Meet Karen Francis, New Army Mentor & Retiree Spouse

One of my favorite things about MSAN’s HUB is the vast amount of wisdom each member has to share on just about any topic related to military life. How much information we learn as our time in service goes by is astounding. 

This is why I was excited to interview one of MSAN’s newest Army mentors, Karen Francis. As a career coach and military spouse retiree advocate, I knew she would have impressive knowledge that MSAN members would want to use now and tuck away for pre-retirement.

Please share what it's like to be a career coach.

In this country, what you do is a large part of who you are. So, I decided to become a career coach because helping someone find a job or new career positively impacts their mental health journey. 

Before becoming a career coach, I was working in the suicide prevention and mental health fields and earned my Master's in psychology. After working on a crisis line for years, I suffered from compassion fatigue and realized that I couldn’t continue that type of work for a long period. At the same time, I was also a military spouse advocate and was interested in the employment part of spouse advocacy.

Part of my job is to help each client understand what they want to do. A career coach doesn't tell you what to do; we guide you. We have tools and training to facilitate your career development regardless of education level. I have worked with military spouses without a college education and those with doctoral degrees.

Is this a job an active duty spouse could train for and earn certification while maintaining a mobile military lifestyle?

There are many ways to become a career coach, but I went through the National Career Development Association. I also continue my professional development with their certifications. It can be a good career for a military spouse. There are often openings in the Transition Assistance Program through one of the specialty contractors. Career coaching can also lead to a federal job in workforce development.

Would a military spouse (regardless of age) benefit from this type of guidance?

Your age doesn't matter. I changed my career path a bit later in life than most people seem to. Many milspouses who stayed home when their children were young later find themselves searching for a career and using their volunteer experience to figure out what they want to do! That’s where a career coach can help them focus. 

On Karen’s favorite waterway in Southern Maryland - Mattawoman Creek. Photo courtesy of Karen Francis.

Why did you think advocating for military spouse retirees was important? There are more support programs now than ever. Did you feel there were gaps after separation?

I feel it is important to advocate for all military spouses, whether active duty, veteran, or retiree. Active duty spouses have many programs within the DOD to help them. MilitaryOneSource is a prime example. This program provides career coaching, resume advice, and the option to work on certificates. Army Community Services does as well. I'm an Army spouse, so I know that program best, but Fleet and Family Services and the Air Force equivalents have similar programming.  

Many support programs are no longer available when a military spouse is issued a veteran/retiree ID card. For example, MilitaryOneSource ends after a year, and spouse preference within the Office of Personnel Management stops immediately. So, I advocate loudly for retirees and veteran spouses because many of the issues they have before retirement remain after. Like your resume—it looks like a doily. Your 401K is anemic, and your Social Security Statement makes you weep. There are huge gaps in support for veteran and retiree spouses. The Veteran Affairs completely ignores spouses.

What is the best/most unexpected/regretful thing about life outside the military?

Well, we have an elderly fat cat that makes us happy. I am learning to weave, and I love to knit. I enjoy kayaking when the weather is good. 

At MSAN, Dawn serves as the Communications Coordinator and counts getting to know the volunteers and HUB members as one of her military spouse career's most rewarding volunteer experiences. With 20+ years of Army spouse experience behind her, she advocates for mentorship within the spouse ranks. Thanks to a transient military life with her husband and daughter, Dawn built a virtual business focused on military lifestyle marketing and real estate content creation.