Destiny: Housewife

Today I had a conversation that mirrored conversations I've had countless times with copious amounts of people since entering the military life: careers. If you're reading this then you know my current personal tale of woe with this subject matter so I don't need to beat that horse; but, the things I'm hearing and taking in around me all seem to be the same story with different names. One woman who recently began working in a GS (aka government job) position informed me that she has been trying for a GS job for 15 years- all while moving around the country with her husband. At each base she immediately applied for Spouse Preference and hit the application website; finally being met with success after 15 years. Another's story includes getting a GS position, having to leave the area due to her husband's change of station, moving back a handful of years later (in response again to a change of station) only to have to wait until someone left her previous position in order to get back in to the government sector. The coveted (and elusive) GS job is so appealing as it enables you to take your years worked, pay earned, and leave accrued with you to the next GS position; thereby, creating some semblance of a career and building retirement.
Of course, not everyone works in a GS position. Some spouses find themselves working as free lance writers, fitness instructors, teachers, Scenty consultants, photographers, baristas, or even retail sales associates. In my particular case I have currently become (among all of my volunteer positions) a personal doggy day care; taking in a dog for a full day of care three days per week. We do what we can to stay sane, busy, and get out of the house. We volunteer, we join clubs, we blog (teehee), we go to the gym, we take jobs we never envisioned we'd take just to feel as if we have a purpose, and many spend the better portion of their weeks caring for their children. But for those of us who desire a career with retirement benefits and insurance options this continuous background music of grasping at any available "work" playing in my life begins to beg the question: Are we, as military spouses, destined to be housewives?
Ok, ok, I'm sure some of you reading this are immediately preparing your defense at this statement. Give me just a second: I am not saying that being a teacher or selling clothing or taking care of your children isn't work and doesn't have benefits; however, it's hard to argue that any of those things provides us with the same career background and stability that our spouses have in their military careers as we continue to move around the world. It is for this reason that I begin to wonder as I look around and meet more and more of you if we, as military spouses, are destined to be housewives?
I know that we all "know what we're getting in to" when we decide to marry our military spouses but, in a little bit of fairness does anyone truly realize it means giving up our career potentials? We think about the cost of being away from family, the cost of constantly moving, the cost of making new friends and leaving the old, the cost of handling things alone while our spouse is down range. Trust me, we think about it. But I don't think anyone truly realizes it means giving up hope of a long term career. The military simply isn't set up for us to succeed professionally in the long term- it is meant for the active duty member. That age old saying "if the military wanted them to be married they would have issued them a wife/husband" becomes clearer and clearer with every significant conversation I have with my friends, colleagues, and passing spouse. For some I know this set-up is ideal and everything they DID envision for themselves; those individuals are perfectly happy and content and for them I am very very happy (and admittedly a teensy bit envious); but, for anyone reading this you already know that's not me. For that i will end with my original question: Are we destined to be housewives?