Supporting military spouses across moves, seasons and stations

By: Allison K Stevens | May 19, 2026

Military spouse Nancy Rivera quickly learned how much resilience that role demands as she followed the Air Force from South Dakota to Mississippi, then to Germany, Florida and back to Virginia—all while raising 3 children and continuing her education.

Her toughest assignment came overseas. Living off base in a German neighborhood, Rivera navigated daily life without the familiar support systems many military families depend on—and in a language she didn’t speak. While her children attended German elementary schools, Rivera enrolled in school herself, earning bachelor’s and master’s degrees in business administration.

Still, returning to the workforce proved difficult—until she discovered Hiring Our Heroes Military Spouse Fellowship Program. What began as a fellowship led to a full-time role and a renewed sense of independence. Now, less than a year into her Navy Federal career, Rivera wants to help other military spouses find their footing. “I want to say, ‘I’ve been through it—and it’s possible.’” 

Meaningful support

That kind of support is especially meaningful in a labor market where military spouse employment remains a stubborn challenge. Many military spouses hold advanced degrees—more than 3 times the national average of 14%, according to a new report released by Navy Federal Credit Union, PenFed Credit Union and USAA in partnership with Blue Star Families (BSF) and the D’Aniello Institute for Veterans and Military Families (IVMF). Yet military spouse unemployment has remained above 20% for more than a decade due to frequent moves, caregiving demands and other barriers.

The coalition is working to grow an ecosystem of change, stewarding more employers, policymakers and community partners to take action on military spouse employment. Organizations are invited to adopt these practices and sign on to the 4+1 Commitment, presented by Blue Star Families and Hiring Our Heroes, a shared pledge to implement the solutions that make careers more portable, flexible and sustainable. 

“Military spouses bring resilience, adaptability and high-impact talent to the workforce,” said Britt Bloch, VP of Talent Acquisition Strategy & Recruiting at Navy Federal Credit Union. “By removing barriers tied to permanent change of station moves, employers unlock sustained contributions from top talent and meet military spouses where they are, geographically and professionally. We’ve seen tremendous value in designing meaningful career pathways for military spouse employment.” 

Indeed, Navy Federal is committed to flexible work, good pay and benefits, and access to mentorship and coaching, which are keys to supporting military spouses according to a new playbook published by Blue Star Families to offer best practices in hiring and retaining military spouses. Nearly half of the credit union’s 25,000+-person workforce has ties to the military community, including many military spouses.

A sense of community

Just ask Dan Wylie. He met his now-husband almost 20 years ago when his spouse’s first duty station in the Air Force brought him to Wylie’s hometown in Ohio. Over the years, the couple completed 5 PCS moves, during which Wylie was able to remain in banking. Then came orders to Tokyo—a top-choice duty station that also meant leaving behind the career he’d built. “I was unemployed, sitting there wondering, ‘OK, what am I going to do? I’m in a foreign country. What did I get myself into?’” he recalls. 

The base community stepped in, connecting him to Navy Federal Credit Union, where he joined as a member service representative. “I really feel like it saved my life in so many ways, not just careerwise, but the family, the people.” The branch team in Japan was filled with people in similar situations—military spouses who understood the isolation and disruption that can come with overseas moves. 

When orders brought the couple back to the Washington, DC area, Navy Federal’s Military Spouse Career Continuity Program helped Wylie plan the transition. The program identifies retention opportunities for military spouses who receive permanent change of station (PCS) or retirement orders with the goal of ensuring career continuity and connection, no matter where military life takes them. 

A program coordinator helped Wylie think through destinations, résumés and available roles, while also connecting regions and exploring telework options when needed. Then in a leadership role, Wylie secured his next role before leaving Japan and was even able to take a month off before his new start date. “It’s such a relief not to have to hide that part of you,” he said of being a military spouse at Navy Federal. “It’s celebrated.” 

Even stronger support

Melinda Araiza, a military spouse who specializes in military talent acquisition, echoes the sentiment. When she and her husband relocated to Norfolk, Va. earlier in her career, Navy Federal had not yet established its Military Spouse Career Continuity Program; nor did it routinely offer remote work possibilities. Even so, leaders found an empty office inside a branch in Norfolk that enabled her to continue at Navy Federal.

In the years since, Navy Federal’s support for military spouses has only grown stronger. The credit union has expanded its partnership with Skillbridge, a program with the US Department of Defense (DoD) that offers fellowships to transitioning Servicemembers; leveraged the DoD’s Military Spouse Career Accelerator Program in its inaugural year and beyond; and strengthened partnerships with Hiring Our Heroes and other nonprofit organizations that build pathways for military-connected talent.

Now the mother of 2 young daughters and living in San Diego, Araiza has navigated multiple PCS moves herself while growing professionally and helping expand programs that support other military spouses. “Working at an organization that has systems in place to support people where they’re at in their lives is fundamental,” she said. 

Bloch agrees, pointing to the credit union’s support for military spouses across the next set of orders, the next season of caregiving and the next move. “Military spouses are not a hiring risk to work around, but rather a talent worth investing in.”

Read the report and learn more about Navy Federal’s support for military spouses on our Careers site.