Ever heard of a pyramid scheme?
Yeah—me too. And i’ve tried just about every single one out there.
From Mary Kay to Beachbody, I tried everything to bring in extra income for my family. Why? Because for military spouses, holding a traditional career often feels nearly impossible.
And no one tells you that part before you say “I do.”
The System Is Broken
Military spouses are often set up to fail—and to be financially dependent on their service member.
I’ve held plenty of jobs. Good jobs. Jobs I worked hard for. But every few years, I had to quit and move wherever the military sent my husband. It’s incredibly difficult to build a career when you’re forced to start over every 3–4 years.
On paper, your résumé looks job-hoppy. Employers don’t care why you left—even when “military orders” is clearly stated. I’ve even had managers openly tell me they’d never promote me, not because I wasn’t capable, but because I was a military spouse and “I wouldn’t be around long enough to waste the time or money on.”
So just like that—career advancement? Gone.
Adding Kids to the Mix
As if building a career as a military spouse isn’t hard enough, try doing it with children.
The demands of military life often leave spouses single-parenting. You can’t count on your partner being available—because deployments, training, and unpredictable schedules don’t allow it.
When I made the decision to stay home with our kids, it came down to two realities:
- Childcare cost more than I would bring home
- I had to be available—constantly
I can’t count how many times I’ve had to:
- Pick up a sick kid mid-day
- Drop off a forgotten lunch
- Rush to school after a playground accident
- Handle emergencies with zero backup
What employer is that flexible? Truly.
So yeah—Cake Pops, Mary Kay, Beachbody… here I come.
The Guilt of Not Contributing
There were many points in our military career where my husband’s paycheck simply wasn’t enough. And let’s be honest—the military is not known for its stellar pay.
So—we did without.
We traded cars for lower payments.
We bought cheaper clothes.
We shopped at the commissary and bought store-brand everything.
And when our kids were babies and I wasn’t working, the guilt was heavy. I knew my husband was stressed, and there was nothing either of us could do about it. Military pay is military pay—there’s no asking for raises, no switching companies, no negotiations. Everything runs on a fixed timeline, whether it works for your family or not.
So, I tried everything to help:
- Selling beauty products
- Teaching myself to make cake pops
- Coaching fitness online
None of it was lucrative. But it brought in something—and it helped ease the guilt of feeling like I wasn’t pulling my weight.
How COVID Changed Everything
For nearly a decade, I worked on and off in jobs I didn’t love—but tolerated because they let me bring my kids along or offered some flexibility.
Then COVID happened.
I won’t get political—but it completely reshaped how people work.
For the first time, I landed a fully remote job. A real job. A career I didn’t have to quit every time my husband got PCS orders.
And it changed everything.
Remote work allowed me to:
- Earn an income
- Be present for my kids
- Handle school emergencies
- Attend games and events
- Stay employed during moves
It isn’t my dream job by any stretch of the imagination—writing is—but it gave me financial stability while allowing me to remain the default parent.
Remote work didn’t just help military spouses—it helped mothers. It finally acknowledged that working and parenting don’t fit neatly into a 9-to-5 box.
How Do We Fix What’s Broken
Remote work is no longer optional for military spouses—it’s essential.
Programs like MyCAA (My Career Advancement Account) shouldn’t disappear—but they do need to evolve.
Right now, military spouse education programs overwhelmingly push in-person, license-based careers that fall apart with every PCS, deployment, or childcare gap. Success is measured by certificates earned—not by whether spouses can actually get and keep the jobs.
That’s the disconnect.
To fix what’s broken, MyCAA and similar programs need to shift their focus toward careers that actually work with military life, not against it. That means prioritizing:
- Remote-first career training
- Transferable, in-demand skills that aren’t tied to location or state licensing
- Completely online, fully funded education
- AI and technology training to keep spouses competitive in a rapidly changing workforce
- Paid remote apprenticeships that lead to real experience and hiring pipelines
- Flexible, stackable training that can pause during PCS moves or deployments without penalty
- Accountability for real job placement outcomes, not just completed coursework
Military spouses don’t need more training that leads nowhere.
We need careers that move with us.
The Cost of Lost Time
The time I lost during those years when my children were young is something I can never get back. While I wouldn’t trade that time for the world, something in me was always missing.
I wanted to work. I’ve worked, on and off, since I was fifteen. Work builds character. It shapes who you are.
But I was stuck in the military spouse PCS (Permanent Change of Station) cycle. Every move reset my progress.
My career is decades behind where it should be.
My pay is decades behind where it should be.
My 401(k) has suffered from the constant starting over.
If I had been able to work remotely while raising my children, I would have nearly fifteen years of continuous employment. Instead, I have four.
I make a quarter of what my husband earns—not because I lack ability, but because the system never allowed stability. His career was able to grow and flourish, while mine was forced to pause, reset, and fall behind—again and again.
And I know I’m not alone in this.
Here Are a Few Helpful Programs for Military Spouses
- My Career Advancement Account (MyCAA)
Offers up to $4,000 in tuition assistance for spouses ($2k annually)
https://mycaa.militaryonesource.mil - Spouse Education and Career Opportunities (SECO)
Free career coaching, résumé help, and guidance
https://www.militaryonesource.mil/education-employment/seco - Military Spouse Employment Partnership (MSEP)
Connects spouses with military-friendly (often remote) employers
https://msepjobs.militaryonesource.mil
- Often overlooked—but very achievable remote roles include:
- Clinical Trial Coordinator
- Regulatory Affairs Support
- Data Coordination
- Medical Writing Support
- Recruiter (across industries)
- Insurance Agent
- Administrative Assistant
- Operations Coordinator
- Customer Support Specialist
- Quality Assurance
- Software Support Specialist
- HR
💡 Tip: Filter LinkedIn specifically for remote roles. Review the qualifications listed, then use the programs available to military spouses to earn those credentials.
Many colleges and universities now offer tuition assistance for military spouses. For example, Fayetteville State University provides a military spouse scholarship that can cover most—if not all—tuition costs.
Where We Go From Here
Fixing what’s broken starts with calling it out.
Military spouses are capable, educated, and resilient—yet too often pushed into career paths that can’t survive military life. Remote work isn’t a luxury; for many of us, it’s the only sustainable way forward.
I’m here to help—and together, we can start fixing this.
If you’re trying to figure out what’s possible, where to start, or how to pivot into a career that actually moves with military life, I’ve created a free Military Spouse Career Resource Guide focused on realistic, portable, remote-friendly options.
📩 Email me at:
emilymcmanusblog@gmail.com
and I’ll send it to you—no strings attached—no spam—I promise!
About the Author:
Emily Mcmanus, is a mom, writer, and full time military spouse of 18+ years.
Hurry Up and Wait: Confessions of a Military Spouse-Coming Soon!
