Written on February 4, 2011 at 10:02 am by

Military Spouses: State Licensing Process and Your Career

Filed under DoD News {15 comments}

Robert L. Gordon, III, Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense (Military Community and Family Policy)

By Robert L. Gordon III
Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense (Military Community and Family Policy)

Military spouses, we need to hear from you! You are part of a talented and amazing work force, but as you know, military life can make it tough to maintain a career.

If your career field requires a state license or certification, then you know the process of renewing that license or certification can be time-consuming, cumbersome, expensive, and that process can vary from state to state. This can frustrate people in career fields like counseling, accounting and health-care.

We are working to streamline licensing procedures.  We want to make it easier for you to continue your career as you move, so we want to hear from you.

Please visit our discussion board and tell us your stories about transferring occupational or professional licenses.  How long did it take?  What barriers did you encounter? What delayed the process?  Tell us what needs to change.  We want to know what you think would shorten and simplify the process.  Have a success story to brag about? We want to hear that, too!

Last week, President Barack Obama unveiled a new, whole-of-government approach to military family support, with agencies uniting to create new resources and support programs for military families worldwide.  Helping military spouses develop portable career opportunities in high-demand career fields is one of the nation’s four top priorities. Our goal of streamlining licensing procedures is part of that priority, so you can see just how important your feedback is.

This is one of many more blogs to come.  We’ll be asking for your ideas and opinions on other topics. We look forward to hearing from you. You continually step up to life’s challenges with grace and strength. You truly serve, and the military is stronger for it. Thank you for your service.

Check out these other posts:

  • Lindsey P.

    I’m glad this came up because I’ve got ALOT to say about this, but I will try to keep it short. I’m originally from Canada, but i’ve lived int he US since I was 12. I have a green card and a social security number and pay taxes just like every other person living in America. Here’s where I get pissed! My husband goes active duty military and we get stationed in Germany. Great! We get to travel and our world is now open to awesome opportunities, except in this transition a huge door was slammed shut for me. I’ve been a certified Pharmacy Technician for 10 years and because we are living on German soil, but still on a U.S. military post, I can’t work in my career field because i’m now looked at as a foreign national. I can’t work as a Pharmacy Tech because it’s a federally funded position and due to me being Canadian, I can’t do it. I was able to do it in the U.S., but I can’t on a U.S. post over seas all because i’m Canadian. It’s a crying shame that the U.S. has rules and laws set up like this because as long as we have foreign wars and soldiers being stationed in other countries, there will forever be foreign born spouses. I shouldn’t have to give up my nationality to do the same job I did on U.S. soil just to work on a U.S. post over seas. Get it together you guys. I now have become a stay at home mom/housewife and this is the first time I haven’t worked since I got my first job at 16 and I just turned 30.

  • Cuki0604

    I’m glad they are looking into this. Last year I graduated from medical billing and coding which I took online, but I still haven’t been able to be certified because it’s very expensive to take the test. If you guys would help us that would be awesome.

  • Kmbennett

    I’m so glad someone has brought attention to this! I have a teaching license from the State of Indiana, while my husband and I just relocated to California, which has made things considerably difficult to transfer and find employment.

  • Chichizzles

    I wish they really knew what a mess this can be for us spouses who work in portable careers. What a struggle and hassle to have to go through this every single time we move to be with our spouses who are serving this country. I have A LOT to say about this as well. And I will be keeping track of this, until something is done about it.

  • Rachelgraygarcia

    I am a Registered Dietitian which is a national certification/license. Most states except California and maybe a few others require me to be Licensed and/or Certified as a Dietitian to work on top of being Registered. It would be great if being registered as a Dietitian would suffice with my families multiple PCS’s with the Navy. For me it is just not worth the time and effort to go through the hassle especially if we are stationed somewhere for less than a year.

  • Heidihoheidi

    I am having a difficult time now, because I am in school to become a School Counselor. However, each state has different requirements for what they will accept from the school for certification. Not knowing what state we are actually going to be in when I get my degree and go for certification, has made it so that I have to take all the credits and be prepared for all fifty states. This is an expensive venture, having to take extra credits and do extra time two fold for my internship so I can cover all my bases. It would be so nice if a certification could be recognized by each others states like drivers licenses.

  • Heidihoheidi

    I am having a difficult time now, because I am in school to become a School Counselor. However, each state has different requirements for what they will accept from the school for certification. Not knowing what state we are actually going to be in when I get my degree and go for certification, has made it so that I have to take all the credits and be prepared for all fifty states. This is an expensive venture, having to take extra credits and do extra time two fold for my internship so I can cover all my bases. It would be so nice if a certification could be recognized by each others states like drivers licenses.

  • PA4uPRN

    Finally, someone is brining up this topic! I am a Physician Assistant and it is a huge pain to get licensed in every state every time we PCS! I currently hold licenses in 4 states. It is a major production with every move to get started again even with a National Certification which most states go by, not to mention the expense. We currently live in Germany but I won’t even get started on trying to get a job on base!

  • Amy Gavin

    I’m sorry to say that the daunting hurdles involved in finding reciprocity for my teaching license has prevented me from seeking work in schools as we continue to PCS through my husbands career. I am a well-qualified educator, military spouse and mother, and I look forward to the day when the hiring process for teachers from military families is streamlined.

  • Nikki Vineyard

    I am currently in nursing school, and upon completion will have to choose to get licensed here in FL just to transfer shortly there after, or wait to our next PCS- likely VA. Not only the license itself will need to be transferred, what is within my scope of practice will be changing so it certainly will be an obstacle. I understand the variations state to state but think it would help tremendously if there were a program which aided in this transition, by way or a temporary exemption perhaps- nationally recognized extension for military spouses who only be practicing and remaining in the area in excess of a certain number of years (depending on the branch and tour). We will be moving up to VA most likely, but it will not be our home, in three years we will likely return here to FL, or who knows where and so unfortunately there is no way around the expense and time it will require to maintain my RN with the current system in place.

  • Nicole Ciaravella

    This would be absolutely wonderful. It is very expensive and time consuming to have to change a teaching license every time we have to move.

  • alohakt

    My sentiments as a teacher echo those comments already posted. I have now taught in five different states over a span of 15 years. Each time I have had to apply for a new license. Some states allow my years of experience or professional training to count, but there is always an extra hurdle such as endless paperwork, an extra class (or three), more state tests, etc. The next difficulty is finding a job, since many states and particular school districts are cutting budgets and jobs. I’d like to think that I have a very competitive resume including a graduate degree, but because I’ve never been in one place longer than 3 years, principals ask questions and hesitate since I’m likely not to be there very long. And if a teacher moves mid-year, becoming a substitute may be the only option until the next hiring season. Thank you for pursuing this–I hope things can change while I can still take advantage!

  • My3chilins

    I am a licensed hairstylist. After having my license in 4 different states, I have finally decided to keep just my Florida license active and not get a license in TN where we are currently stationed. It is just too expensive and some states require more educational hours and additional testing. The cost is cumbersome. I have given up a career I love in order to support my husband’s career

  • Briebrie783

    Please do something to make getting a license transfered more easy. My family is in a hardship over this.

    Elementary teacher

    • http://www.dodlive.mil DoDLive

      Elementary Teacher, please head over to the Military Community and Family Policy Facebook page to join the discussion about this and other topics. We look forward to hearing from you!

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