We joke that May is military spouse party month. That's because, thanks to Military Appreciation Month and Military Spouse Appreciation Day on May 12 (or the Friday before Mothers Day) we know that May is going to be jammed full of so many great events for military spouses that you simply cannot attend every single one of them.
While in-person events are awesome (and plentiful) throughout May, more and more we are seeing awesome virtual events pop-up, too. That means even for those of us who can't make it to D.C. for the Military Spouse of the Year awards townhall or luncheon or Homefront Rising, there are plenty of things to occupy your time.
We think these three 2017 virtual military spouse events are totally worthy of a spot on your May calendar.
1. The MadSkills Hackathon. What in the world is a hackathon and why should you attend? The military spouse minds behind MadSkills, a jobs site that focuses on remote employment, say they want to break down the barriers to entry for spouses in technology. Their "hackathon" will "walk spouses through a coding project to gain understanding of the world of coding," said Liza Rodewald, the company's CTO and co-founder. "Our goal is to highlight the creativity and satisfaction you get from watching something you create come to life on a screen."
Rodewald said they constantly receive inquiries looking for spouses with technical skills. The hackathon is a chance for military spouses to get a taste for the developer life. You can register for the May 4 to 6 hackathon here. Bonus: Although the event runs over three days, it will not be all day, each day. That means you can attend and still have a life. Win!
2. Livestream the Spouse of the Year luncheon. While our friends at Military Spouse Magazine tell us their annual townhall won't be livestreamed, they said they are planning to Facebook Live their awards luncheon. That means you'll have a chance to see all the action and, hopefully, hear the speakers they have at the event. We'll be there in person, of course, but there's nothing like watching for yourself. Expect that event around noon on May 12, and watch their Facebook page for more information.
3. The DoD Virtual Military Spouse Symposium. We know that a four day online symposium sounds like a snooze-fest. But if the line-up DoD has this year is any indication, this work-life balance focused symposium will be interesting and useful. Check out more about it over here.
