This year, Military Spouse Appreciation Day is May 6th. Join us as we gear up to celebrate and wish a happy Military Spouse Appreciation Day to all the milspouses out there!

Happy Military Spouse Appreciation Day!

Since the formation of our country's first fighting force, the Continental Army, military spouses have played an important role in service members' lives. Their unwavering support, behind-the-scenes guidance, and love are invaluable to the men and women who serve our country.According to the U.S. Department of Defense, more than half of our nation's active-duty military members are married. That means there are currently nearly a million military spouses supporting our nation's service members. These military spouses deserve thanks for all that they do for their service members, their families, and their communities.So, this is to you, the military wife, the military husband, and the married military couple who support our service members each day in a way no one else can: Happy Military Spouse Appreciation Day!

When Is Military Spouse Appreciation Day?

Military spouses in America have always served an important role in the military community. But when did the idea for a national military spouse day honoring those spouses become a reality?April 17, 1984. It was on this day that President Ronald Reagan extolled the virtues of military spouses and the importance of their contributions to their families, their communities, and their country.In his proclamation, Reagan noted that military spouses “have made countless personal sacrifices to support the Armed Forces.” Reagan's proclamation acknowledged that military spouses put their own “personal and professional aspirations” second to the needs of the service family. It also acknowledged that military spouses have “frequently endured long periods of separation or left familiar surroundings and friends to re-establish their homes in distant places.”Then Reagan proclaimed that May 23, 1984, would be “Military Spouse Day.” U.S. Secretary of Defense Caspar Weinberger standardized the holiday's date, designating the Friday before Mother's Day as Military Spouse Appreciation Day. In 1999, Congress made the entire month of May “National Military Appreciation Month,” underscoring the importance of service members and their spouses and families.This year, National Military Spouse Appreciation Day falls on May 6, 2022. Happy Military Spouse Appreciation Day!

What Does it Take To Be a Military Spouse?

There's no shortage of quotes about military wives' strength. Being married to a service member requires it. Military husbands, too, must summon this same strength, and dual military couples must manage dual military schedules and requirements in a precarious balancing act.If you're looking for a keychain, T-shirt, or clever meme proclaiming the many qualities of military spouses, you'll have no trouble finding it. It may seem cliche, but there's a reason military spouses inspire such admiration.Military spouses are required to be patient, flexible, resilient, and creative when things do not go according to plan. Which is often. At the beginning of the COVID pandemic, military spouses started sharing a particular meme:Some of you have never had the government ruin your plans and it shows.As people all over the world struggled with shutdowns, restrictions, and fear of an unknown future, military spouses felt particularly well-equipped for handling such a crisis. Military spouses were used to having the plan change, with little notice. Used to sometimes-restrictive rules and regulations while living on military bases and attending military-sponsored events. Used to having trips canceled, holidays interrupted, birthdays and milestones celebrated from afar. Used to the “government,” or their spouse's unit or chain of command, unknowingly ruining family plans in the service of “mission completion.”Truly, military spouses must have the utmost patience, strength of character, and ability to tackle many tasks solo when their service member is needed elsewhere in service of the country. Often, military spouses live far from their families and friends, having to cobble together a new support system every few years after each move. It can be intimidating, exhausting, and isolating. But there is also immense pride in being married to a service member and in being able to confidently conquer situations that inspire the endless “I don't know how you do it” commentary from family and friends.If you are a military spouse, we thank you sincerely for all that you do. And if you happen to be reading this on May 6, 2022, Happy Military Spouse Appreciation Day!

Support for Military Spouses

As we mentioned, being a military spouse is challenging. Sometimes you need help. Help with child care when your spouse is away for training or deployed, help figuring out your career prospects after a PCS, help with relationship issues that are unique to the military lifestyle… There's a lot on the plates of military families! Thankfully, there are resources you can tap into when you need guidance.Military OneSource provides personalized support for military spouses. The website has articles, products, and podcasts made especially for you as a military spouse. You can also connect with the website's experts via phone or live chat, or you can schedule an online consultation. These experts can help you find the available resources and information you need. Military OneSource can help with:

• Education and training.
• Career coaching.
• Job searching.
• Tuition assistance and scholarships.
• Couples counseling.
• Health and wellness coaching.
• Child care options.
• Moving assistance.

For more information and resources just for you, visit Military OneSource's website.

Thank You Military Spouses

Military spouses face a host of challenges, fears, and upsets throughout their military member's career. But through it all, they provide love and support to their spouse. Practical support like keeping the household running when their service member is deployed or away for training. Emotional support like offering a listening ear when their service member has a hard day or is facing a tough mission. This support allows military members to focus on their mission, knowing that things “back home” are taken care of. As President Joe Biden said in his proclamation for 2021’s Military Spouse Appreciation Day, “Military spouses may not always wear a uniform, but they serve and sacrifice alongside their service members and keep our military strong.” We heartily agree. Thank you, military spouses, for all that you do! Read next:Gold Star Spouse Day: Honoring The Surviving Spouses of Lost Veterans