I was thinking the same as your first point. I'm a career military officer and know a lot of military families[1]. My observation is that the spouses who are doctors and nurses are the only ones who can reliably find middle-class employment. Becoming a nurse is much easier than becoming a doctor, and pays much better than other common things like retail, food service, house cleaning, and photography (probably more of a hobby).
[1] The labor participation and employment rates for military spouses (especially when adjusted for age and education) are so low that they're almost off the charts. The causes are frequent cross-country moves to economically struggling locations, and an extreme need for flexible schedules (e.g. for when service members get deployed and spouses become de facto single parents). Medicine seems to be unique in that it's everywhere, always hiring, and often allows for part-time employment.
[1] The labor participation and employment rates for military spouses (especially when adjusted for age and education) are so low that they're almost off the charts. The causes are frequent cross-country moves to economically struggling locations, and an extreme need for flexible schedules (e.g. for when service members get deployed and spouses become de facto single parents). Medicine seems to be unique in that it's everywhere, always hiring, and often allows for part-time employment.