Courtesy Photo | Melinda Manyx (left), curriculum program manager, Department of Defense (DoD),...... read more read more
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From Transition to Veterans Program Office
Melinda Manyx, curriculum program manager, Department of Defense (DoD), Transition to Veterans Program Office (TVPO), attended the annual Air Force Association (AFA) Air, Space and Cyber Conference, National Harbor, Maryland, Sept. 17-19. The conference seeks to bring together senior leaders and experts from government, academia, and industry to discuss those matters most pertinent to the Air Force.
Manyx spoke to conference attendees about military spouse employment and common barriers to success – such as the transfer of occupational licenses – and how to overcome them.
“The average service family moves every one to three years,” said Manyx. A military spouse herself, over the years Manyx and her family have moved 11 times during her 22 years of marriage to her active-duty husband. “It can be difficult when you move from state-to-state – often licensing authorities want transcripts from 15-20 years ago, or they need original test scores,” she added.
Although the process can be complicated, Manyx added that there are a number of resources available to military spouses who wish to seek or maintain an occupational license.
“Many states have laws in place to make it easier for military spouses relocating out of state to carry their occupational licenses to a new state,” said Manyx.
The Department of Labor (DOL) Veterans’ Employment and Training Service (VETS) with the Military Spouse Employment Partnership, has a dedicated website to help connect military spouses with employers and make the transfer of occupational licenses easier.
To learn more about military spouse license transfer options, and for a state occupational license finder, visit: https://www.veterans.gov/milspouses/
In addition to VETS.gov, the Defense-State Liaison Office (DSLO) works to provide state policymakers with expert insight on issues affecting military families and their quality of life.
According to the Military State Policy Source (MSPS), the website for DSLO, “the DoD has worked extensively with states to pass laws enabling military spouses to transfer occupational licenses to other states and allowing transitioning service members to use their military record to obtain a license. It is not clear, however, how many state licensing boards are making the mandated changes. State policymakers are encouraged to evaluate the actions of licensing boards to improve overall implementation.”
To learn more about MSPS, and to view an interactive map on which states have made actions to support improved licensure laws in 2018, visit: https://statepolicy.militaryonesource.mil/ and explore the key issues highlighted on the website page, such as licensure evaluation, service member licensure and credit, and more.
Spouse employment continues to be a concern during the military members’ time in service. However, progress is being made to lessen the unemployment rate of military spouses.
Manyx encourages all military spouses to use the employment services available on installations and to attend the Transition Assistance Program (TAP), or visit the TAP curriculum online via Joint Knowledge Online, located here: https://go.usa.gov/xPTb7
“TAP is designed to provide information, tools and training to ensure that both service members and their spouses are prepared for civilian life after the military,” said Manyx. “But for a military spouse, transition occurs with every permanent change of station.”
| Date Taken: | 10.09.2018 |
| Date Posted: | 10.09.2018 10:18 |
| Story ID: | 295758 |
| Location: | US |
| Web Views: | 73 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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