Military Spouses on the Move: Cedars-Sinai Supports Families, Careers

For military spouses, finding a job can mean confronting an obstacle course of skeptical interviewers, questions about employment gaps and offers for positions far below their qualifications.

Ahmanielle Roussell, an organizational communications supervisor at Cedars-Sinai, knows the frustration firsthand. She has had trouble convincing prospective employers that frequent relocations shouldn't overshadow her advanced degrees, professional experience and ability to contribute.

"It's often a struggle for us to find the right job and grow in our roles, despite being incredible team contributors," Roussell said. "The minute you say you're a military spouse, you can feel the energy change. Interviewers assume we're short-term contributors because we often have to relocate."

According to a 2024 U.S. Department of Defense survey of military spouses, the unemployment rate was 24%-six times the national average. Underemployment is another commonly cited challenge. It can mean earning too little, not using one's abilities or working outside one's field.

It's a different story at Cedars- Sinai, a military-supportive employer counting more than 350 veterans, active-duty service members, reservists and military spouses across its hospital, Marina Hospital and Medical Network teams. The health system actively recruits military spouses through the federal Military Spouse Employment Partnership program, which helps spouses of active-duty service members find private sector jobs.

"Military spouses are an underserved community in the shadow of another underserved community," said Bill McGovern, military program administrator on the Talent Acquisition Team at Cedars-Sinai and a U.S. Marine Corps veteran. "They are among the most highly educated and skilled, yet they often struggle professionally because of frequent moves. We are invested in this group because we want to help combat the employment challenges military spouses face."

At a recent recruitment event at Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton in San Diego County, Roussell met other military spouses who described feeling overwhelmed, lost and disappointed by their career prospects, despite their degrees, certifications and advanced qualifications.

"Many spouses sacrifice their career aspirations to support their partners, but no one should feel forced to do that-especially when career continuity can do wonders for a military family," she said. "Military spouses should be able to pursue their dreams alongside their partners."

Roussell is grateful to have found that opportunity herself.

In 2018, she was working at Cedars-Sinai in a job she loved when her husband called with the news that they were being reassigned to Jacksonville, Florida. Roussell felt as though the air had been sucked out of the room.

"It was painful to put in my resignation," she said, noting that telework options were not available at the time.

Two years later, as the COVID-19 pandemic expanded remote-work opportunities, her former supervisor called to ask her to return. She happily agreed.

Today, Roussell is working to refine a Cedars-Sinai policy that she hopes will help retain more military-connected employees.

"I don't want anyone else to have to say goodbye to work they enjoy doing, or struggle to find their footing in a new community and new job," Roussell said. "At Cedars-Sinai, I have a voice and a platform to advocate for military spouses in a way I never could at previous workplaces."

Roussell also encourages military spouses to get involved in VetConnect, a Cedars-Sinai employee resource group aimed at fostering connection and camaraderie among military-connected colleagues.

Through VetConnect and fellow teammates, Roussell has met and bonded with other military spouses, including Kasa Hester. A Cedars-Sinai operations analyst, Hester was able to keep her job when the U.S. Air Force relocated her husband and family to San Antonio, Texas, this year.

"I've experienced both unemployment and underemployment," Hester said. "Relocating, settling in, trying to meet people, job hunting and sustaining career growth is incredibly demanding on families. We invest so much time building our careers, yet receiving relocation orders is entirely out of our control."

Both Hester and Roussell emphasized the resilience and adaptability of military spouses-qualities that make them valuable employees.

"Don't shut out military spouses or put them all in the same box," Roussell said. "Have a conversation about what they're passionate about. Understand their need for flexibility and acknowledge that their skills can be adapted for many different roles. Becoming a military-friendly employer simply takes a little creativity, innovation and flexibility."

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