Dallas City Wire

WASHINGTON – Congresswoman Jasmine Crockett (TX-30) led a bipartisan letter with Reps. Mike Turner (OH-10), Rob Wittman (VA-1) and Jared Moskowitz (FL-23) and 36 member signatories to the Secretary of State Antony Blinken, Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin, and Office of Personnel Management Director Kiran Ahuja requesting information on employment restrictions impacting retention of federally-employed military spouses. Specifically, the members called for clarification on rules restricting administrative leave for military spouses during change of duty station, an issue that leads to lower retention rates, unemployment rates as high as 22%, and more servicemembers leaving active duty.

"Recent data reveals that more than a third of military families cite spouse employment challenges as a reason for leaving active duty. We are spending millions to train the world’s finest fighting force but are unable to retain brave Americans due to rectifiable barriers to spousal employment," the members state. "Financial insecurity and unfulfilled personal expectations resulting from lack of employment can often lead to profound dissatisfaction for the spouse, which directly impacts the retention of skilled service members. Survey data suggests that for every one-point increase in a spouse’s support for staying in the military, the actual odds of the service member staying rose by nearly 2%.

"Our country owes a great deal to the families of our brave service members. Their satisfaction is crucial to service member retention; even setting that aside, these patriotic spouses who serve their country as federal employees deserve our support. Therefore, we, the undersigned Members of Congress, await your prompt response to the above questions as we consider the FY 2024 NDAA."

The full text of the letter, including questions sent to Administration for clarification on this issue, can be viewed here and is copied below.

Dear Secretary Blinken, Secretary Austin, and Director Ahuja:

As geopolitical tensions rise, the importance of supporting our uniformed service members and their families cannot be overstated. Each of your agencies committed, in signing the “Strengthening American Military Families” release put out by the White House and the National Security Council in 2021, to improve the recruitment and retention of uniformed service members and their families. While progress has been made on this front, we are concerned about the pace of implementation. Specifically, we write to express concern regarding the retention efforts of federally employed military spouses across the U.S. Government.

Though no standard data collection mechanisms exist, rough estimates put the lower bound of federally employed military spouses at 17,000 individuals. These patriotic spouses experience an unemployment rate among the highest in the country at 22%, around seven times the national average. The harmful effects this has on individuals, families, and national security cannot be overstated.

Recent data revealed that more than a third of military families cite spouse employment challenges as a reason for leaving active duty. We are spending millions to train the world’s finest fighting force but are unable to retain brave Americans due to rectifiable barriers to spousal employment. Financial insecurity and unfulfilled personal expectations resulting from lack of employment can often lead to profound dissatisfaction for the spouse, which directly impacts the retention of skilled service members. Survey data suggests that for every one-point increase in a spouse’s support for staying in the military, the actual odds of the service member staying rose by nearly 2%.

To that end, we request your prompt response to the following questions:

1. What is the timeline to update assignment policy to encourage coordination of assignments with federally employed military spouses' HR offices? Federally employed military spouses must navigate opaque assignment processes and rely on the sympathies of disparate agencies' assignment officers to prevent military family separation, leave without pay, or resignation. This results in additional financial and emotional stress and often premature exit of the service member from the military. We are informed that Secretaries Barron and Miller have committed to updating DoD Instruction 1315.18 (Procedures for Military Personnel Assignments) but do not have information on the timeline.

2. What is the status of reviews of policies granting administrative leave for military spouses experiencing a Permanent Change of Station on their service member’s orders? Due to frequent duty station transfers, federally employed military spouses often must take personal leave, resulting in depleted or non-existent leave for personal use. It is the prerogative of each agency to establish such a policy, yet no such policy exists at the Department of Defense (DOD), Department of State, or across the federal government. We understand that the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) is reviewing administrative leave policy guidance. Our view is that establishing such a policy would promote these spouses’ well-being and promote national security; as such, we seek to know the status of these discussions.

3. What steps are being taken by the Office of Personnel Management to provide a recommendation to agencies on the appropriate amount of Leave Without Pay to provide federally employed military spouses in conjunction with involuntary transfers? Establishing such a policy when these federal employees’ spouses receive orders of a homeport shift or change of permanent duty station help in meeting the long-established and agreed-to retention goals. That is why the Air Force and Department of State grant such extended leave. But they each grant it for different amounts of time. We wish to know what steps OPM is taking to harmonize these policies and establish a recommended baseline.

4. What actions are under consideration at the Department of State to incorporate the Department of Defense as a tandem agency? Such a policy would reduce strife in the bidding process and the assignment of changes of duty stations. While tandem designations have been established in other cases, no codification exists for federally employed military spouses. As such, we wish to know the status of any such efforts to designate DOD (and other agencies, like the Department of Homeland Security) as tandem agencies and whether any obstacles prevent such a designation.

5. What is the status of establishing a standardized method to collect data on military spouse employment and providing that information to the public? In the FY 2019 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), Congress directed OPM to collect such information from each agency and provide reports on that information. Last year, that requirement was extended. We understand that this information is not yet collected in a standardized way, leaving open the possibility of gaps in the data, and that it is not made easily accessible to the public. Public access to comprehensive data is essential to effective recruiting, retention, advocacy, and policymaking.

6. What efforts are being undertaken to educate and encourage hiring managers and relevant HR offices to hire military spouses, and what counsel and assistance can HR offices and Civilian Personnel Advisory Centers provide military spouses as they seek employment? Under multiple Congressional directives, and under Executive Order 13473, proactive efforts must be made to employ military spouses in the federal government in the interest of national security. We wish to know what affirmative steps have been taken to carry out those directives, and whether military spouses can access government-provided counsel.

7. What steps are being taken by the Office of Personnel Management, the Department of State, and the Department of Defense to facilitate federally employed military spouse recruitment and retention? In addition to the commitment in “Strengthening American Military Families,” Executive Order 13832 directs that further action be taken similarly. As may be inferred by the previous questions, we wish to know not only what steps have been taken—for which your agencies ought be commended—but what barriers exist to taking much-needed steps and how your agencies are working to eliminate those barriers.

Our country owes a great deal to the families of our brave service members. Their satisfaction is crucial to service member retention; even setting that aside, these patriotic spouses who serve their country as federal employees deserve our support. Therefore, we, the undersigned Members of Congress, await your prompt response to the above questions as we consider the FY 2024 NDAA.

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Congresswoman Jasmine Crockett represents portions of Dallas and Tarrant Counties, with the cities of Dallas, Grand Prairie, DeSoto, Cedar Hill, Lancaster, Duncanville, Glenn Heights, Hutchins, Wilmer, Arlington, Ovilla, and Seagoville.

Original source can be found here.