By Joseph Clark
The Defense Department is taking steps to ensure military spouses can continue to thrive in their careers while accompanying service members on overseas assignments. A new memorandum of agreement signed by Deputy Secretary of Defense Kathleen Hicks and Deputy Secretary of State for Management and Resources Richard Verma will streamline the approval process for military spouses seeking overseas teleworking arrangements while federally employed.
According to the DoD, Hicks said removing barriers for military spouses to remain in federal positions while accompanying their spouses stationed overseas will further improve economic security for military families and enhance readiness and retention for the all-volunteer force.
“By signing the memorandum of agreement, we are enabling federally employed military spouses to work remotely from where their service member is stationed overseas and continue their professions with as little disruption as possible,” Hicks said during a signing ceremony at the White House.
“That matters for military spouses who want to continue down their chosen career path,” she said. “It matters for the economic well-being of our military families. It matters for our ability to retain valuable talent and expertise in the federal workforce. And it matters for our national security.”
The State Department manages the Domestic Employees Teleworking Overseas (DETO) program, which governs arrangements by federal employees to work for pre-determined periods at approved overseas work sites while serving in domestic federal positions.
Under the newly signed memorandum, the State Department will accept DOD suitability determinations for overseas housing, both on and off installation, when considering DETO arrangement requests. Previously, the State Department required additional security and safety surveys for off-installation housing. The measure is designed to streamline the approval process and reduce delays that can lead to lengthy family separations or cause military spouses to relinquish their federal positions when moving abroad.
In part, those tough choices are reflected by a 21% unemployment rate among military spouses, according to White House figures.
Administration officials point out that despite military spouses being diverse, talented and resilient, unemployment has remained unchanged over the past decade. More than 16,000 military, veteran and surviving spouses work for federal agencies, according to White House figures, further underscoring the broad-reaching impact of the policy governing overseas teleworking arrangements has on the military community. Verma said streamlining the DETO program isn’t just about improving the lives of military families; it is also about putting the right policies in place to ensure the federal government attracts and retains top talent.
“When we make a DETO opportunity possible, it means families stay together; two careers are supported; that State, Defense and our other federal partners can carry out our critical missions at home and abroad and that we can continue to retain our best talent,” Verma said.
He said the memorandum reflects that attracting top talent means putting people first. The agreement is limited to areas where DOD has approved accompanied assignments and established Military Housing Offices serving the local military community.
The memorandum also outlines procedures for DOD and the State Department to jointly address future concerns surrounding DETO arrangements for military families as necessary. It clarifies that spouses of Coast Guard personnel assigned to overseas billets under DOD combatant commanders are also covered under the agreement.
“Our military spouses—so many of you here—you may not wear a uniform, but you serve our country too,” First Lady Jill Biden said upon the signing. “And it’s our responsibility to serve you.”
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