An official website of the United States government
A .mil website belongs to an official U.S. Department of Defense organization in the United States.
A lock (lock ) or https:// means you’ve safely connected to the .mil website. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites.

Home : News : Article View
NEWS | Sept. 29, 2009

DoD officials announce family program expansion

By American Forces Press Service

WASHINGTON, D.C. - Officials in the Pentagon's Office of Military Community and Family Policy have announced the upcoming expansion of a popular child care program and other news affecting military families.

Beginning Oct. 1, YMCA respite child care will be expanded to licensed child care programs at YMCAs in all states that wish to participate in the program. Currently, the service is offered at select YMCAs in nine states to provide temporary relief or a short break for the parent or guardian who is responsible for caring for a deployed servicemember's child.

The care is provided at no cost for children through age 12 for up to 16 hours of care per month, per child. Eligibility extends to families while their active duty spouse is deployed to a remote location for at least six months, as well as to Title 10 families of deployed Guard and Reserve personnel and those serving at independent duty locations.

For a listing of the participating YMCAs and for a copy of the registration form, visit the Military OneSource Web site.

In other news from Military Community and Family Policy:

  • Five Department of Defense Education Activity students were named National Merit scholarship semifinalists by the National Merit Scholarship Corp. Scott LaBelle, Brussels American School; Shannon Grammel, Heidelberg High School, now at Fort Campbell High School; Derrick B. Lewis, Ramstein High School; Stella Y. Cho, Seoul American High School; and Emily M. Hoyle, Guam High School, all are high school seniors. They'll have an opportunity to continue in the competition for some 8,200 National Merit scholarships worth more than $35 million that will be offered in the spring. The students are among 16,000 semifinalists selected for the program.
  • The MilitaryHomefront Web site recently added a new resource called "Tools for Families." The new section, under the site's Troops & Families heading, is a central repository for tools and resources designed to make things easier for military families, including two records organizers. The focus for each organizer differs slightly, but they share the same goal of making it easier to organize, track, and update information for members of military families. Officials will add new tools as they become available.
  • Residents of the Armed Forces Retirement Home here celebrated the 147th anniversary of President Abraham Lincoln's signing of the Emancipation Proclamation, the birthday of the home's founder, Gen. Winfield Scott, and American military servicemembers past and present on Sept. 22. The day featured military tributes, speeches, community tours, a barbecue luncheon and other recreational activities to celebrate the historic day. President Lincoln's Cottage - the original "Soldiers' Home" established in 1851 and now a historic landmark that sits on the grounds of the Armed Forces Retirement Home – co-sponsored the event. Lincoln lived there when he wrote the Emancipation Proclamation.
  • The Defense Commissary Agency will take its cost-saving benefits on the road and hold on-site sales at the following Guard and Reserve locations: Oct. 1-3 in Kalispell, Mont.; Oct. 2-3 in Hancock, N.Y.; Oct. 2-4 in Charlotte, N.C., and Mobile, Ala.; Oct. 3 in Caribou, Maine, and Fort Wayne, Ind.; and Oct. 3-4 in Peoria, Ill., Redmond, Ore., and Stewart, N.Y.

The host commissary works with Guard and Reserve units that have at least 150 members stationed in an area and selects items to offer to these individuals during the sale. At some sales, patrons may pre-order products, then pick up and pay for them at the sale. Sales where pre-orders are available can be found at http://www.commissaries.com. In the near future, credit payment may be completed online and the items can be picked up at the sale, officials said.

 

 

Related Articles
Photo of medical training during a Port Subject Matter Expert Exchange at the Port of Laem Chabang, Thailand, August 20, 2025. (Courtesy Photo)
Washington Guard Continues Strengthening Relationship at Thailand’s Port of Laem Chabang
By Joseph Siemandel, | Sept. 30, 2025
CAMP MURRAY, Wash. - Four members of the Washington National Guard partnered recently with more than 170 employees from the Port of Laem Chabang, Thailand, to continue improving the port’s all-hazard response as part of the...

Leaders and attendees from the Hawai‘i National Guard, Guam National Guard and Armed Forces of the Philippines gather for a group photo during the 25th anniversary celebration of the State Partnership Program between the Hawai‘i National Guard and the AFP at Clark Air Base, Philippines, Sept. 25, 2025. The Hawai‘i Guard and AFP launched the Indo-Pacific’s first State Partnership in 2000, marking 25 years of cooperation in training, disaster response and regional security.
25 Years Strong: Hawai‘i Guard and Philippines Celebrate Enduring Partnership
By Master Sgt. Mysti Bicoy, | Sept. 30, 2025
CLARK AIR BASE, Philippines — Cheers, handshakes and shared stories filled the air Sept. 23–25 as the Hawai‘i National Guard and Armed Forces of the Philippines celebrated 25 years of partnership — a bond that has endured...

Oklahoma National Guard leaders and Italian representatives unveil a plaque at the former headquarters of the 45th Infantry Division during WWII in Venafro, Italy, Sept. 8, 2025. A delegation of Oklahoma National Guard members and veterans toured key locations from the 45th Infantry Division’s campaign in Italy against German forces during World War II, continuing the development of the Thunderbird Trail. The initiative is aimed at preserving the Division's role in World War II through a memorial trail tracing its footsteps through Italy, France and Germany, ensuring their sacrifices are never forgotten. (U.S. Army photo by Sgt. Danielle Rayon)
Thunderbird Trail: Preserving Sacrifice, Strengthening Connection for Oklahoma Guard
By Sgt. Danielle Rayon, | Sept. 29, 2025
ITALY – Standing among rows of white marble headstones at the Sicily-Rome American Cemetery and Memorial, Soldiers of the Oklahoma National Guard bent to place sand from the beaches of Anzio into the carved names of...