NOVEMBER 13, 2026 – The War Department announced a pilot program that will expand the range of community-based childcare providers eligible for military fee assistance across five states.
According to a memorandum released today by the Office of Personnel and Readiness, the Pentagon is expanding eligibility under its Military Childcare in Your Neighborhood program — to include faith-based childcare providers — in Arkansas, Maryland, North Carolina, Virginia, and Miami-Dade County, Florida.
In those locations, eligible providers now include state-approved community childcare providers that are operating under legally recognized, license-exempt status, along with school-operated public or private programs that don’t require separate childcare licenses, the memo said.
Furthermore, participating providers must meet state health and safety standards, federal background check requirements, and local education and childcare laws.
The War Department expects the pilot program to help relieve the burden on military families when it comes to finding adequate childcare.
“Military spouses share in the extraordinary sacrifices of our nation’s warriors, enduring frequent moves and long separations. When senior leadership listens to the military community and takes action, it directly relieves the everyday pressures on families,” said Jennifer Hegseth, Military Spouse Commission chair.
She added that childcare expansion is a critical step forward by the spouse commission and the War Department to champion family quality of life, thus ensuring that those who stand beside service members are supported “every step of the way.”
“Operational readiness is directly impacted by the stability of the homefront. Our warfighters perform at their best when they know their families are safe and supported at home. The Department of War is aggressively cutting through bureaucratic red tape to provide flexible, reliable childcare options where families need them most,” said Anthony Tata, undersecretary of war for personnel and readiness.
Tata further stated that the pilot program will expand childcare access while enabling the nation’s service members to remain focused on the mission.
Military families who would like to apply for the program can visit MilitaryChildCare.com and select the “search for care” drop-down menu. Additionally, families can visit Childcare.gov, which offers state-by-state regulatory guidance that allows parents to research local safety standards, staff-to-child ratios and quality ratings for childcare providers.
By Matthew Olay
Pentagon News