CARY, N.C. - The Pantry Inc., announced that the company and its Kangaroo Express convenience stores have joined the Military Spouse Employment Partnership (MSEP).

Frequent relocation required by military spouses is often a barrier to finding ideal employment opportunities. As part of the partnership, Kangaroo Express will identify and promote career employment opportunities for military spouses, post job openings on the MSEP web portal, and offer transferable, portable career opportunities to relocating military spouse employees.

In addition, Kangaroo Express will co-sign a Statement of Support with the Armed Forces and mentor new MSEP corporate partners.

"More than one-third of our associates have a direct connection to the military as veterans or with family members serving," said Dennis Hatchell, CEO of Kangaroo Express. "Joining the Military Spouse Employment Partnership is one of the many steps we at Kangaroo Express have taken in our ongoing commitment to actively recruit and hire military members and their families."

The MSEP, a targeted recruitment and employment solution, creates employment connections that provide companies with direct access to military spouses seeking career opportunities and, in turn, provide spouses with direct access to employers who are actively recruiting.

"Despite their hard-to-find skills and high levels of education and training, military spouses face a 26 percent unemployment rate and a 25 percent wage gap compared to their civilian counterparts," said Frederick E. Vollrath, performing the duties of the assistant secretary of defense for readiness and force management. "While 77 percent of military spouses want or need work, frequent relocation is often a barrier to establishing or continuing a career. Our mission is to work with great companies, such as Kangaroo Express, to connect military spouses with employment opportunities that offer the resources they need to overcome these barriers."

MSEP is part of the Department of Defense??s broader Spouse Education and Career Opportunities initiative, which seeks to strengthen the education and career opportunities of military spouses. To learn more, visit msepjobs.militarysource.mil.

Kangaroo Express continuously works to support the military and their families through its hiring efforts, sponsorships, fundraisers, community involvement and more.