Pence’s wife launches effort to aid military spouses
WASHINGTON — Karen Pence, Vice President Mike Pence’s wife, opened a campaign Thursday to help military spouses get the support and services they need.
Mrs. Pence said one of the biggest frustrations that spouses have told her about is getting a new professional license to continue in certain careers every time they relocate.
In a speech to military spouses, she pointed out that they are eligible to be reimbursed by the federal government for relicensing or recertification costs under a defense bill that President Donald Trump recently signed into law.
“Licensing is expensive,” she said in a speech at Fort Carson in Colorado.
Mrs. Pence also highlighted an executive order Trump signed this year to promote the hiring of military spouses by the U.S. government, and she named several private businesses that she said are working to help military spouses.
In an interview with The Associated Press this week, she said the challenges facing military spouses, including finding child care, can affect military readiness. Unhappy spouses can lead to unhappy service members, she said.
Mrs. Pence, whose son is in Marine flight school, said she understands a bit of what the spouses go through, given that she and the vice president have had 14 homes during their 33-year marriage.
“They are such professionals, and we all just want to do what we can in this short window of time to make a difference,” she added of military spouses.