‘Spouses in professional careers (also typically the spouses of officers) described how they were intent on working during accompanied postings because of the meaning it provided them with in (re-)establishing an identity separate to that of military wife or mother.’Yet, they experienced difficulties planning or progressing their careers because of the frequency and duration of… Continue reading Career or Job? Self-Worth?
Category: Connection
A lack of being and feeling connected with others.
Dependent? Really?
‘Many spouses described how their relationship with their husband led them to be ascribed the identity of a ‘military wife’ or dependent within the community.’By establishing connections and relationships with civilians, spouses were able to reassert their independence and resist the identities imposed on them through their relationship with their husband within their working environment:”…… Continue reading Dependent? Really?
Getting out of the home
‘For other spouses, employment was less about providing an identity or status and instead related to a sense of purpose and structure to their lives. Such participants were largely content to take any form of employment that allowed them to feel they were productive outside the family home:”… I’ve been working six months since moving… Continue reading Getting out of the home
Employment matters
‘Participants [of the study] explained how employment contributed to an independent identity, enabling social connectedness, providing a sense of self-confidence and value.’ ‘It’s nice to just be you’: The influence of the employment experiences of UK military spouses during accompanied postings on well-being. Rachael Gribble, Laura Goodwin, Sian Oram, Nicola T Fear April 1, 2019