Families Left Waiting
A young Army couple in San Diego faces a harsh reality: their infant needs child care, but the base's Child Development Center has a waitlist stretching over a year. This story repeats across military communities nationwide. The Department of Defense operates the largest employer-sponsored child care program in the country, yet it falls short of meeting families' needs. Parents are left scrambling, and our military's readiness suffers.
Child care is not a luxury; it's a necessity for families balancing service and survival. Military parents, like millions of civilians, navigate a broken system where quality care is rare and costs are overwhelming. A 2021 RAND survey found 79 percent of military spouses cite child care as a barrier to employment, with families spending over 15 percent of their income on it, far above the 7 percent affordability benchmark. This is a systemic failure that demands urgent attention.
DOD officials, like Chad Sheldon, call it a 'national issue' and point to programs such as Military Child Care in Your Neighborhood and new facilities in places like Norfolk, Virginia. These steps show progress, though they barely scratch the surface. Why are military families still waiting? The problem stems from a broader refusal to prioritize child care as critical infrastructure for our nation's future.
The Real Cost of Shortages
Military families bear unique burdens. Frequent moves erase waitlist priority, forcing parents to start over at each new duty station. Single-parent service members sometimes decline assignments when care isn't available, directly impacting mission readiness. DOD data shows on-base waitlists often span six to eighteen months, with delays even longer in high-demand areas like the National Capital Region.
Recent efforts, like the MCCYN-PLUS program and the Child Care Expansion Initiative, aim to help. A new Norfolk facility, opened this month, will serve 200 children. The DOD's 'buydown' program secures commercial slots in cities like Colorado Springs, but it's limited to select locations. Access to quality care cannot be tied to a family's station. Every service member deserves reliable support, no matter their posting.
The stakes are high. Without care, spouses' careers stall, and financial pressures grow. For service members, knowing their children are safe enables focus on their duties. Senior official Tim Dill notes that supporting families strengthens 'the finest military in the world.' If that's true, why do we keep families waiting?
A Crisis Beyond the Bases
The child care shortage extends far beyond military installations. Civilian families face identical struggles, with one in four unable to find or afford care, per a 2022 ReadyNation poll. In 2023, the average cost of center-based care reached $11,582—10 percent of median married-couple income and 32 percent for single parents. This crisis costs the U.S. economy $122 billion annually in lost wages and productivity.
Some propose tax credits or deregulation as fixes, arguing that subsidies drive up costs or limit parental choice. These arguments fall flat. Tax credits, like the expanded Dependent Care Assistance Plan, are less beneficial for low-income families and do not support stay-at-home parents. Deregulation, as seen in states like Idaho, risks quality by loosening staff-to-child ratios. Such approaches fail to address the root issue, a severe lack of supply and affordability.
We need a national solution. New Mexico's near-universal child care, funded by oil revenue, and Vermont's payroll-tax subsidies offer proven models. Internationally, Germany ensures a slot from age one, and Canada's $10-a-day plan is reshaping access. These systems treat child care as a public good, stabilizing providers and families. The U.S. can follow their lead.
Building a Better Future
A robust federal child care program would change everything. Tripling Child Care and Development Fund spending could enable 652,000 more women to work, lifting GDP and tax revenue. For military families, it would mean shorter waitlists, affordable costs, and greater security. The DOD's programs are a foundation, but they need national backing to scale effectively.
Incremental fixes won't do. Work-tied tax credits and pilot programs leave too many behind. A universal system with strict quality standards would ensure every family, military or civilian, has access to care they can afford. This is a start, though it falls short of what's needed.
Our service members give everything for this country. Their families deserve a child care system that matches that commitment, one that eliminates waitlists, supports careers, and strengthens our economy. We have the tools to make it happen. Let's act now.