Who holds the purse strings of a military family?

By Deborah Kissinger

Not all Military Spouses carry a purse, but they do hold the purse strings!

Statistics show that the majority of today’s military members are young, educated, computer savvy and married. These are your neighbors! These are your customers and clients.

Military spouses, like their active duty counterparts, must learn to adapt and operate in new environments. Environments that may change every two to three years.

The news is full of stories about the continual deployment and regular overseas tours that are part of the military lifestyle. The spouse is the family member that is left in charge to handle the needs of the family as they occur with purse strings in hand.

A 2005 report, published by the Office of the Deputy Under Secretary of Defense focused in on Military Spouses. There are 679,738 spouses of Active Duty members. Just over half (51.2%) of the spouses are 30 years of age or younger. Nearly 30 percent (29.4%) of the spouses are over the age of 35.

Not content to just take a stab at what is best, today’s military families do their homework and are expert Internet researchers. Because of your participation, MilitaryAvenue.com has grown to become a trusted online resource and an excellent place to showcase your enterprise.

The sheer numbers of Military Spouses are astounding. This is an audience with members that shop and participate in your neighborhood. For the most part, this is a new and mobile society. One that does not have the comfort of shopping at the same place year after year, because all too often every few years are marked by household set ups in different states or even hemispheres.

As a military spouse for many years, I can say from experience that some of my best commercial relationships, were built with those who warmly welcomed us in the first few weeks of our relocation.

You would be surprised at the things that made a difference. Often times it was something small, like a warm smile, a helpful attitude, or hearty hello, that drew us in initially.

This summer season, keep an eye out for new faces headed your way. Each one is a new opportunity to be at your personal best.

Thank you for serving those who serve!

**A 2005 report, published by the Office of the Deputy Under Secretary of Defense, under contract with Caliber, an ICF International Company.
Posted byLeanneonTuesday, June 02, 2009Labels:Deborah,Military Spouse