Military Spouse Employment Initiative: BGen F. William Radiff

News Article / May 11, 2021

By Brigadier-General William Radiff

I’ve been with the RCAF for 32.5 years and I’m currently on assignment as the Deputy Commander of the Alaska NORAD Region. My wife, Christina, recently shared her experience with the Military Spouse Employment Initiative (MSEI) and I wanted to share my own perspectives on the benefits of the program for military families.

Having moved 9 times since we were married in 2003, posting season has always been very stressful for Christina and me. Each time we move, Christina has to “start again” looking for employment. However, having been hired under the MSEI, this past summer’s move to Alaska was far less difficult. Christina was able to keep her position and work remotely from Alaska upon her arrival. Not only does she find her work interesting and rewarding, it also helps support our family financially and allows for our two sons to play hockey almost year-round.

For much of my career, I have been witness to the military taking great pains to accommodate service couples with respect to posting movements (i.e. trying to ensure that they are posted to the same geographical location). While I think that this is great, as someone who isn’t married to a CAF member, I always felt uneasy because there was nothing in place to accommodate someone with a civilian spouse. The MSEI is exactly this.

I know that there are thousands of military spouses who have a great deal to offer in terms of employment, but due to the fact that their spouse is often asked to geographically relocate, they have been unable to secure long-term meaningful employment. I am very thankful for this initiative and I know that it has made my continued service to the military easier. I just wish that the program was in place when Christina and I were first married!

For more information on how to apply for a job or on how to access the inventory, visit the Military Spouse Employment Initiative website or contact the National Staffing Programs team, at dnd.national-staffing-programs_programmes-nationaux-de-dotation.mdn@forces.gc.ca