Our Airmen make great sacrifices for the safety and security of our country, but they aren’t the only ones. The spouses of our Airmen and their families also make significant sacrifices that often go unnoticed or unappreciated. Without the support of their spouse, many Airmen wouldn’t be where they are today.

If you’ve just married an Airman and are unfamiliar with the Air Force lifestyle, it might seem overwhelming or daunting. That’s why we’ve created this guide to help you deal with some of the challenges you may face as an Air Force spouse. Continue reading to discover tips and tricks for overcoming your challenges and thriving as an Air Force spouse.

Typical Challenges of Being an Air Force Spouse

Being a part of the Air Force lifestyle can be challenging for everyone involved, including military spouses who spend a lot of their time supporting their partner’s career. Some of the most common challenges that Air Force spouses face include:

• Separation from family and local community
• Frequently relocating to new cities, states, or countries
• Difficulty maintaining a career
• Inability to sustain a support network
• Missing important life events
• Feelings of isolation during relocation or deployments

It’s part of the Air Force lifestyle for spouses to make sacrifices for their partner’s career, and that comes with plenty of challenges they have to overcome. It’s important to acknowledge these sacrifices to ensure spouses are getting the support they need.

6 Tips to Help Air Force Spouses Thrive

If you’re a new Air Force spouse and haven’t been around the lifestyle before, you may not be sure what to expect or how to deal with the challenges you’ll face. Below, we’ll give you some tips so you can thrive as a military spouse and overcome the difficulties of being a part of Air Force life.

1. Look Into Employment Opportunities for Spouses

Keeping a stable career can be a challenge for many Air Force spouses since they’re relocating frequently, which makes it difficult to climb up the ladder in their field. It may be more challenging to receive promotions or work in a field that requires long commitments. However, it’s not impossible to hold down a steady and fulfilling career as an Air Force spouse.

For example, you may be in a field where remote work is possible, which would allow you to work from anywhere and climb up the ladder, even if you have to relocate with your spouse. Remote work isn’t always possible, so you may need to find a job near you instead.

You can find many companies that have hiring preferences for service members, veterans, and their families, especially around each base you’ll live around. These companies tend to be more understanding of the struggles that Air Force families face, so they’ll be more accommodating than a company that’s not familiar with the lifestyle.

As a spouse, you will also have access to Spouse Education and Career Opportunities (SECO), which is a program that connects spouses to education opportunities and career guidance. Through this program, you can build a resume, look for jobs, and find new opportunities for education and training. You can also look for employment through USAJOBS, which allows you to filter jobs that have a preference for hiring spouses.

Some Air Force spouses even start their own businesses, which is an excellent option that allows your work to travel with you anytime you have to relocate for your Airman. If you want to start a business, think about some online options you can go with so you can work remotely and travel freely.

2. Utilize Air Force Childcare Options

If you have a child, it can be even harder to manage some of the challenges that come with being a spouse in the Air Force, especially if you’ve moved away from family and your support network. The good news is that you have options for childcare, which will allow you to work or handle your daily responsibilities while your child is well cared for.

First, you’ll need to decide whether you want to look for childcare on or off base. Keep in mind that on-base childcare is limited, and there may be a waitlist, so you may need to look at other options temporarily while you wait for a spot to open up. There are a few different places you can look through for your childcare options:

• Military OneSource
• Care.com
• Militarychildcare.com

These sites allow you to find childcare options that meet your needs, especially if your child needs specific care.

3. Set Up Power of Attorney

Power of attorney will allow you to make decisions on behalf of your spouse when they’re not able to, such as when they’re on deployment or on long missions. This can be useful if you need to make financial or medical decisions that your partner can’t at the moment. You should try to set up power of attorney with your spouse as soon as possible since your Airman can be required to deploy with as little as 24 hours of notice.

4. Find Support in Your Community

Even if you’ve moved away from your hometown and loved ones, you still have support in the new community you’re in. As a spouse in the Air Force, you will immediately become a part of the Air Force community and can access support when you need it. For example, other spouses can help you with a lot, such as childcare, if your spouse is deployed and you need to work.

You can also find support groups at your installation or online to connect with other spouses who understand the struggles you’re going through. These groups can give you a place to vent, ask questions, and find methods to cope when you’re going through a hard time. You can even join the Air and Space Forces Spouses' Club (ASFSC) to connect with other spouses and find community and support wherever your spouse’s job takes you.

5. Learn to PCS Efficiently

PCSing can be stressful on a military family, and the spouse takes on a lot of that stress. You may be moving away from home or have just gotten used to your spouse’s last duty station, only to have to start all over again.

It’s important to learn how to PCS efficiently so you can minimize your stress and make your transition more seamless. That’s why we created a guide to PCSing to take some of the stress and difficulty out of your move. In this guide, you’ll discover a wide range of tips and helpful information, including how to prepare for your move, how to pack, and how to deal with relocating frequently.

6. Talk With Your Spouse

While your spouse may not understand what it’s like to be married to someone in the Air Force, they understand what it’s like to serve and some of the challenges you both share. Your spouse can help you with finding resources through the Air Force that meet your specific needs, and they can also be a valuable part of your support network if things get hard.

How to Practice Self-Care as an Air Force Spouse

It can be challenging to adjust to the Air Force lifestyle, and many new spouses may find it difficult to become a part of this new world. If you’re dealing with a lot of stress as a spouse, it’s important to practice self-care so you can improve your mental well-being and thrive. Below are some self-care tips to help you manage your stress as you grow accustomed to life as an Air Force spouse:

• Create a routine: Having a routine can help create a sense of peace in your life where it may otherwise be chaos. Try to keep up with the same routine you had before you got married, which can include your morning routine, workouts, hobbies, and your career.
• Care for your body: It’s easier to deal with stress if you’re body is in good shape. Make sure you’re getting enough sleep, exercising, and eating a healthy diet so your body is primed to be in the best condition possible. You should also be taking care of your mental health so it’s easier to tackle your challenges and stressful situations head-on.
• Find things you enjoy: It’s important to take some time to relax and live a life outside of your stressors. Make sure you continue to engage in hobbies you enjoy or find new hobbies that bring you peace, such as art, journaling, hiking, and more.
• Learn to manage stress: There are stress management techniques you can use to cope with the stressors you may encounter as a military spouse. Consider trying different breathing exercises, meditation, yoga, and any other stress management options that bring you peace in difficult times.
• Connect with loved ones: Spending time with your loved ones can help you feel more connected, especially if you’re feeling isolated in your new environment. If you can visit your loved ones, it’s a good way to relieve mental stress. If you’re far from home, you can always connect with new people in your environment and spend time with them or reach out when you feel stressed.

Help Your Spouse Keep Their Uniform in Pristine Condition With AUSI

At American Uniform Sales, we provide AFI-compliant uniforms to help your spouse stay within the strict regulations of the Air Force. We offer OCPs, rank and insignia, footwear, and more to ensure your spouse always shows up to work looking their best and within standards. You can also find gear for you and your spouse, whether you’re headed to work or your spouse is off on a long mission. Get started by browsing our selection, or contact us with your questions.