DOD Hosts Fifth Annual Virtual Military Spouse Symposium

 April 6, 2021

---

The Department of Defense Spouse Education and Career Opportunities program will host the fifth annual Virtual Military Spouse Symposium on April 27-29.

The free symposium is an important annual event for connecting military spouses to a professional community, resources and skills for career development. The multiday, online event is designed to educate new and experienced military spouses about specific resources and best practices for maximizing their unique potential. 

This year’s theme is “Reflect, Explore, Act,” and will include two days of online sessions dedicated to career development and a final day focused around relationships and work-life balance.

During the symposium, military spouses can explore self-care with the help of DOD’s Military OneSource program, learn about being your own boss and creating your unique brand, understanding and mastering the federal job search and learning how to maximize the job interview.

“We encourage military spouses from across the globe to take advantage of this powerful community and set of resources during this year’s Virtual Military Spouse Symposium,” said Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Military Community and Family Policy Patricia “Patty” Montes Barron. “In addition to education and employment resources, this year we will feature a relationship summit focused on key strategies to support intimate partner relationships. Spouses will have an opportunity to connect with each other and with our presenters as we focus on skill-building and managing work-life balance to improve relationships overall.”

All military spouses are welcome to attend the Virtual Military Spouse Symposium no matter what phase of career they’re in – from a first-time job seeker to an experienced professional.

Registration is now open.

For more information, call Military OneSource at 800-342-9647 to speak with a SECO career coach, start a live chat and visit https://myseco.militaryonesource.mil/portal/spousesymposium to register for the event.  

About Military Community and Family Policy 

Military Community and Family Policy is directly responsible for establishing and overseeing quality-of-life policies and programs that help our guardians of country, their families and survivors be well and mission-ready. Military OneSource is the gateway to programs and services that support the everyday needs of the 5.2 million service members and immediate family members of the military community. These Department of Defense services can be accessed 24/7/365 around the world.

About Spouse Education and Career Opportunities  

Spouse Education and Career Opportunities. The DOD established the SECO program to provide education and career guidance to military spouses worldwide, offering free, comprehensive resources and tools related to career exploration, education, training and licensing, employment readiness and career connections. This program also offers free career coaching services six days a week.

About Military OneSource

Military OneSource is a DOD-funded program that is both a call center and a website providing comprehensive information, resources and assistance on every aspect of military life. Service members and the families of active duty, National Guard, and reserve (regardless of activation status), Coast Guard members when activated for the Navy, DOD expeditionary civilians, and survivors are eligible for Military OneSource services, which are available worldwide 24 hours a day, seven days a week, free to the user.