Higher priority for mil.childcare

Working military families are to get a higher priority in Defense Department child care programs under a new policy signed by Secretary of Defense Mark Esper. Those changes take effect June 1. It would also allow officials to displace children who are already in a child development program, whose parents are in a lower priority category, if the military family is expected to be on a wait list for more than 45 days. The policy change moves DoD civilians down the priority list. The DoD child care system was “established to assist service members as they face the unique challenges associated with the demands of military service,” wrote SECDEF. “Over time, child care access expanded … but we must not lose sight of the service member and mission requirements,” he wrote a memorandum signed Feb. 21. The common thread military leadership has heard from military family’s is the lack of available and affordable childcare. Military CDCs fees are subsidized by taxpayer dollars to make it more affordable for military families. Among the most expected and affected areas are in San Diego, Hawai’i, Norfolk, and DC. (Source: Military Times 02/25/20) https://www.militarytimes.com/pay-benefits/2020/02/25/working-military-families-will-soon-get-more-access-to-dod-child-care/