Military Spouse Licensure Reimbursement

A service member may be reimbursed up to $1,000 for qualifying relicensing costs of their spouse when all of the following conditions are met:

  - The member is reassigned, as either a PCS or permanent change of assignment from a permanent duty station (PDS) in one state to a PDS in another state.
  - The PCS movement of the member’s dependents is authorized. 
  - The spouse was employed in a profession requiring certification in the previous State and will be required to obtain re-certification for the same profession in the new State. 
  - Completion of the relicense or certification was successful. 

To find out more, view the FAQs and Application OF-1164.

Military Spouses can also search the DoL portal at veterans.gov/milspouses, for guidelines and state laws on professional licensing, including information on how occupational licenses from one state can be recognized in another.

Frequent moves offer the perfect opportunity to have a career that relocates with you. Thanks to technology, today there are more portable career options than ever before.

Military Spouse Remote Work Grant and Telework Program

This unique opportunity will provide the spouse and their small business employer with the tools necessary to successfully work from a remote location (CONUS only) allowing the small business to retain the spouse on staff. Participants will receive hardware, software, contract templates and technical training tutorials to support a remote work arrangement. Military spouses who are anticipating a permanent change of station are eligible and encouraged to apply.

For more information please visit the MilSpouse Remote Telework Grant Program page of the Military Officers Association of America website.

My Career Advancement Account Scholarship Program

The MyCAA scholarship provides up to $4,000 of financial assistance to military spouses (whose active duty member is E-1 to E-5, W-1 to W-2 or O-1 to O-2) who are pursuing a license, certification or associates degree in a portable career field and occupation.

For more information visit the MyCAA website at mycaa.militaryonesource.mil/mycaa/Home/GetStarted.

Military Spouse Preference

The Military Spouse Preference (MSP) Program is a special hiring authority provided by the DoD that allows eligible spouses to be considered for federal job opportunities through a noncompetitive hiring process. MSP can be applied to NAF and federal civil service or appropriated funds positions in the continental U.S. and at overseas locations. The hiring authority replaced the Priority Placement Program (PPP) on April 1, 2019. Eligibility for spouse hiring preference does not entitle spouses to a federal job. Spouse applicants must meet the job qualifications, knowledge, skills and abilities, and satisfy additional job requirements, such as a federal background investigation.

Who is eligible for MSP?

Spouses of active-duty service members, spouses of services members or veterans who have a 100% disability rating and spouses of service members who were killed while on active duty.

How do spouses receive the hiring preference?

Eligible spouses of service members search and apply for federal positions through USAJobs.gov. They will indicate hiring preferences for which they are eligible as part of the job search and application process.

For more information visit the Military Spouse eligibility requirements in the Explore Hiring Paths section of USAJobs. 

Spouse Education Career Opportunities (SECO)

The SECO program provides education and career guidance to military spouses worldwide and offers comprehensive resources and tools for all stages of career progression. Learn more on the MySECO Portal. 

Features include:
  - Comprehensive career coaching services and Online career coach discussions 
  - Your own MySECO Profile
  - Explore the labor market
  - Resume toolkit
  - Military Spouse eMentor program

  - SECO Scholarship Finder

  - Self-assessments

  - LinkedIn Premium upgrade: Military spouses can upgrade to LinkedIn Premium at no cost during a PCS or separation from the military. This 12-month subscription allows spouses to begin their job hunt and build networks as soon as they receive orders.

Military Spouse Employment Partnership

The Military Spouse Employment Partnership has nearly 400 partner companies and organizations that have hired more than 125,000 military spouses. The MSEP Job Search on MySECO has hundreds of thousands of active jobs listed around the world. 

Ready to start your own business? Free resources are available to help you on your way:

  - Boots to Business (Entrepreneur) Career Track: This two day training program at the Fleet and Family Support Centers is an introduction to entrepreneurship. Increase your knowledge with follow-up workshops. Call 1-866-854-0638 to register.
  - The Small Business Administration offers an array of small business resources and free business counseling. Your local SCORE office can even match you with a mentor in your area. For more information, go to www.sba.gov.

MySTeP

The Military Spouse Transition Program (MySTeP) is designed to help spouses plan, prepare and be ready for the life families want/desire after transitioning out of the military, whenever that time comes. The information, tools and programs highlighted in MySTeP will connect you to the right resources at the right time to help successfully navigate military life at every stage. 

It has three information components:

1. Stepping In - New Spouses.
2. Stepping Through - Mid-Level Career Spouses.
3. Stepping Beyond - For Spouses with Service members who are in the process of transitioning.

Military Spouse Transition Program (MySTeP)

NAVY FAMILY e-LEARNING

The Navy Family Portal is designed to provide relevant and ready materials to support Navy Families 24-7. The portal consists of:

  - Navy Family eHandbook
  - New Spouse Orientation Training
  - Navy Spouse eLibrary
  - Live Well Resiliency Webinars - Fleet and Family Support Center facilitators bring the classroom to you.

Visit zeiders.refineddata.com to create an account.

MY NAVY FAMILY APP

Combines authoritative information from more than two dozen websites into a single, convenient application.
Learn more and download the mobile app at: applocker.navy.mil

SPOUSE UNEMPLOYMENT BENEFITS

  - 46 states allow military spouses to claim unemployment benefits (sometimes also called re-employment assistance) when they lose their jobs as a result of a permanent change of station (PCS). 
  - You can apply in Washington and continue to receive unemployment at your next duty station at the WA State rate. (Out of State Claim)
  - For more information go to WorksourceWA.com