WASHINGTON ? Pentagon leaders and First Lady Michelle Obama will urge states on Wednesday to ease job licensing requirements for military spouses whose frequent moves hurt their employment prospects.
The push comes as the Defense Department releases a new report showing that more than one-third of all working military spouses regularly deal with the inconsistent state licensing rules and associated employment problems. Teaching, child care and nursing are the three most common occupations among military spouses, and all three typically require state certifications.
?Military families are asked to move again and again, and that transition is a huge headache and a barrier to employment for those spouses,? said Brad Cooper, executive director of the Joining Forces campaign.
Obama and top defense officials are urging states to accept a list of ?best practices? to help military spouses, including providing temporary licenses for new state residents and creating a fast-track licensing process for individuals already certified in another state.
Marcus Beauregard, head of the Pentagon?s office of military community and family policy, said shortening those timelines is especially urgent because military families often live fewer than three years in a single location.
?That gives [spouses] little time to advance in their careers if they have to wait for certification,? he said.
Currently, 11 states have passed laws supporting military spouse license portability: Alaska, Arizona, Colorado, Florida, Kentucky, Missouri, Montana, Tennessee, Texas, Utah and Washington.
Defense officials have lobbied state officials for similar protections for years, but Cooper said he is confident the cause can gain traction now because of the country?s new focus on helping troops and their families.
shanel@stripes.osd.mil
Twitter: @LeoShane
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