More Than A Spouse: Finding Beauty in the Military Life

Beauty can be found anywhere in the world, and Navy spouse Alexa Munsell knows all about it.

Alexa, a passionate volunteer in her community and a Montessori teacher, strongly believes creativity and joy can uplift military spouses out of isolation and into endless potential. A cosmetologist by trade, she strategically chose her career path to balance her family’s needs with her aspirations, understanding that flexibility is key in the unpredictable life of a military spouse.

Flexibility is Paramount

“To build a steady career that fulfills my wants, needs, and aspirations was tough,” she shared. “I understood that my career would come second to the needs of my active-duty spouse’s job, so I chose to become a cosmetologist.”

Alexa knew that finding employers who understand and are flexible about the military lifestyle would not come easily. As a Navy spouse, she has faced unexpected schedule changes, squadron events needing her time and attention, and even last-minute airport pickups and drop-offs. All of this often comes with little planning and execution time, so flexibility becomes paramount.

“It was important to me to be able to answer calls and messages from my spouse, especially during a deployment overseas or differences in time zone.”

Alexa is right to prioritize those meaningful calls, as no one understands more than a military spouse how missed calls don’t come with an easy callback or the ability to reschedule. Along with maintaining her flexible career, she also serves as a year-round homeschooling teacher to her three children and as a Troop Leader with the Girl Scouts.

“The life of a military spouse can be very lonely and isolating at times, but the choices I have made bring me happiness and joy—they give me purpose outside of serving my spouse’s career.”

Along with flexibility and purpose, Alexa shared that her chosen profession fulfills her because “beauty care services are sought worldwide, and it is a great way to connect with others.”

Take Charge of Your Career

For military spouses like Alexa, whose careers require licenses, NMFA has been at the forefront of reducing the barriers to license portability and employment. We continue to advocate for interstate mobility compacts, which make life easier for military spouses working in these professions by creating reciprocity among states. As Alexa noted, having a flexible career during military-mandated moves was a big part of her decision to pursue cosmetology.

Military spouses in professions that require licensing and certifications have NMFA on their side with our resources and scholarships to assist. We believe in our military spouses and know that with the right support, they can pursue meaningful careers and financially contribute to their families.

Share your ‘More Than A Spouse’ story with us. We want to hear it! You could be our next spouse feature to share wisdom, personal triumph, and all that makes you more than a spouse!

By: Angela Sablan Tenorio, Content Manager