TONIGHT ON THE CBS EVENING NEWS: In the latest installment of the broadcast’s Norah O’Donnell Reports series, anchor and managing editor Norah O’Donnell takes a closer look at the struggle facing military spouses when it comes to transferring occupational licenses and the adverse impact of the government’s red tape on their quality of life and employment opportunities. Every time a servicemember’s assignment changes, military spouses must get a new license in their new home state, leaving many military spouses unemployed for months at a time when they’re forced to move with their families. Research shows there are almost 150,000 active-duty spouses in occupations that require licensing, that’s nearly 40% of military spouses in the workforce.
For the report, O’Donnell spoke with several military spouses who shared their experiences of being underemployed or unemployed and not being able to put their skills and licenses to full use. O’Donnell also spoke with lawmakers on both sides of the aisle about next steps needed to cut through the red tape that bogs down the process to transfer licenses.
Watch the report tonight on the CBS Evening News. The broadcast airs weeknights on CBS at 6:30 PM, ET and can be streamed live on Paramount+. Follow the CBS Evening News on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and TikTok.