Laura Dempsey is the director of the Military Spouse Program, a pillar of the Chamber's Hiring Our Heroes initiative. The Politico opinion piece below was written in advance of the career forum and hiring fair exclusively for military spouses being held tomorrow, January 13, in Washington, DC.

From her perspective as an Army wife, Dempsey writes about the challenges military spouses face and the value they bring to employers.

It is time for the private sector to take up the mantle. Instead of just tacking on the words “and military spouses” to individual hiring programs focused on veterans, corporate America must work closely with the public sector to address the unique career hurdles that military spouses face.

This is not just the right thing to do — it is right for business. Spouses are a huge asset to this nation’s workforce. Roughly 85 percent have some college, and a full 25 percent have a bachelor’s degree or higher. Spouses volunteer at three times the national average — often taking leadership roles in their charitable endeavors. The challenges of multiple moves and deployments often translate into resilience, adaptability and unparalleled work ethic.

This is also a national security issue. The biggest reasons servicemembers leave the military are economics and family pressure, according to Defense Department studies. If spouses don’t see a future with their servicemembers in the military, they are more likely to pressure those servicemembers to get out.

The military loses potential leaders. And the families lose out on one of the greatest experiences this country has to offer – serving in its defense.

To read more click over to Politico.