ANNAPOLIS, MD—Governor Wes Moore, First Lady Dawn Moore, Lieutenant Governor Aruna Miller, and Maryland Department of Veteran Affairs Secretary Tony Woods this week hosted Hiring Our Heroes: Military Spouse Employer Connect event at Government House. More than 60 military spouses joined representatives from numerous State agencies and top employers to network and learn more about employment and fellowship opportunities.

“If we are going to make Maryland the state that serves, we need to support our servicemembers, our veterans, and our military families. We know employment is one of the biggest challenges facing military families and we have a responsibility to ensure that in Maryland, our military families can get hired, even as they travel,” said Governor Moore. “We cannot fully eliminate the challenges that come with the choice to serve, but we can work together to lighten the load of those who choose to step up, and lighten the load of their families too.

“In this administration, we celebrate the ingenuity and courage of our military families,” said First Lady Moore. “We know that our military spouses are mission driven, can adapt to any situation, and deliver results — and that’s why our administration is proud to support them through job opportunities that will uplift Maryland families.”

The military spouse unemployment rate is 21% nationally.

The event was hosted in partnership with Hiring Our Heroes—a national non-profit that helps veterans, transitioning service members, and military spouses find meaningful employment. Special Assistant to the President and Joining Forces Executive Director Sheila Casey, United States Department of Defense Chief Talent Management Officer Brynt Parmeter, former Lieutenant Governor Kathleen Kennedy-Townsend and Blue Star Families Chief Executive Officer Kathy Roth-Douquet also joined in support of the effort.

“Whether you’re a business, nonprofit, or elected leader, each of us has a profound responsibility to support those who serve our nation – including military spouses and caregivers,” said Lt. Gov. Aruna Miller. “In Maryland, we’re delivering on that commitment by declaring 2024 ‘Maryland’s Year for Military Families’ and introducing legislation that will make it easier for employers to hire military spouses. I was so proud to advance our administration’s mission to support those who serve by partnering with Hiring Our Heroes for this one-of-a-kind career networking event at Government House.”

“Maryland is home to nearly 25,000 military spouses. They bring invaluable skills and talents to our communities and economy,” said Maryland Department of Veteran Affairs Secretary Tony Woods. “I am encouraged that Maryland employers recognize the contributions of our military spouses and are eager to hire them.”

“Together, we can solve this challenge by working across the private and public sectors to create work environments that allow military spouses to continue their service while finding and maintaining meaningful careers,” said Hiring Our Heroes President Eric Eversole.

This year’s legislative agenda in support of servicemembers and their families extends the Maryland Joins Forces campaign, which the Moore-Miller Administration launched in 2023. The campaign supports military families across five key pillars including employment, food and housing insecurity, education, health and wellness, and volunteer service. Chaired by Lt. Gov. Miller, the initiative is modeled from the White House’s ‘Joining Forces’ initiative. Maryland was the first state to implement the program at the state level.