Being a military spouse can be both rewarding and challenging. While your loved one may be serving our country, it’s important to remember that their service comes with benefits for you too!
Unfortunately, some of these benefits are often forgotten or overlooked. In this blog post, we’ll discuss 5 often forgotten military spouse benefits that you don’t want to miss out on. So grab a cup of coffee and let’s dive in!
1. Military Spouse Career Advancement Accounts
The Military Spouse Career Advancement Accounts (MyCAA) program is an often overlooked benefit offered to US military spouses. This benefit offers financial assistance to military spouses pursuing career training and licensing. The benefit can be used for:
- tuition
- certification fees
- associate degrees
It also covers other credentialing-related training and exams. The benefit also provides an online network for military spouses to search for career training and education.
This is a great benefit for military spouses who may not have the traditional background of joining the workforce after finishing school. With this benefit, military spouses looking to go back to school and take advantage of the scholarships for military spouses or start working in a new field can do so with a financial advantage.
2. Military OneSource
Military spouses often have to make sacrifices and bear the burden of hardship living away from family and friends while their partner serves the country. Though they are not the ones fighting on the front lines, or participating in military training, they are incredibly important to their partners and to their unit.
Military OneSource is a valuable benefit available to military spouses that they may not know exists. This resource helps military spouses build on the strengths that they bring to the military, so they can stay healthy and be an active part of the military community.
Through Military OneSource, military spouses can access an array of resources and support services such as:
- financial consulting
- employment assistance
- education assistance
- health and well-being services
- relocation services
- family programs
This free and confidential service level one can access over the phone or online, making it convenient for spouses and families at all points in their military journey.
3. Space-A Travel
Space-available travel is an often forgotten military spouse benefit. It is a cost-free method to travel both domestically and internationally using excess capacity on U.S. military aircraft. Military spouses are eligible to register and use space-available travel.
This is when their sponsor is on active duty and Space-A travel enables families to remain close during long deployments. The benefit includes accompanying:
- family members
- pets
- HHG
The downside to space-available travel is that it is unpredictable and some flights require overnight stays at the destination airport. Furthermore, the military family must have access to the military base to utilize the benefit.
The benefits of SpaceA travel are that it allows families the ability to stay connected and can provide families with an affordable way to travel. Additionally registering for space-available travel with an approved sponsor is free and can provide military families with a great way to explore the world on a budget.
4. Legal Assistance
Legal Assistance allows military spouses to access free legal help and low-cost legal representation. It can help you obtain:
- court orders
- obtain child support
- obtain housing or employment rights
- help in family law matters
The legal assistance office can also provide guidance and research on a variety of topics including:
- health care
- military regulations
- VA benefits
- military transfers
- family support issues
The Legal Assistance Office can also assist you in obtaining assistance from other agencies such as the Ombudsman Program and the Service Member and Family Readiness Program. It is an invaluable resource for military spouses and their families as it provides access to legal assistance that is not readily available elsewhere.
This assistance is not only invaluable for military spouses but for their families as well. Legal assistance can provide peace of mind and assistance during stressful times and help to alleviate some of the burdens faced by military spouses and their families.
5. Commissary and Exchange Access
Military spouses often overlook the huge benefit of having access to the Commissary and Exchange system. This system provides tremendous savings on the:
- groceries
- home goods
- clothing
The system is for both active duty and retired service members and their families. Commissaries are like large grocery stores, where food and home goods can be purchased tax-free. Exchanges are like mini department stores, where apparel, cosmetics, and other items can be purchased with tax-free discounts.
Military spouses can take advantage of these military benefits for spouses and help stretch budgets further than they would be able to otherwise. Using the Commissary and Exchange system is a great way to make the most of benefits for military spouses and save money on everyday items.
Be Aware Of the Often Forgotten Military Spouse Benefits
Military spouses provide so much to our families and community and often go unnoticed. It is important to take the time to be aware of the military spouse benefits available to them and take advantage of them.
Make it a priority to explore the resources available to our military families and ensure that their contributions to our society are being met with the same level of respect. It’s the least we can do to show our appreciation.
Join us in promoting this enormous mission to honor those who serve.
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