Sen. Ossoff helps expand job opportunities for military spouses; pushes for Moody Air Force Base upgrades

ALBANY, Ga. (WALB) - Because military spouses often move around a lot, it can sometimes be hard to take their professional work with them. That’s something Senator Jon Ossoff wants to change.

Imagine you are licensed to practice your profession in one state, but your spouse is moved to another. The process to get new licenses will vary. And that’s what a new bipartisan bill is designed to do.

“One of the things I’ve heard from military families is that when they are moved within the United States from one base to another. The licenses that their spouses hold, in order to do professional work whether as a dentist or a hairdresser or in the specialized field, often don’t move with them,” U.S. Senator Jon Ossoff.

The Military Spouse Licensing Relief Act requires states to recognize the professional licenses of military spouses from other states when their family’s station changes. This has been signed into law as of December 21, 2022.

Younger enlisted personnel make up about 51% of the workforce. This is why Ossoff says he wants to make sure everyone’s concerns are met by making it a smooth transition.

“Whenever I visit one of the bases in Georgia, I try to sit down with those junior enlisted personnel, who are the heart of our armed forces. These are often young families with young children. And they are frequently moving around the country on orders,” Ossoff said.

Ossoff says there are many concerns from military spouses.

“I’ve heard concerns about the quality of their housing, and that’s why I’ve led long-term investigations for the quality of military housing across the country,” Ossoff said.

Ossoff is also looking to bring upgrades to Moody Air Force Base that he says, will protect military personnel worldwide.

He said he believes the two most important things for the military are improving security and protecting those in combat. He hopes improvements at Moody Air Force Base, will do both.

According to Osssoff, this is included in new spending projects that were passed and signed into law last year. These new projects total $7 million. They will go towards a new facility and rescue squadron.

“The security forces squadron that’s on Moody which protects military personnel and aircraft that protects not just at Moody but around the world. I’ve allocated the resources to begin building a new facility for that squad,” said Ossoff.

Ossoff believes he has found a way to make these improvements happen.

“What I’ve found is that if you can get beyond the political hoopla in Congress and work across the aisle, bring Republicans and Democrats together to get things done. That’s the best way to strengthen our national security. That’s the best way to deliver for military families in Georgia. That’s the best way to upgrade the facilities on our vital military installations in the state,” Ossoff said.

The upgrades should be put into place sometime in 2023.

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