NORFOLK, Va. — The nation's military branches are facing a huge challenge regarding who cares for their kids.
The Department of Defense (DOD) operates the largest employer-sponsored childcare program in the United States, serving approximately 200,000 children of uniformed service members and civilian employees, according to the Congressional Research Service.
However, according to an April House Armed Services Committee Quality of Life report, wait times to get into military childcare can reach six to seven months. The report also states the military branches currently have more than 4,100 childcare employee vacancies.
"DOD cannot find enough workers. There were 12,000 children on DOD's waitlist as of last year," said Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D, Massachusetts) Wednesday, during a Senate Armed Services Personnel subcommittee hearing.
Military leaders told the panel it was a problem.
"It's absolutely critical to readiness. The first thing you do when you get a PCS assignment, if you have children, you look, where are my children going to go?" said Lieutenant General Caroline Miller, U.S. Air Force Deputy Chief of Staff for Manpower, Personnel, and Services.
"It's absolutely mission critical to be able to take care of our sailors' children," said Vice Admiral Richard Cheeseman, Deputy Chief of Naval Operations for Personnel, Manpower, and Training.
"We want to make sure then the soldiers come into work, they're focused on the mission, and they know their child is cared for appropriately," said Lieutenant General Douglas Stitt, U.S. Army Deputy Chief of Staff for Personnel.
The Defense Department's Fiscal Year '25 budget seeks $33.5 million to invest in military childcare improvements.