Nicole June Reporting
njune@clarksvillenow.com
FORT CAMPBELL, Ky. – Military families are often called on to move to different installations, which can take a toll on spouses trying to establish a career for themselves. For this reason, the newly formed Fort Campbell chapter of In Gear Career aims to provide networking opportunities for military spouses.
In Gear Career is a nonprofit organization formed in 2010 to bring career-oriented spouses together with like-minded professionals. The Fort Campbell chapter was established in February, and so far about ten spouses have joined.
Katie Lopez, coordinator of the local chapter, hopes spouses will use the group as a means to gain – and keep – meaningful employment. “It’s been a huge success. We’ve actually seen a lot of military spouses who have been able to land professional positions because of the networking they have been able to do with the program,” she said.
Lopez believes many employers are hesitant to hire military spouses, but by having a strong network, spouses can overcome this. “I think a lot of it is the misconceptions regarding potential employment longevity for military spouses,” she said. “There’s always the constant move, and when you go to a new place it’s hard to start that professional network up again and meet new people.”
Through In Gear Career, spouses will have an opportunity to break those barriers and forge the necessary connections.
The next meeting of the Fort Campbell chapter is Tuesday, April 8 from 5-7 p.m. at Cloud 9 at 136 Franklin St. in Clarksville. Membership is free and open to spouses of active duty service members, veterans, National Guard service members, and all branches of the military.
To contact the group, e-mail fortcampbell@ingearcareer.org or visit www.ingearcareer.org for more information.