More Than A Spouse: Leading and Kicking from the Front to Make Impactful Change

Military spouses often have to pause their careers and put their dreams on hold while supporting their service member’s careers. This journey is not easy and can be incomprehensible for those in the civilian world. For Marine Corps spouse Amy Schweizer, these facts embedded themselves in her pursuit to create meaningful work and rally all military spouses to overcome hurdles and pursue passions.

Flipping the Script

In the civilian world, when talking about the military family life journey, especially when pursuing employment, it usually ends up being a disadvantage. Amy chose to flip the script, viewing her role as a spouse and entrepreneur as a powerful narrative that civilians are eager to hear.

“With knowledge comes understanding,” she said. “I am happy to share whenever I can.”

As the founder of Tiny Troops Soccer, Amy has turned the challenges of military life into opportunities for herself and countless other spouses who might otherwise struggle to find meaningful employment.

“Being able to provide other spouses a job through my business gives them a sense of purpose and allows them to have a positive economic impact on their family,” Amy shared.

Military spouses earn 26.8% less in income than their non-military counterparts, and single-income families are not sustainable anymore.

“I believe the military should do what they can to support us in creating a career in which we can do both.”

Amy has aligned herself and the mission of her business with military non-profits to strengthen the voice of military families. She most recently participated in NMFA’s Operation Purple® Summer Challenge. Her outreach continues to spread and demonstrate that military spouses are strong, capable, and deserving of opportunities.

Kicking Down Hurdles

Amy's journey has not been without its hurdles. One of the most significant challenges she's faced is the need for more reliable and affordable child care. The demanding nature of her husband's military career meant she often had to juggle multiple roles simultaneously, including breastfeeding her youngest child while conducting a Zoom interview.

Another major obstacle has been the red tape surrounding the operation of a business on military installations. The inconsistency in home-based business regulations across different branches and installations makes it difficult for new entrepreneurs to scale their businesses.

Despite these challenges, Amy finds immense reward in her work. She is particularly proud of the impact her business has had on other military spouses and their families.

“I love that our soccer classes have allowed over 25,000 military children to have access to year-round physical activity, meeting the ever-critical physical, mental, and social health needs.”

Amy's advice to fellow military spouses is simple but powerful: don't take “no” for an answer. Whether it's navigating the complexities of military regulations or finding alternative ways to run a business, persistence is key. She encourages spouses to think outside the box and explore partnerships or new approaches to help them achieve their goals.

Persistence is Key

NMFA’s More Than A Spouse campaign is a commitment to recognizing and leveraging the untapped potential of military spouses in the workforce. Amy’s story, and that of many like her, demonstrates impactful change. Together, we can employ more spouses, loosen the red tape that makes entrepreneurship or overseas employment difficult, and so much more.

Amy shared, “Don't be afraid to go to the top of the ranks to speak with the change-makers.”

We agree. With your help, we can ensure the contributions military spouses bring to our communities do not go unnoticed. Together, we can get military spouse stories to the change-makers and support military spouses and military families’ financial security. Amy Schweizer is living proof that with the right mindset, military spouses can thrive, leading from the front and empowering others along the way.

Share your ‘More Than A Spouse’ story with us. We want to hear it!

By: Angela Sablan Tenorio, Content Manager