When we launched Twelve Million Plus, we wanted to give military spouses a safe place to connect and share their stories. We’re excited to highlight Devon’s experiences as a male military spouse and working father. (Did you know 8% of military spouses identify as male?)
Devon’s Story
Devon and his family have moved all over – from Washington state to California, to Texas, back to California, and most recently, to Maryland.
Like thousands of other military spouses, Devon had to navigate a short-notice deployment thousands of miles away from his support system. (The average service member moves every 2-3 years, and more than 1.9 million service members have deployed since 20
“I just had to make do,” says Devon. “Before we got married, I had never really lived outside of my hometown area. I was 2,000 miles away from my friends or family.”
Finding jobs at new duty stations has been challenging, and Devon’s worked hard to juggle home life and work life while supporting his spouse’s often stressful career, and now, they’re preparing for his wife to transition from the military after 11 years of service. “We’re a really good team,” says Devon. “Together, we’ve been able to support each other.”
Devon’s advice to other military spouses? Don’t be afraid to focus on yourself and get out there.
“If I could do it again – and I would – I would focus on myself as much as the service member. I put myself to the side more often than not,” says Devon. “I would also get involved a lot more with the community. The importance of networking is huge – it’s a lot more important than I ever thought it would be.”
We know that getting involved and putting yourself out there is often easier said than done. It’s intimidating, and it’s hard to know where to even start.
At Twelve Million Plus, we’ve created a safe, inclusive space for military spouses to connect. You can join our installation and interest-specific spaces, check out our Resource Spotlights, or join our Community WikiBoard to start conversations or ask other military spouses questions.
Watch Devon’s story here – exclusively on Twelve Million Plus.
