SAN DIEGO — The challenges facing military families can often go unseen. But their voices are being heard in a recent survey by Blue Star Families, a national non-profit that supports military communities.
The 2023 Blue Star Families Military Family Lifestyle survey found the top concerns were spousal employment, housing, military pay and climbing on the list is childcare.
When Maggie Meza married into the military life, she spent decades moving in all corners of the nation.
“We were able to take each time of moving to treat it like it was an adventure,” said Meza.
But her husband’s deployments made it difficult to plant any roots for the family.
The VA reports more than 600,000 military families move or transition out of service every year.
“It’s hard for employers to want to take a chance on military spouses because of the fact that they aren’t where they’re stationed for very long,” said Meza.
Blue Star Families reports there is a 21% unemployment rate among military spouses.
In December Blue Star Families partnered with Hiring Heroes and launched its 4+1 Commitment to hiring military spouses and turning jobs into careers.
“We have several employers such as Starbucks that have gotten on board with us to say, 'yes, we are going to look at the military spouse community and hire them and put them as a priority and to provide them opportunities of remote work or more flexibility,'” said Meza.
But with a job also comes the burden of finding childcare. Blue Star Families is working at the federal level to implement the GI Bill for childcare.
Meanwhile, MCAS Miramar is working on creating a child development complex.
“Especially when it comes to military spouse unemployment, they don’t qualify to be on the list for childcare. And that creates a problem in them having a gap in their resume and wanting to be able to provide for their families,” said Meza.
And being able to contribute has even more struggles when it comes to military pay.
The Congressional Research Service reports military pay after allowances, housing and tax advantages is $45,000.
Capitol Hill is still debating a pay raise for junior enlisted servicemembers.
The other concern is housing, not only the high cost in San Diego, but there’s a shortage and not a sense of belonging.
“For military families, about 70% of us live off of the military base. So we’re trying to find that connection in that community,” said Meza.
Meza says she was able to find some of that belonging when she became the director for the Blue Star Families San Diego chapter.
“As the director of the chapter is to foster those connections, and to create familiarity for our spouses and our families so that they feel like they have connections here,” said Meza.
Blue Star Families said the permanent resident population of a military town like San Diego can help those families by strengthening connections.
“That could be anything from providing discounts to our military families, or just reaching out to your neighbors and seeing who lives next door. And if it’s a military family, just do what you feel led to do to help our military families,” said Meza.
To learn more about Blue Star Families San Diego chapter resources and events and how you can help serve military families click here.
Watch Related: STEP provides financial help to military families in crisis (Nov 12, 2023)