Who Protects the Military Spouse??
The Forgotten Citizens
Here in lies the problem. Military spouses have no such protections. Everytime they relocate they have to get new driver's license - if they choose to work. They must deal with the bureaucracies of the local Motor Vehicles Department - if they want to keep some sense of indendpence and not put their vehicle in the service members name.
So again I ask - who fights for the military spouse?
No one apparently, see veterans have so many organizations and the members themselves, well the installation personnel have no shortage of contact with local legislators who both want and need some many things for the installations.
The military spouse has no one that concerns themself with the practical problems of relocation that really impact them. Even local politicians don't even consider them amongst the voting public because they are only "implants" into the local community and not expected to be there very long.
The only real interest they generate is that of the retail establishment because they represent an enormous customer base from which to increase their bottom line. Yet from them you get sales that aren't really sales, deals that really aren't that big a deal and jobs that pay far less then military spouses got at their last jobs.
Only time will tell if anyone steps forward to provide the much needed support of this underrepresented group of hardworking, sacrificing and patriotic citizens.
Published by CodEjunKi
Born of Costa Rican immigrants, raised in the urban environment, completed 8 yrs of service with US Marine Corps, I live with my wife and 3 sons and am now a New Media Developer/Designer - pursing a career a... View profile
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9 Comments
Post a CommentIf there are any military male spouses out there needing an online home, please go to:
http://militarymalespouse.com
It's a community devoted to provinding a little peace of mind to male spouses married to the military. This is some what new, and I want to make it into something grand.
I've been looking all over the internet about this topic. I've actually come across a bill that is trying to passed called Military Spouses Relief Act which essentially allows us military spouses to declare the same home of record/residence as our military counterpart - which in turn would be help us with not having to get a new license every time we moved to another station. I suggest you all look this bill up. It is currently trying to be passed in the House of Representatives, I think.
Thank you for this article. I'm an active-duty military spouse (I'm also in the Reserves), and I feel like I am just dragged along behind my husband. While he gets to go from duty station to duty station with his Missouri Driver's License (since MO is his home of record), I am continually harrassed if I wait one second past 30 days to have my license transferred to our new state. That's only one of my gripes. We need to get the laws changed to help the spouses, as well as the members.
i think i might want a divorce. my husband of 6 years just told me he cheated on me in indonesia! we have 2 daughters and i dont know the first thing to do. will we be taken care of? can i tell his commander and what will happen to him if i do? can any one help...please
I just read your article. I totally agree with you. Since I met and married my husband my prior life is gone forever. I have a hard time finding a job because everyone knows we will move again. I am alot like the other ladies who posted on here though, I do not get a new drivers license either. I am a citizen of the state where I was born and raised and I intend to keep it that way.
I feel sad reading your article and the comments.Because now I see what BS Im gonna have to look forward to and put up with.My husband just joined last year and I already see the hassle that comes along with him being in the Military.
You're right. It is sad that we don't get these protections, as if we are anymore obligated to move than our spouses are. I don't even bother getting a driver's liscense when I move; I never get pulled over, and usually people are understanding when I explain that we are military. It's still ridiculous that we don't get the same protections.
Thank you for writing this article! I am an Army wife who went from having the protections as a solider to having none now that I am married and discharged. It's horrible that we have to be subjected to being seen as inferior, while we do one of the hardest jobs in the world. Excellent article.
As a milspouse, I agree with everything you say -- except one little niggle. I don't get a new drivers license with every new posting. I refuse to be a citizen of a state I despise! (not Hawaii, where I am now -- Connecticut, where I was before!) We have no legislative representation, but that's partly because many of us don't vote. We have a terrible time finding jobs; I'm highly skilled, but because much of my skill set depends on word-of-mouth recommendation, for the first time ever I couldn't find a job. We do need more protections, but we aren't likely to get them, alas.