AUSTIN, Texas — Between taking on new roles and adjusting to different ways of living, being married to a veteran can be tough for some people.

Both veterans and their spouses often face a number of challenges, but joining a community can help. That is why Divas in Dog Tags, a support network for women veterans, wives of veterans and daughters of veterans, is launching a new program that specifically targets spouses of veterans.

Charla Spivey takes care of her husband full time.

"If I'm not his caregiver, then things go lacking. It's like when veterans have PTSD, there are times that they don't want to talk to people,” Charla explained. 

Her husband Billy Spivey served in the U.S. Army for 17 years. He is also disabled. The Purple Heart recipient knows life can sometimes be difficult for his wife and encouraged her to join Divas in Dog Tags.

"I said, ‘So don't think you're alone. I want you to be with them and then they can explain things to you that I try to explain to you but I can’t,’” Billy said. 

The group tackles various issues from PTSD to employment. Charla is helping the team launch a new Veteran Spouse Program.

"I'm the one that the spouses of veterans come to and we all get together and we talk and we try to find things to help us make it through as spouses of veterans,” Charla said.  

U.S. Army veteran Rhonda Mack is the founder of Divas in Dog Tags. After speaking with several spouses in the Central Texas area, she saw a need for a support group.

"They feel like they're the afterthought,” Mack said.

She says that feeling is about to change.

"What we are hoping to do is connect veteran spouses with the resources, so whether it looks like employment, whether it looks like further training or tools for training or just growing a network,” Mack said. 

With Charla's help, she knows they can do it.

"This is a very good group to be a member of because they are so supportive. I mean really supportive,” said Charla.