Kayla Corbitt has a master's in forensic psychology and years of experience. Still, she has never matched the income she earned early in her career, before military life made her give up a steady job, a car and plans to buy a townhouse. Her story is common. Military spouses are more educated and experienced than their civilian peers, but about 60% are underemployed. Many leave careers entirely because their service member's schedule is so unpredictable.

Kayla argues that childcare is the barrier nobody talks about enough. Data going back to the 1980s shows it's been the main obstacle to military spouse employment. Yet most policy talk focuses on license reciprocity for teachers and nurses who move across state lines. She agrees that reciprocity matters, but it only helps a small share of spouses. Ask most military spouses what would let them work, and the answer usually isn't "I wish my license transferred." It's "I don't have childcare."