How One Air Force Spouse PCS-Proofed Her Career
For many military spouses, frequent relocations are more than a logistical challenge, they can disrupt career growth, limit earning potential, and force talented professionals to repeatedly rebuild their careers with every Permanent Change of Station (PCS).
U.S. Air Force spouse Marina Waggoner Castro is not unique in experiencing these professional hurdles. “I’d say the biggest challenge has been finding flexibility in a role and growing with that role,” Marina shared. “Because, as a military spouse, I PCS a lot, and when you’re trying to build a career, it’s really hard when you have to keep starting over.”
For Marina, escaping the cycle of entry-level resets required intentional networking and tapping into organizations built specifically to bridge the gap between military spouses and understanding employers.
The Heavy Toll of the PCS Cycle
Marina’s journey as a military spouse, and the sacrifices that come with it, began before she even completed college. Like many spouses, she was faced with an immediate choice between her own educational goals and keeping her family geographically united.
“I couldn’t join my husband at first because I had to finish my bachelor’s degree,” Marina said. But with a looming PCS move to Hawaii, Marina chose to walk for graduation early so she could join him.
She noted that the unpredictable reality of life as a military spouse “hit hard early.” She found herself suddenly juggling cross-country and overseas relocations, finishing the remainder of her schooling, and diving into a master’s degree. As her family grew and the COVID-19 pandemic upended everyday life, balancing education, relocation, and family priorities left little room to focus on building a career of her own.
The Frustration of Always Starting Over
Despite the chaos, Marina remained resilient and sought local employment whenever she could. When the family moved to Maryland, she started substituting in the local education system. Through hard work, she eventually was offered a role as Director of IT.
Hoping to move closer to her long-term goals, she decided to pivot into a government human resources position at the Naval Academy. But another PCS soon forced her to leave the position and start over once again.
“Every move meant starting from scratch.”
Marina Waggoner Castro
Leaving a job meant losing unvested benefits, stepping away from a network she had just built, and facing hiring managers who might not understand the short tenures on her resume. This constant disruption was difficult for Marina to overcome on her own.
Recognizing she needed a different strategy, she turned to external advocacy networks. “I leaned into resources through Hiring Our Heroes (HOH) that helped me find an employer who values the resilience of military spouses,” she said.
Finding the Right Support
HOH recognizes that military spouses bring adaptability, resilience, and diverse professional experiences to the workforce, but often need help connecting with employers who understand those strengths. To bridge this gap, Marina attended HOH’s Amplify, participated in the Military Spouse Employment Summit, and sought out personalized guidance from the military spouse team.
Those experiences proved to be a turning point. “Amplify was a two-day, in-person event that allowed me to meet phenomenal people, revamp my resume through HOH resources, and ultimately gain access to military-friendly employers,” Marina shared.
Rather than having to explain away the gaps and rapid job changes on her resume, the HOH programs taught her how to translate her military spouse experience into a narrative about resilience and project management skills. “I made invaluable connections and built my personal and professional confidence, which have been monumental in helping me find my success and solid footing in my career,” Marina explained.
Related: Watch Marina Waggoner Castro’s video from the 2026 Military Spouse Employment Summit. She and fellow military spouses provided attendees with a brief look into life as a military spouse.
Achieving Career Continuity and Flexibility
By networking through the HOH platforms, Marina finally found the career match she had been looking for when she connected with a company called PEAKE. Rather than viewing military affiliation as a challenge, PEAKE recognized Marina’s adaptability, resilience, and ability to navigate change as valuable professional assets.
“PEAKE’s flexibility and understanding of our lifestyle challenges have been instrumental in my success. I am grateful to HOH and PEAKE for giving me a voice, listening to my story, and helping me turn constant transition into opportunity.”
Marina Waggoner Castro
PCS-Proofing Your Future
Today, Marina is thriving as a Project Operations and Talent Coordinator at PEAKE, where she finally feels confident in her career progression and continuity. The looming threat of a PCS no longer means the end of her professional momentum. “PEAKE has given me the flexibility I need and let me know that if I do PCS, I can keep my job,” Marina shared.
Marina’s story highlights the truth: while the military lifestyle requires sacrifice, a spouse’s career doesn’t have to be one of them. Through networking, professional development, and the right employer connections, military spouses can build careers that grow alongside military life instead of being disrupted by it.
