Madam Chair and members of the Subcommittee:
My name is Rick Dwyer and I am the Executive Director of the Hampton Roads Military and Federal Facilities Alliance. I am also a retired Air Force Lieutenant Colonel and served over 20 years on active duty.
Our organization and the communities of Hampton Roads collectively support 18 military installations, all six branches of the military services, 120,000 active duty, reserve, and civilian personnel, over 125,000 military dependents, and nearly 220,000 veterans. In 2024, the Department of Defense spent over $76.2 billion in Virginia and directly employed over 247,000 people. Needless to say, supporting the military and our national defense is part of who we are in Hampton Roads and the Commonwealth.
I wish to express our strong support for House Bill 1520.
Concerns about military spouse employment opportunities is an area of concern we frequently hear from military commanders. Military spouse careers are often interrupted by the frequent moves required of military members. According to Blue Star Families, the military spouse unemployment rate has hovered around 21% since 2015. Military spouse unemployment or underemployment can lead to retention and readiness issues as military members decide to leave the military to support their spouse employment and family economic needs.
Virginia can assist in bolstering military families by enacting HB1520 that permits state and local governments to offer hiring preferences for military spouses. This bill recognizes the need to combat military spouse unemployment rates and support the financial well-being of military families. Providing a hiring preference for military spouses supports the service and sacrifices of our military families in the Commonwealth. Additionally, this bill can lead to Virginia retaining workforce talent as veterans are more likely to stay in Virginia upon leaving the military if their spouse is employed with a good job.
This bill sends a clear signal that Virginia values its strong relationship with the military and is willing to continuously support efforts to make the Commonwealth the most military-friendly state in the country. We humbly request your support of HB1520.
Madam Chair and members of the Subcommittee: My name is Rick Dwyer and I am the Executive Director of the Hampton Roads Military and Federal Facilities Alliance. I am also a retired Air Force Lieutenant Colonel and served over 20 years on active duty. Our organization and the communities of Hampton Roads collectively support 18 military installations, all six branches of the military services, 120,000 active duty, reserve, and civilian personnel, over 125,000 military dependents, and nearly 220,000 veterans. In 2024, the Department of Defense spent over $76.2 billion in Virginia and directly employed over 247,000 people. Needless to say, supporting the military and our national defense is part of who we are in Hampton Roads and the Commonwealth. I wish to express our strong support for House Bill 1520. Concerns about military spouse employment opportunities is an area of concern we frequently hear from military commanders. Military spouse careers are often interrupted by the frequent moves required of military members. According to Blue Star Families, the military spouse unemployment rate has hovered around 21% since 2015. Military spouse unemployment or underemployment can lead to retention and readiness issues as military members decide to leave the military to support their spouse employment and family economic needs. Virginia can assist in bolstering military families by enacting HB1520 that permits state and local governments to offer hiring preferences for military spouses. This bill recognizes the need to combat military spouse unemployment rates and support the financial well-being of military families. Providing a hiring preference for military spouses supports the service and sacrifices of our military families in the Commonwealth. Additionally, this bill can lead to Virginia retaining workforce talent as veterans are more likely to stay in Virginia upon leaving the military if their spouse is employed with a good job. This bill sends a clear signal that Virginia values its strong relationship with the military and is willing to continuously support efforts to make the Commonwealth the most military-friendly state in the country. We humbly request your support of HB1520.