Amanda Morales-Jackson

Licensed Clinical Social Worker

Service Member's Branch - Air Force

Service Member's Status - Currently Serving - 12 years

What has been your military spouse career/entrepreneur journey so far?

My husband, then boyfriend, deployed during the last year of my master of social work program at the University of South Florida. I found out I was pregnant with our oldest two days after he left. My husband came home in April, we were married, I walked the stage at 32 weeks pregnant, and we received orders to our next duty station all within 60 days. The PCS threw a wrench in my plans as I was unprepared to begin the licensure process in a state that was not Florida. Having to navigate a system that was new to me not only because I was in a new state with different laws, but in a state where I knew not one social worker was the hardest point of my career - AND IT WAS JUST THE BEGINNING! Fast forward a few years, I was ready to apply for independent licensure when we received another set of orders. I found myself in yet another difficult period because I had to get licensed in the state we were currently living in and then navigate the process in yet another state I was unfamiliar with. I've noticed that my resume screams military spouse since my education and experience cross three state lines. There are times I have interviewed with various civilian organizations and there's an elephant in the room—is she a military spouse? If so, when is she leaving because we can't afford to hire someone who will be moving soon after. As a result, at our 3rd and current duty station, I began working with service members and have not looked back!

Tell us about yourself.

My name is Amanda and I am originally from Miami, FL. I am an Air Force spouse of 6 years. During my spare time you can find me running after my 3 kids!

Tell us about a "typical" day in your professional life.

I am a Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) and work in military mental health. A typical day involves meeting with my patients and supporting them through various challenges

What has been your biggest military spouse career struggle and how did you overcome it?

Transition of licensure in each state. There are a number of requirements for licensure and some of these require reaching out to "old" connections in states you previously lived. Most of the time, these connections have fizzled out and hunting down these resources can prove exhausting or dead-ends which can impact your career.

How does your career path differ from what you imagined for yourself?

I never imagined having a resume that spans three states and having to go into interviews over-proving why I'm a good hire regardless of what my partner does for a living.

How did military life (PCSing, deployments, trainings, etc) factor into your career decisions?

Deployments are really difficult because I become the primary parent and so that means doctor appointments, school meetings, extracurriculars, etc., that only I can attend, and it isn't like vacation and sick time are endless. PCSing is always the scariest one—for my career, to reach the goals I have for myself, we almost HAVE to be stationed in big cities or big-city-adjacent locations...and we all know how hard it is to get orders to places like (our original and favorite duty station) MacDill AFB in Tampa, FL.

Have you ever had to geo-bach due to your career/entrepreneurship?

If this counts, I stayed at our duty station instead of moving back home with my two kids (under 3 at the time) when my husband deployed the second time. I had to stay for my career because I couldn't afford the gap in my licensure requirements. My biggest tip is making friends/family at your current duty station. You will need help, even if it is hard to ask and accept, because you are only human!

What resources have you found to be useful in your career/entrepreneur journey?

Online social groups for military-connected individuals in the same career field.

Final word: what are your top tips for other military spouses about navigating a career within the military lifestyle?

SOCIAL MEDIA IS MORE HELPFUL THAN YOU THINK! My husband makes fun of me for being in so many different groups, but there are so many others (military spouses specifically) who have lived through EXACTLY what you are and can show you the way. Not only do you get yourself out of tough places and find traction towards your goals, but you create connections that can potentially turn into references, business partners, etc.

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