SAN ANTONIO – Military spouses moving from place to place face a 16 percent unemployment rate, according to a 2017 Hiring our Heroes study.
In 2016, the number was even higher at 23 percent. Around that time, a group of women banded together to start what is now an international organization helping military spouses find work.
"From Europe back to the (United) States, then Asia, back to the States," military wife Holland Nguyen said when listing five moves she and her family have made.
Nguyen's husband, Andy, has served in the U.S. Air Force for 22 years. It's an enormous point of pride, but it also comes with many sacrifices.
"I've worked really hard in my career, and every time I get to a place where I'm progressing, I have to uproot again," Nguyen said.
When her family was relocated to Italy, she found a group of other military spouses having the same issue, so they started an organization that was eventually adopted by the U.S.Chamber of Commerce's Hiring our Heroes program. The organization is called the Military Spouse Professional Network, or MSPN.
"I started a chapter in Korea when I was there. It's thriving," Nguyen said.
She said there are now at least 50 chapters, or networks, all over the globe.
The San Antonio Network started about a year ago and already has about 750 members. They meet at least once a month for networking events or skills workshops.
"Although it is (Military) City USA, there's a gap here," Nguyen said.
She's seen that gap start closing firsthand, specifically during her own job search.
"During that time, I found out we were expecting, unexpectedly. So I thought, 'OK, that's the end of it. I'm going to have to wait another year,'" she said.
A meeting at an MSPN event changed everything for her.
"I start on Monday. I am so excited," Nguyen said with joy.
Each brand new job ignites even more hope for military spouses wanting to work, contribute and thrive wherever they go.
A lot of the military spouses connect through the organization's Facebook page, which you can access by clicking here.
Nguyen hopes spouses will go to www.hiringourheroes.org for more information.