An opportunity for a military spouse to engage in a career is very important."
 SHARE
 PRINT
 
 Pennsylvania Army Guardsmen Complete Combat Lifesaver Course
 By Sgt. 1st Class Shane Smith,
  38th Infantry Division Soldiers Conduct Warfighter Exercise
 By Master Sgt. Jeff Lowry,
  Puerto Rico Air National Guard Trains at Red Flag-Alaska
 By 156th Wing
  More
 Pennsylvania Army Guardsmen Complete Combat Lifesaver Course Guard News • 4 hours ago
 38th Infantry Division Soldiers Conduct Warfighter Exercise Guard News • 11 hours ago
 Puerto Rico Air National Guard Trains at Red Flag-Alaska Guard News • 12 hours ago
 Air National Guard Conducts Sentry Savannah Exercise Guard News • yesterday
 Hawaii Air National Guard Hosts Sentry Aloha Joint Exercise Guard News • yesterday
 2024 (196)  2023 (427)  2022 (526)  2021 (697)  2020 (936)  2019 (387)  2018 (323)  2017 (346)  2016 (245)  2015 (356)  2014 (399)  2013 (469)  2012 (556)  2011 (533)  2010 (1071)  2009 (357)  2008 (638)  2007 (295)  2006 (188)
 Home
 Site Map
 Privacy & Security Policy
 Link Disclaimer
 Web Policy
 DOD Information Quality
 DOD Open GovernmentFOIA
 No FEAR Act
 Accessibility/Section 508
 Contact Us
 Army Guard Careers
 Air Guard Careers
 USA.gov
                    
Staying Connected
    XYouTubeFlickrFacebookInstagram
                 
                
                

Hosted by Defense Media Activity - WEB.mil