Empowering Military Spouses Through InformData

In the fast-paced and ever-changing world of the military, the unsung heroes often reside on the home front: the dedicated and resilient spouses who stand steadfastly by their partners' sides. At InformData we recognize the unique challenges faced by military spouses, which is why we have chosen to prioritize hiring them for many of our roles through our Military Spouse Program. 

We are incredibly proud to support military spouses, and we are excited to highlight a few out of many that are currently employed at InformData. Introducing:

We engaged with this remarkable group to learn about their journeys as military spouses and their experiences being involved in our Military Spouse Program. Let's dive in.

Q: Tell us about you and your journey as a military spouse. 

Breeanna - Hi! I’m a wife and mother of three that prides myself in unwavering support of my husband and my children. We got married almost four years ago in the thick of his active-duty career. We’ve dealt with myself having to stand in and be the sole person in charge of the household and stability through deployments and field trainings as well as providing the support and encouragement needed on a daily basis. In these four years, I’ve done the second hardest job of our household, maintaining any sense of normalcy possible for our children. I still affirm that my husband holds the hardest job in being forced to walk away from his family for however long they call him to. Thankfully, I get the honor of doing life with my best friend, even when we’re doing it on opposite sides of the world. 

Tammara – My husband and I met when we were in 7th grade through recreational sports, his mom was my coach. We were focused on different aspects when we were younger, in high school we dated briefly and then crossed paths again when I was in my second year of college. Eventually we decided we kind of really like one another and decided to get married, we will be celebrating our 18th anniversary in December. I would like to say my journey as a military spouse has been fun, I have had the opportunity to live in and explore different states and a different country for years. I have learned about different cultures and different foods across the world and have met some of the most amazing, and not so amazing, people. Our last chapter as an active-duty family is coming to a close soon and although I am worried about the future, and potentially never moving again, I know in the end we were so lucky to have all the experiences we have had and that our journey will continue.  

Taylor – I am originally from North Dakota, and I have been a military spouse for over 11 years. We have lived in various corners of the country ranging from places where it’s so cold your truck won’t start because your diesel froze, flat prairies that you can watch your dog run away for a week, or hot humid places that include a non-cancelable sauna membership. Each duty station has been filled with opportunities, adventures, and discovery – but they say you can’t have the sun without a little rain. The goodbyes, uncertainties, and the unexpected always linger. While it comes with its fair share of challenges, you have to focus on the experiences and adventures that it offers like becoming a certified Tetris master in packing or being able to decipher the mystery of military acronyms. Amidst the chaos, we’ve been given the chance to explore, immerse in different cultures, and the best part - indulging in local cuisine. Throughout this experience, I have been able to learn how to easily adapt and embrace the unknown. If we had a family crest, our motto would be “it is what it is.” 

Amanda - I have been married to my husband, a soldier in the United States Army, for 14 years. He has been deployed to Afghanistan for a year and has done several months-long overseas assignments while we have been married. We have lived in three states: Kansas, New York and Georgia. Moving (PCSing) is always hard. You are basically starting over in a new location while your spouse's job is pretty constant.  Because of this and the fact that our two children are thriving in our current state (GA), when my husband got orders last year to Maryland, we decided not to move the children and myself with him for this assignment. Being separated geographically has its own unique challenges but it is overall less stressful for me and the kids. 

Felicity - My name is Felicity Palmer. I have been married to my husband for 10.5 years and a military spouse for 7.5 years. My husband joined the United States Coast Guard in 2016 and since then we have lived in a total of 5 states. To say being a military spouse has not been easy would be an understatement, but during these last few years it has taught me a lot about my own independence and what I want in my personal career. I am currently the ombudsman for the unit my husband is at. An ombudsman is the liaison between the families of other service members and the command, and while doing this, it has pushed me to further pursue my career goals, complete all my undergraduate classes to eventually apply for Law School. I enjoy being an advocate for those who feel they do not have the voice or cannot speak up and look forward to using that as I continue my journey both as a military spouse and in my career. 

Q: What are some unique challenges you face as a military spouse in terms of maintaining employment, and how has our Military Spouse Program supported you in overcoming these challenges?  

Breeanna - As a military spouse seeking a career, or even just employment, I’ve found that it isn't always true when companies claim to be “military-friendly”. Unfortunately, most employers can’t understand that while we are married and we do have support within our household, we must operate as single parents most of the time when it comes to our children. Our spouse can’t put their career on hold as we typically need to when we’re married to service members. InformData’s Military Spouse Program and the leadership I have had the great honor and privilege to work with has proven themselves to be a truly military spouse-friendly organization. They have understood and accommodated when I’ve had to take time off because I’m the only person available to assist as well as accommodate last minute moves when the Army throws a wrench. They know that when I can’t be here, it’s because I must be there all while encouraging and enabling me to further my career while supporting my husband. 

Tammara – Maintaining employment as a military spouse has never been easy, even harder after we had children. Remote locations did not offer many choices for employment. My schedule has always needed to be flexible and those jobs are not easy to find. When applying many would question why my work history rotated every two years.  I wouldn't necessarily say it was the Military Spouse Program that has helped me overcome these challenges, the paid time off and flexibility I am offered when I need it isn't just for military spouses, but for all employees. InformData's paid time off and flexibility is something as a military spouse I was not always afforded because I could only work part-time positions, which did not offer these benefits.  

Taylor – Maintaining employment during relocations can be compared to deciphering the ancient hieroglyphic code on the instruction manual from a certain unnamed Swedish store. Unfortunately, most current employers are not willing to pick up their building and move with you. Some employers are hesitant or avoid candidates with a potential for frequent moves. However, I have been fortunate to be part of a company like ours. Our company understands the nature of military life and has shown flexibility when unforeseen circumstances arise due to deployments or relocations. This level of understanding and support provides me with the security to pursue my career goals without having to compromise any commitment to my spouses’ service as we have encountered situations in the past where the decision was made to stay in a different state to focus on my career. 

Amanda - Because our spouses often have to relocate through the course of their career, military spouses often cannot stay in the same job for more than a couple of years. This makes for a very long and varied resume which makes it difficult each time you have to find another job. Longer resumes are a signal to potential employers that you may be unreliable even if you are not. Military spouses are somewhat discriminated against in regard to employment. I have witnessed this firsthand. When we first moved back to Georgia 6 years ago, I was on the hunt for employment. I had put in dozens of applications in my local area and only got a few interviews. In one interview the employer basically told me straight up he didn't like hiring military spouses because they spend several months training them for them to leave when they have to relocate with their spouses. Other interviewers have even asked when my husband was expected to move again and how long we planned to be in the area. It's very discouraging for someone who will work hard and be an asset to any agency. Military spouses have a unique set of skills a lot of the general population do not. We can problem solve on the fly and are very resourceful since sometimes we get put in situations where we have to adjust quickly. The Military Spouse Program here at InformData is awesome. They offer leaves of absence in the case that you have to move with your spouse to give you time to get settled and keep your position. While I have not had to use this yet, it has taken some of the worry out of my mind and has given me the courage to want to advance in my career with InformData without the fear of not being able to continue with my career progression if we have to move. 

Felicity - I have faced several unique challenges while being a military spouse, but I would have to say the most frustrating of them all is knowing that the moment a company finds out that your spouse is in the military you're either treated differently or not even offered a position because the company sees you as “unreliable”. It took me a while to open up to others in this company and tell them about my husband being in the military due to the way I was treated in prior places of employment but since I have, I am no longer concerned about someone judging me for my home life and feel that I am finally being noticed for me and for the quality work I can, and am producing.

Q: Can you tell us about your experience working for InformData through its Military Spouse Program? 

Breeanna - My experience working with InformData has been a whirlwind. I’ve had the honor of working my way up from starting out in our Verifications department and going through two different promotions in two years, one even after my third month of employment! I have been coached, cheered on, supported and developed lifelong friendships. One of my favorite moments was being in the office, meeting all of our upper leadership and meeting all of my favorite people face to face. 

Taylor – Working for InformData through its Military Spouse Program has been a positive experience. From the moment I joined the company, I felt a genuine sense of support and understanding by my colleagues and leadership throughout different departments in my career. I am grateful that InformData recognizes employment challenges that can follow military spouses and offers numerous states to be able to relocate to. InformData’s involvement in sponsoring veteran organizations such as HeroHomes and the partnership with Hiring Our Heroes showcases a larger commitment to the military community and makes me incredibly proud to be part of a company that not only supports military families but extends to the broader military community. 

Amanda - Working for InformData has been a great experience. I am celebrating 2 years this month with the company. I have progressed in my career starting out in Verifications part-time to now a full-time employee in Processing. Everyone I have come in contact with (management, co-workers, supervisors) is so nice, understanding and supportive. They are willing to work with you if life happens and you need to step away to handle things. I love that we have a Military Spouse Program channel on teams to communicate with other spouses. This is definitely one of the best companies I’ve worked for and cannot recommend it enough to other spouses I come in contact with. 

Felicity - I have enjoyed my time working for InformData and have even been able to connect with other military spouses from the same branch who are being stationed locally to us. This is only possible because of the Military Spouse Program, and I can only hope that InformData pursues to expand it! 

Interested in learning more about this program and the available opportunities? Learn more here.