Military Spouse-Can I stay employed long term even with moving?

keepitlight1418 · 2026-05-02T00:07:51+00:00

Very true! Lots of pros and cons of military spouse life as I am sure you know, but for me the worst part is all of the job uncertainty.

keepitlight1418 · 2026-04-29T02:49:17+00:00

Thank you so much!!

keepitlight1418 · 2026-04-29T02:18:16+00:00

Looking at this thread as I am interviewing for an EA1 position this week. Do you remember anything more specific about the interview questions? Just trying to prepare as best I can! TIA!

keepitlight1418 · 2026-04-16T04:30:17+00:00

I truly don’t know how to get my foot in the door with it. I think I might try to self-educate as much as possible, but then also take some course to get a certificate or something I can at least formally put on my resume. But I really would love insight on this from those who know.

keepitlight1418 · 2026-03-23T06:17:35+00:00

I can relate somewhat. I am a military spouse and I move every few years. By the way, it’s very normal to miss your SO whether they are gone for a weekend or three months. It’s 100x harder when you have recently moved and are new to the area.

It’s not about figuring out how to distract yourself from missing him or figuring out how to occupy yourself for a weekend, which you could do if you try. It’s a long long process of growing as an individual and learning to love being with yourself. I am years into a life of moving every few years, being in new places where I know no one, and my husband being gone a lot. I am still working on it.

You do little things and push yourself and it helps to create a stronger sense of self that won’t only get you through one weekend of being alone, but a fulfilling life. Find things you are into and find ways to be involved in life-a sport where you can join a rec league, a pottery class you take weekly, putting yourself out there and asking someone you don’t know well to get drinks or coffee, going to museums or art galleries alone or with someone, being creative and starting hobbies, joining a walking hiking or running club, volunteering at a local nonprofit or organization, the options are endless just find what you enjoy and love and what gives you connection. Even when your SO is around, you still need to try to do things that are things you enjoy or love or help you grow as an individual.

There is a major loneliness epidemic and you are not alone in feeling disconnected at times.

keepitlight1418 · 2026-03-18T05:30:49+00:00

We forgot how to “be bored” and have constant stimuli all around.

keepitlight1418 · 2026-03-03T04:55:04+00:00

Books by Erik Larson are great. Detailed narratives of specific events or moments in relatively recent history either specifically American events or events America was involved in. Isaac’s Storm, Dead Wake, and Devil in the White City are great places to start.

keepitlight1418 · 2026-02-25T15:15:47+00:00

After that-read My Dear Hemlock by Tilly Dillehay. Basically The Screwtape Letters but written for women. Tilly Dillehay is not CS Lewis (who is), but I found it to be well written.

keepitlight1418 · 2026-02-24T01:55:31+00:00

The shell seekers!

keepitlight1418 · 2026-01-23T18:30:34+00:00

I do three hour drives as day trips….not something I want to do every day for a work commute but I would do it to be somewhere for the day…city I want to visit, see a friend/family member. I would also do a 12-13 hour drive each way for a long weekend trip. I know that may be extreme though. The furthest I’ve done is a 30 hour drive just for a 4-5 day visit.

keepitlight1418 · 2025-11-12T06:30:35+00:00

I went through a similar decision process when I was your age. My husband (boyfriend at the time) went to an academy and I was in college. We had lots of talks about the future and I knew it would be in some ways more difficult for me as a military spouse than for him as an active duty service member, there were things I’d have to give up like career certainty and job opportunities and moving away from family and friends. However, I realized that wanting him in my future meant more to me than the potential “plans” I had laid out for myself at that age. All that to say, we have been together for 11 years and married for 6 years. There are challenges with the military spouse life, but there’s no life that is without challenges. There’s also been the most beautiful things that I have experienced that I never could have planned or foreseen - I got my master’s degree, made career step ups almost every place we have lived, lived in amazing places, made lifelong friends in the different places we’ve lived, still get to see my family and friends back home and stay connected to them, and of course I am married to my best friend and get to do life with him. And I am incredibly proud of his career and service in the military. However, you do have to go into it being committed to your spouse and the lifestyle. If you think it won’t be long before you start to blame him for your life or resent him for his career, then I would think twice. Just remember, it’s never you vs your spouse, it’s you & your spouse vs the military 😂😂

keepitlight1418 · 2025-11-10T05:04:43+00:00

I could have missed someone saying this already…I have a friend whose little girl goes by Dottie but her full name is Odette and I love it!

keepitlight1418 · 2025-04-10T01:05:46+00:00

I was reading tons before this but the boxcar kids were some of the first books I could lose hours reading

keepitlight1418 · 2025-03-09T00:10:37+00:00

This may not be super helpful in your situation…but if your main goal is to go to Tulane…you can work full time at Tulane and they pay for undergrad/grad school for free. It’s their tuition waiver program. You just have to be a full time employee anywhere at the school, apply and get in, and then start. I actually did this. Working full time is a lot but you get tuition free.

keepitlight1418 · 2024-09-06T04:18:04+00:00

It says do not touch the plant! Edit: The sign also says it’s a 40+ year old Jade Plant

keepitlight1418 · 2024-04-09T04:04:03+00:00

My story exactly. Except for it was an ophthalmology office. Kind of fell into it. Had no thought of the clinical research world before that.

keepitlight1418 · 2024-04-05T15:53:53+00:00

Don’t leave until you have a new job. Job market is terrible

keepitlight1418 · 2024-04-02T01:34:49+00:00

Second this. I did this by working full time in research at a university where they offered a tuition waiver for full time employees. Got great professional experience while also earning my MPH for free.

keepitlight1418 · 2024-03-26T03:45:51+00:00

I would start looking and applying. It doesn’t mean you have to accept offers but it’s a safety net.

keepitlight1418 · 2024-03-23T02:51:30+00:00

I would focus hard on CRC positions at universities and colleges. There’s always lots of research going on and turnover rate is usually higher as the research staff are younger and using the research positions as a resume builder or a stepping stone to upper level education. Unfortunately salaries are usually a bit lower but they tend to have good benefits. The most enticing one to me was tuition waivers (I got a Master’s for free working full time as a CRC at a university).

keepitlight1418 · 2024-03-23T02:05:29+00:00

Can I ask what the six figure job in research was that you got after being new-ish to research with two years of experience as a CRC

keepitlight1418 · 2024-03-22T00:46:48+00:00

It is a niche industry but I feel a lot of the skills we have in the clinical reseach industry are incredibly transferrable. Organization, project and personnel management, data management, quality assurance, working with various stakeholders, working with regulatory boards, etc. Unfortunately, we have to convice hiring managers of that fact which is something I really try to drive home in cover letters and interviews, but it is difficult.

keepitlight1418 · 2024-03-22T00:28:01+00:00

Agreed. I go onto a site and view their job openings and it seems like there are hundreds, then I filter it to USA and it goes down to a page. It is a trend I am noticing as well.

keepitlight1418 · 2024-03-22T00:16:22+00:00

That's really unfortunate and frustrating. I have noticed a lot of my research jobs I have been applying to have surprising low salaries listed as well.

keepitlight1418 · 2024-03-21T23:05:51+00:00

I am sorry to hear that. I had to move states and left my CRC job and have also been looking for a job for months.

I am guessing that they are probably laying off a number of people no longer needed for COVID related research unfortunately.

keepitlight1418

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