Establishing the President's Military Spouse Commission

What it does

• •Establishes the President's Military Spouse Commission to advise on policies affecting military spouses and families.
• •Designates the spouse of the Secretary of War as Chair, with membership including spouses of senior military leaders (Secretaries of Army, Navy, Air Force, Chairman of Joint Chiefs of Staff, service chiefs, senior enlisted advisors, and other invited individuals).
• •Assigns the Commission to monitor implementation of the order, identify concerns through liaison with military spouses, develop policies addressing housing, employment, healthcare, education, and deployment support, and provide annual reports to the President.
• •Provides that the Commission shall be supported by the Department of War with funding and administrative support, and shall terminate 2 years from the order's date unless extended by the President.

Why it matters

• •The order states that military spouses face significant challenges due to frequent relocations and service member absences, which negatively affect quality of life, employment opportunities, and housing options.
• •The administration asserts that improving military spouse quality of life enhances military readiness, retention, and overall national security.
• •The order builds on prior executive actions expanding federal employment opportunities and occupational licensure portability for military spouses.

Who is affected

• •Military spouses of service members in the U.S. Armed Forces.
• •Senior military leaders and federal officials whose spouses are designated as Commission members.
• •Executive departments and agencies required to furnish information and assistance to the Commission as requested.

What happens next

The Commission is established immediately and shall operate for 2 years from August 3, 2026, unless extended by the President, during which time it shall provide annual fiscal-year reports and a final report to the President on military spouse and family policy matters.