MARCH 9, 2023 – Military spouses sacrifice much to support their warfighters and troop readiness.
Leaders at Defense Contract Management Agency, under Department of Defense-wide guidance, want to reward that sacrifice and champion untapped professional assets.
In a Sept. 22, 2022, memo titled “Taking Care of Our Service Members and Families,” Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III highlighted several ways the Defense Department is set to improve financial security for military members and their families.
Improving military spouse employment is among the memo’s priorities.
The approach is multifaceted and includes developing occupational licensure interstate compacts; increasing noncompetitive, direct-hiring authorities; launching a new pilot to match military spouses with private-sector fellowships; and expanding the Military Spouse Employment Partnership.
To align with this mission, DCMA has rededicated its efforts to hire military spouses.
The agency’s warfighter-support mission, global presence, and organizational flexibility make it a perfect fit for military spouse employment.
These potential team members provide professional acumen, a team-first mindset and unique warfighter-support insight.
Army Lt. Gen. David Bassett, the DCMA’s director, shared his thoughts on the initiative to highlight the benefits for military spouses and the agency’s team of trusted professionals, who deliver value to America’s warfighters throughout the acquisition lifecycle.
“It starts with deliberate outreach,” he said. “It’s about letting military spouses across the country and around the world know that DCMA is looking for their talent and skill within our agency. There is an opportunity to have a career that will follow them wherever they’re assigned.”
“We ask an awful lot of our military spouses,” said Bassett. “We often ask them to sacrifice every time their spouse is relocated across an entire military career, and this gives a great opportunity for spouses to be part of an organization that can provide employment wherever their spouse is relocated — whether that’s a DCMA location near the base they’ve been relocated to, or potentially, a remote job they can take with them throughout their spouse’s military career.”
Story by Thomas Perry
Defense Contract Management Agency