Publication year
2008
Citation Title
Military spouse employment: A grounded theory approach to experiences and perceptions.
Journal Name
Armed Forces & Society
Journal Volume
34
Issue Number
3
Page Numbers
389-412
DOI
10.1177/0095327X07307194
Summary
Military spouses participated in interviews to understand their motivations for paid work and their perceptions of how being a military spouse affected employment opportunities. Most reported that being a military spouse had a negative effect on their careers.
Key Findings
Almost two-thirds of spouses believed that being a military spouse negatively impacted their work opportunities.
Reasons cited for this negative effect on employment included frequent geographic moves, difficulties with child care, and employer bias.
Motivations for seeking employment included paying bills, personal fulfillment, and avoiding boredom.
Implications for Program Leaders
Increase awareness of military spouse employment programs via flyers in buildings on military installations and via social media
Offer training modules to help military spouses address employer bias
Offer support groups for working military spouses
Implications for Policy Makers
Continue to support military programs that offer childcare services for working parents
Recommend periodic review of spouse employment programs to determine whether they meet current needs and are reflective of the local labor market
Recommend incentives for hiring military spouses, particularly surrounding military installations
Methods
Spouses at eight military installations were selected randomly to participate in a short telephone or in-person interview (average interview length was 14 minutes).
Interviews were conducted between October 2002 and March 2003.
Participants were from eight U.S. military installations across the United States.
Participants
One thousand one hundred-two military spouses participated in interviews, including some who were employed, seeking employment, or had chosen not to work.
Participants represented all four branches of the military.
Participants were representative of the overall military spouse population in terms of age, education, and family conditions.
Limitations
The article did not explicitly state the gender of interview participants, though it is presumably a study of only female spouses.
The article did not include findings about why some military spouses choose not to work, though such spouses are included in the sample.
Most participants resided at military installations located in communities with relatively high unemployment at the time of the study which may have affected their employment opportunities.
Avenues for Future Research
Compare labor force outcomes of military and civilian spouses
Examine the types of work military spouses do and how they choose their occupations
Compare motivations for work and employment experiences of male and female spouses
Focus
Multiple Branches
Target Population
Population Focus
Military Component
Abstract
This study responds to the recognition that the majority of military spouses have paid employment but that neither the Department of Defense nor other organizations understand their motivations for work or their perceptions of how the military lifestyle has affected their employment. This article summarizes the input from more than a thousand military spouses who participated in interviews for this research. Qualitative and quantitative methods were used to examine spouse experiences and perceptions regarding their employment. Findings indicate that the majority of military spouses believe that the military has a negative effect on their employment. In addition, the interviews revealed that these spouses work for a variety of reasons, both financial and nonpecuniary. The reasons for the military's negative effect and spouse motives for working are discussed, along with the ensuing implications for policy. This study responds to the recognition that the majority of military spouses have paid employment but that neither the Department of Defense nor other organizations understand their motivations for work or their perceptions of how the military lifestyle has affected their employment. This article summarizes the input from more than a thousand military spouses who participated in interviews for this research. Qualitative and quantitative methods were used to examine spouse experiences and perceptions regarding their employment. Findings indicate that the majority of military spouses believe that the military has a negative effect on their employment. In addition, the interviews revealed that these spouses work for a variety of reasons, both financial and nonpecuniary. The reasons for the military's negative effect and spouse motives for working are discussed, along with the ensuing implications for policy.
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