Military business directories such as Veteran’s List and The Rosie Network show that many veterans and military spouses have transitioned from military life and created successful businesses. You can find retired and separated military families throughout the country. At the recent USAA DigitalMilEx (#USAADigiMil) conference in San Antonio, a speaker raised the point that military families tend to go to one of three locations when selecting their final PCS station. In a talk entitled “I’m Going to Leave Active Duty, Now What?” Eric Endquist, the Assistant Vice President of Military Transitions at USAA, shared that geography is a huge factor for military families making their final PCS decision. He explained that the three primary geographical choices that military families select when picking their final PCS station are:
When the military has decided where you live for so long, it can be hard to make that decision for yourself. While retiring to paradise--a remote island in the Caribbean, for instance--may sound idyllic and keep you motivated to continue to save for that retirement, that type of retirement may not serve as the best choice for most military families. In lieu of either paradise or orders, military families default to friends and family. Why shouldn’t we seek an opportunity to live near our support groups--our friends on base or our family? According to USAA, choosing your final PCS station based on this geographical reason is a problem. Endquist explains that this is a problem because it’s not the most conducive to finding the best opportunities for employment post-military separation. Instead, Endquist suggests that military families should select a post-separation location based on what you want to do with your life. He explained that prior to separation or military retirement, servicemembers should evaluate their post-military goals, which might include:
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Any military spouse can tell you how challenging it is to find a job that is not only portable, but which also includes potential for advancement. Factor in a still-struggling economy, and spouses can find themselves frustrated at a perceived lack of job opportunities. And consider that many of us end up with several different career paths over the course of our adult lives—I can attest to this, as I’ve worked as a Registered Nurse, musician, stay-at-home mom, writer, and editor! I once dreaded job interviews where I was inevitably asked the often make-or-break question, “How long will you live here?” But with telecommuting becoming commonplace and a more mobile society than ever before, the outlook is bright. There are even companies like AAFES which specifically recruit military spouses. So what are these jobs and what sort of training do you need? Read on! I considered the following factors when compiling this list:
Who knows? Maybe you just might find your dream job on this list! Here, in no particular order, are: 10 Hot Jobs for Military Spouses in 20151. Recreation and fitness worker Education: Certification related to specialty, with those in managerial positions requiring at least an associate degree in business administration, public administration, or parks and recreation. This is a quickly growing field, and opportunities abound on or near military installations. Positions include work in fitness centers, as personal or corporate trainers, or in positions as swim instructors and coaches. 2. Web developer Education: Employers generally prefer a bachelor's degree in a computer-related area such as computer science or information technology, but you may be able to snag a web developer position if you have technical skills and practical experience, with some experts admitting that experience in this field can be more valuable than certification. Web development is one of the fastest growing jobs with a projected 20.1% employment growth over the next ten years. There is often the option to work remotely. 3. Dental hygienist Education: associate or bachelor’s degree in dental hygiene, as well as state licensing. Dental hygiene is one of the top rated healthcare jobs and often allows for part-time work, with employment for dental hygienists projected to grow faster than any other healthcare field. More than half of all dental hygienists work part-time. Military spouses cite the flexible hours and opportunity to exercise people skills as a major draw. 4. Registered nurse Education: associate or bachelor’s in nursing and passing national licensing exam. Nursing is experiencing unprecedented growth, with the Bureau of Labor anticipating 526,800 brand new jobs by 2022. This is accompanied by a low unemployment rate of 2.6%, making it easier for experienced nurses to find positions when relocating, whether in hospitals, community clinics, schools, or camps. 5. Direct sales Education: training set by company. If you’ve experienced a home party for boutique jewelry, cosmetics, skin care, or food products, then this option might interest you. Low start-up costs and brand recognition with its built-in customer base make this appealing to many military spouses, along with flexible hours and a portable business model. 6. Childcare Education: high school diploma, along with certifications required by employer or state. Management levels may require degree in early childhood education or other field. Many spouses find working in their installation’s childcare center or as an in-home provider a good fit, as certifications and background clearances usually transfer, along with the benefit of spousal hiring preference. Those employed as in-home childcare providers must meet state and local requirements, and may find the ability to set their own hours and care for their own children a draw. 7. Software developer Education: A bachelor’s degree in Computer Science is often required, though practical experience may land an entry-level job. Continuing education a must. With software and apps affecting nearly every part of our lives, it’s no surprise that software developers are in high demand. This occupation was at or near the top of every list surveyed. With a projected job growth rate higher than any other occupation, opportunities spread far and wide across the U.S., and many companies hiring remotely, this is an exciting field for the qualified. 8. Graphic designer Education: associate or bachelor’s degree often required. Across all the design careers, graphic design is expected to have the greatest growth in the coming year, with opportunities in print, electronic, and film media. Three out of ten graphic designers work as freelancers. 9. Teacher Education: bachelor’s in education, as well as state certification for those teaching in public schools. Education has been a perennial career favorite for military spouses, as even the most remote locations usually have schools! Considering that school teachers are the most quickly aging workforce, teaching positions are projected to grow 17% between now and 2020. 10. Public Relations Specialist Education: Some companies require a bachelor’s degree, with the following fields an especially good fit: public relations, journalism, communications, English, or business. PR specialists enhance and provide positive publicity for a company’s public image. With the explosion of social media such as LinkedIn, Twitter, and Pinterest reaching potential customers, PR specialists are in high demand and are often able to telecommute. PR folks need good communication skills and thick skins—assets that many military spouses already possess! Here are just two of many .mil resources that state the SCRA does not provide release from a lease when you receive transfer orders: From the USAFA JAG website: What happens if I get out of the Air Force or PCS before my lease end? "You will be liable under the lease unless it contains a "military clause". This clause allows you to get out of your lease under certain conditions. Although landlords who frequently rent to military members often put this clause into their leases, you should discuss this issue with your landlord. If the clause is not right in the lease, you and the landlord can sign an addendum (sample attached to this handout). You may have to pay a "penalty" (i.e. one month's rent) in order to get out of the lease using this clause. " From USMC 29 Palms Housing: " For service members, no lease should be signed without a military clause. A military clause provides you with a way to end a lease prematurely for reasons connected with military service.. Remember, if your lease does not have this clause, you have no statutory right to break a lease." And then in contradiction: From JAG Little Rock AFB: Household leases – The prior law only allowed the termination of pre-service "dwelling, professional, business, agricultural, or similar" leases. The new provision in the SCRA allows termination of leases by active duty servicemembers who subsequently receive orders for a permanent change of station (PCS) or a deployment for a period of 90 days or more. In other words, it is no longer necessary (although still good idea) to have a military clause included in your rental agreement. If you have PCS orders or are Deploying for a period of 90 days or more, you need to give written notice to your landlord with a copy of your orders. If your orders are not available, inform the landlord of that in the letter and provide a copy as soon as possible. Additionally, you must give at least 30-days notice but the 30-days does not start to toll until the first of the month. Therefore, if you give 30-days notice on the 15th of August, you will be obligated to pay all of September’s rent. The rationale behind this is that most leases begin and end on the 1st and 30th of each month, it gives the landlord an opportunity to re-let the premises. From Fort Dix JAG: The Service members Civil Relief Act (SCRA), 50 U.S.C. App. Section 535, provides relief to service members in the termination of real property leases. Active duty service members, who receive military orders for a permanent change of station (PCS) or deployment orders, for not less than 90 days, may terminate their real property lease. Military members entering active duty service for the first time may also lawfully terminate their real property lease. Activated Reservists and National Guardsmen (when serving in federal active duty or under certain circumstances, when serving in state active duty) are also entitled to terminate their real property lease if the lease was entered into prior to active duty. While a service member is usually concerned with the termination of a residential lease, the protection offered under the SCRA extends to other types of leases. Specifically, the SCRA applies to "a lease of premises occupied, or intended to be occupied, by a service member or a service member’s dependents for a residential, professional, business, agricultural or similar purpose". From USMC Camp Lejeune: Whether you can get out of the lease early depends on the reason for termination.. The Service Member Civil Relief Act (SCRA), a Federal law, allows for early termination in three instances: 1. The service member entered the lease before active duty military service. 2. The service member entered the lease while on active duty and then received permanent change of station orders, or 3. The service member entered the lease while on active duty and then received orders to deploy in support of a military operation in excess of 90 days. Why so much Contradiction and What to Do with this Information? The primary reason for the confusion is the Revised SCRA that was enacted in 2003. This latest version provides the additional protection for PCS orders, not just enlistment in military service. The SCRA states: (a) TERMINATION BY LESSEE- The lessee on a lease described in subsection (b) may, at the lessee's option, terminate the lease at any time after-- (1) the lessee's entry into military service; or (2) the date of the lessee's military orders described in paragraph (1)(B) or (2)(B) of subsection (b), as the case may be. (b) COVERED LEASES- This section applies to the following leases: (1) LEASES OF PREMISES- A lease of premises occupied, or intended to be occupied, by a servicemember or a servicemember's dependents for a residential, professional, business, agricultural, or similar purpose if: (A) the lease is executed by or on behalf of a person who thereafter and during the term of the lease enters military service; or (B) the servicemember, while in military service, executes the lease and thereafter receives military orders for a permanent change of station or to deploy with a military unit for a period of not less than 90 days. Although no local or state level law can contradict a federal law, you should carefully consult your housing office if you are considering signing a lease without a military clause. As a military landlord, please consider consulting your local JAG office before proffering a lease without a military clause. There are specific levels of liability that serviceman are protected from incurring in the event that they break their lease. Dependent upon notice, servicemen breaking a lease can be liable for 1-3 month’s rent. Military landlords who rent to fellow military families are often conflicted about their opinions on military clauses. On the one hand, they recognize their importance: A military clause specifies the provisions that allow for the family to terminate the lease. On the other hand, they recognize the negative effect this may have on their property--a potential vacancy short of the completion of a full lease. What most military landlords are unclear about, however, is how precisely a military clause affects their rental property.
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