Do Your Part is made possible by
Do Your Part for
Military Spouses at Work
Practical Actions. Stronger Nation.
The Do Your Part Employer Initiative brings organizations together to advance simple solutions
that have been shown to work for military spouses in the workplace.
The Do Your Part Employer Initiative brings organizations together to advance simple solutions that have been shown to work for military spouses in the workplace.
Military spouses bring leadership, adaptability, and resilience to workplaces across every industry. Yet frequent relocations, licensing barriers, and inconsistent workplace practices can disrupt careers and create avoidable turnover.
Chronic military spouse unemployment and underemployment are not inevitable; they are solvable challenges. When workplaces remove barriers and adopt simple, targeted, evidence-based practices, they help stabilize military household income, reducing downstream impacts such as food insecurity and financial strain, and strengthening the long-term well-being of military families. That stability is foundational to workplace continuity, military readiness, and national resilience.
Explore our pioneering research or join the Do Your Part movement through the 4+1 Commitment, a proven framework developed in partnership with Hiring Our Heroes and the Department of War's Military Spouse Employment Partnership (MSEP) program.
What Does it Mean to Participate in the 4+1 Commitment?
Signing on reflects a commitment to take action over time, starting with a review of current practices and progressing toward improvements that support military-connected employees.
Do Your Part Employers are asked to identify at least one area of focus and advance practical changes that align with their organization’s size, structure, and capacity.
Why This Matters
Military spouse employees are part of the workforce in every community, often far from installations or traditional support systems.
When workplace practices don’t account for the realities of military life, employers may experience:
- Higher attrition and lost institutional knowledge
- Interrupted career pathways for skilled employees
- Increased recruiting and onboarding costs
Doing your part doesn’t require a major overhaul. Small, thoughtful actions can deliver meaningful outcomes for both employees and organizations.
Spouses with higher education, flexible employment arrangements, and access to mentoring are most likely to maintain steady employment. Intentional support for military-connected employees strengthens retention, engagement, and long-term workforce stability.
Simple tweaks to how companies implement spouse employment programs can make them far more impactful. For example, solutions should be life-course and person-centered, not one-size-fits-all. They should emphasize evidence-based predictors of long-term employment stability and provide targeted support for high-need groups at different stages of the military family experience.
Why Start With the 4+1 Commitment?
The 4+1 Commitment offers a clear, credible starting point for organizations looking to strengthen military spouse support without adding complexity.
- Focus on actions that are realistic and achievable
- Align commitments with existing HR, talent, and inclusion efforts
- Demonstrate leadership through practical, people-centered action
Whether you’re just beginning or refining existing efforts, the Do Your Part Employer Initiative provides a shared framework for progress, strengthening the workplace and the nation, one job at a time.
Interested in local opportunities? Check out our chapter network!
Let's work together to support our military families.
The Do Your Part coalition is led by Blue Star Families with support from Craig Newmark and craig newmark philanthropies.
Blue Star Families
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Encinitas, CA 92024
(202) 630-2583
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