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    
    
        Special Victims Counsel

    Public Affairs

    Executive Support Services

    Legislative Liaison

    Special Staff    
    
        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
  Family Programs
 
 Download
 Details
 Share
 NEWS
 First employment symposium held for National Guard spouses By National Guard Bureau
 WASHINGTON - Like spouses of service members from other services, those of National Guard Soldiers and Airmen may face challenges when seeking employment, especially when Guard spouses are unable to access employment resources that may be available to them. To assist Guard spouses with accessing those resources, a symposium designed to help spouses of Guard members find employment was held here recently, the first such event geared directly at assisting Guard spouses with finding employment, said Guard officials. "Although the National Guard is different than the active component - spouses usually won't move every three years to a different location and therefore (be) subjected to credentialing and licensing issues - National Guard spouses since 2001 have been subjected to many deployments just like our sister services," said Jennifer Armstrong, a family readiness officer from the National Guard Bureau Family Programs office, adding that one of the aims of the symposium was to bring greater awareness to the sometimes difficult nature of nature of spouse employment within the National Guard. With repeat deployments over the past decade-plus, a need for spouses to change workplace habits and schedules has increased, said Armstrong. "The basic '9-5' job is sometimes unmanageable and unrealistic," she said, adding that the symposium featured a variety of informational aspects for those seeking new employment or other employment possibilities. "It was an opportunity for employers who specialize in veteran and military spouse hiring to present first hand information on resumes, job placement and expectations for the applicant," said Armstrong. But it also gave Guard spouses an opportunity to network with other Guard spouses, said Armstrong. "Information was also presented to the spouses from other National Guard spouses on the challenges of spouse employment," she said. "Other various topics presented to the attendees were on choosing a career, application and resumes, owning a business and developing and enhancing skills and readiness." As a National Guard spouse with a doctorate in psychology, Dr. Ingrid Herrera-Yee, the guest speaker at the event, knows first-hand how hard it can be to foster a thriving career and how important access to the right resources can be for a Guard spouse. "We are a National Guard family, but ... we've moved around a lot," Herrera-Yee said of her own experiences. "That's a challenge career wise and I would take any position I could get wherever we went," she said. "I would always try to get something within my field, such as volunteering with a lot of psychological associations and hospitals or clinics." Spouses may also have to seek out other opportunities as well, she said. "I would also volunteer for free at universities and do what I had done when I was an undergraduate", said Herrara-Yee. "Really, anything that I could find in my field I would try to do." Herrera-Yee said her journey has taken many turns but after 10 years of balancing both career and the multiple deployments of her husband, she said she has been able to use those experiences to find work in her career field. And that was the end focus of the symposium, said Armstrong. "Spouse employment is important to us at the National Guard Bureau," she said. "We recognize the enormous sacrifices our military makes on a daily basis to maintain a strong and ready force. That involves the entire family." Across the 54 states and territories, the NGB FPO is focusing on educating spouses and trying to provide resources for to help increase the spouses' chances of obtaining steady employment and earning wages equivalent to those of their civilian peers, according to Armstrong. "Additionally, we are advocating our senior military leaders and the public to recognize that spouse challenges exist, but can be overcome despite the perceptions and hardship vulnerabilities that many military spouses have," she said.
 SHARE
 PRINT
 North Carolina Guard Welcomes New Zambian State Partnership State Partnership Program • yesterday
 Vermont Army Guard Soldiers Attend Brazilian Mountain School Overseas Operations • yesterday
 Idaho Air Guard Conducts Panther Shadow Exercise Guard News • 2 days ago
 Guard Leaders Stress NCOs Role in State Partnership Program State Partnership Program • 2 days ago
 Massachusetts Guard Helps Host Crisis Leadership Seminar Guard News • 2 days ago
 2015 (9)  2014 (25)  2013 (23)  2012 (52)  2011 (81)  2010 (121)  2009 (86)  2008 (6)
 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