• Home
  • Military Discounts
    • Military & Veteran Discount List
    • Local Military and Veterans Discounts
    • Apple Military Discount
    • Veteran & Military Cell Phone Discounts
    • Gym and Health Club Discounts
  • Benefits
    • 10 Veterans Benefits You May Not Know About
    • Five Top Military Spouse Benefits
    • Medal of Honor: Benefits, History and Facts
    • Purple Heart Benefits
    • Veterans Health A to Z
  • Housing & Home Ownership
    • VA Loan Calculator
    • VA Loan Limits by County
    • VA Home Loan Guide
    • 5 Benefits of a VA Loan
    • 2022 BAH Rates
    • BAH Calculator
  • Money & Finance
    • 2022 Military Pay Charts
    • 2022 Defense Budget
    • 2022 Military Pay
    • COLA Watch 2022-2023
    • Military Pay Calculator
    • Military Pay Dates
    • VA Disability Rates
  • Jobs
    • Veteran Friendly Employers
    • Military Spouse Employment Preference
    • Veterans Employment and Training Service (VETS)
    • Security Clearance Jobs After the Military
  • Education
    • Veteran Friendly Colleges
    • Online Colleges with Military Discounts
    • Veteran Friendly Colleges Guide
    • Military Spouse Career Advancement Accounts (MyCAA)
    • Monthly Housing Allowance (MHA) for the GI Bill
    • Forever GI Bill
  • Resources
    • How to Get a Veterans ID Card
    • Veterans ID on Driver’s License or ID Card by State
    • Military ID Cards
    • Military Calendar
    • State Veteran’s Benefits
Home » Military Spouse Employment Preference

Military Spouse Employment Preference

by MilitaryBenefits

As a military spouse, you face unique employment challenges. Depending on your military spouse’s career choice, you may have the luxury of settling in one area for many years or face the challenge of relocating once every few years. Holding down a job in such conditions can be difficult. Don’t worry! The military is there to help by providing hiring preferences if you want to compete for certain types of on-base employment, including Department of Defense (DoD) civilian jobs.

Military Spouse Employment PreferenceThis program is called the Military Spouse Preference Program (PPP) (Schedule S). This DoD program was created to lessen career interruption if you are a military spouse and have to relocate because your spouse had to move to a new assignment (PCS). PPP allows you to be noncompetitively considered for well-paid government positions. That means your career choices aren’t limited to AAFES jobs, openings with the base Morale, Welfare, and Recreation (MWR) department, or simple entry-level hiring.

Does PPP apply to All DoD Job Vacancies?

No. PPP only applies to competitive service positions in the U.S. and its territories and possessions. It does not apply to foreign areas, non‐appropriated fund (NAF) organizations, or certain non-competitive positions in the DoD. The human resources office on-base can guide you through the registration process and help you make that decision. Applying for spouse preference overseas has additional requirements.

What Do I Need to Qualify and Apply for PPP?

To be eligible for the PPP, you must meet the following criteria:

  • Be the spouse of an active-duty service member (including Coast Guard or full-time National Guard)
  • Move with your spouse to a new duty station
  • Be married before your spouse or partner’s reporting date
  • Apply for a position within commuting distance of your spouse or partner’s new duty station
  • Rank among the best-qualified candidates for the position

You should choose carefully when applying for and accepting employment using military spouse preference because you can only use that preference once per duty station. This does not apply if you accept a non-continuing position, such as jobs that are temporary, flexible, or permanent positions with an intermittent schedule.


How Do I Apply for a Job using PPP?

The Human Resources Office (HRO) at the military installation will have all you need to register for PPP status when you apply for jobs that qualify for the spouse preference program. Your military spouse preference applies if you are deemed among the “best‐qualified” candidates for the position based on the hiring agency’s competitive criteria. This means if you are rated best qualified, you block the selection of other competitive candidates.


About The AuthorJim spent 22 years on active duty, climbing the ranks from Airman Basic to a decorated Air Force Major. Stationed all over the world, he held many high-level posts, including Chief of Foreign Military Sales at the U.S. Embassy in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. Jim earned his Ph.D. through the Montgomery Era GI Bill and spent 13 years teaching African Studies in Pennsylvania. Jim is also an award-winning travel writer.


Related Articles
Veterans Preference Hiring: Military Dependents Veterans Preference Hiring: What You Need To Know
Military Spouse Employment Partnership Program Tailoring Your Résumé: Tips For Military Spouses
Military Spouse Job Assistance & Education Resources Military Spouse Career Advancement Accounts (MyCAA)

Filed Under: Employment

Comments

Military + Veteran Discounts

Want 30+ Mil/Vet discounts to use today? Enter your email for updates and we'll send it!
Name(Required)

VA Home Loans

Popular Articles

2022 VA Disability Rates

2022 Military Pay

Military Pay Calculator

VA Loan Calculator

2022 BAH Rates

Search Veteran.com

Military Benefits Logo

Company

  • About
  • Contact Us
  • Add a Discount
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of Use
  • Disclosure
  • Unsubscribe

Quick Links

  • Home
  • Military Discounts
  • Benefits
  • Housing & Ownership
  • Money & Finance
  • Employment
  • Education
  • Resources

Connect With Us

  • facebook
  • instagram
  • pinterest
  • twitter
  • youtube
Copyright © 2022 Three Creeks Media, LLC

Veteran.com is a property of Three Creeks Media. Neither Veteran.com nor Three Creeks Media are associated with or endorsed by the U.S. Departments of Defense or Veterans Affairs. The content on Veteran.com is produced by Three Creeks Media, its partners, affiliates and contractors, any opinions or statements on Veteran.com should not be attributed to the Dept. of Veterans Affairs , the Dept. of Defense or any governmental entity. If you have questions about Veteran programs offered through or by the Dept. of Veterans Affairs, please visit their website at va.gov. The content offered on Veteran.com is for general informational purposes only and may not be relevant to any consumer’s specific situation, this content should not be construed as legal or financial advice. If you have questions of a specific nature consider consulting a financial professional, accountant or attorney to discuss. References to third-party products, rates and offers may change without notice.

Advertising Notice: Veteran.com and Three Creeks Media, its parent and affiliate companies, may receive compensation through advertising placements on Veteran.com; For any rankings or lists on this site, Veteran.com may receive compensation from the companies being ranked and this compensation may affect how, where and in what order products and companies appear in the rankings and lists. If a ranking or list has a company noted to be a “partner” the indicated company is a corporate affiliate of Veteran.com. No tables, rankings or lists are fully comprehensive and do not include all companies or available products.

Editorial Disclosure: Editorial content on Veteran.com may include opinions. Any opinions are those of the author alone, and not those of an advertiser to the site nor of Veteran.com.