Washington (CNN) On Veterans Day, the country honors those in uniform and the sacrifices they have made across the globe. But as a military spouse who reports on the issues facing military families, I've learned that one of the biggest challenges is when a service member transitions out of the armed forces and into the civilian workforce. This is when having a spouse with steady employment is key for a service member.

I'm honored to donate my time as an ambassador for Blue Star Families, the largest nonprofit organization serving active duty service members and their families through chapters in the US. To get a sense of the major challenges facing military spouses as they seek employment I spoke to Kathy Roth-Douquet, the organization's CEO. She is a practicing attorney, a military spouse of 18 years and the author of "AWOL: The Unexcused Absence of America's Upper Classes from Military Service and How it Hurts Our Country".

Keilar: Some people might wonder why we are talking about military spouse jobs on Veterans Day, when we honor Americans who have served. I've heard you make the case for why this is the perfect day to talk about it. Tell us why.

Roth-Douquet: On Veterans Day we do honor veterans' service, but many don't know that among the sacrifices veterans make is this -- many effectively pay what is effectively a "tax" that can be equal or even greater than their entire salaries as a result of their service. That's because American households today need two incomes, yet military spouses are often unable to work, or work far below their experience and training. This means veterans while they serve are often struggling with household incomes far below their peers whose spouses work. Moreover, that broken spouse work history affects veterans' transitions into the civilian world, too. At Blue Star Families, we often say there are few better things you can give a transitioning veteran than a spouse with a job!

Read More