EGLIN AIR FORCE BASE, Fla. - In March, Air Force and Army leadership provided answers to outstanding and frequently asked questions concerning the joint initiatives to provide childcare to the 7th Special Forces Group.
Here are those questions and answers:
Q.1. How soon will the CDC be built on Camp Bull Simons?
A.1. The Army is proposing to build a Child Development Center on CBS. However, the Air Force has the lead in performing an environmental analysis of alternatives regarding a new CDC; the Army Corps of Engineers awarded the contract to begin this analysis on 21 March 2023. Because of the long lead times involved, the Army programmed a Military Construction (MILCON) project to build a CDC on CBS in Fiscal Year 2025. Once the environmental analysis is completed, construction will take approximately two years, so a CDC could be open to Servicemembers and families as early as FY2027.
Q.2. Why is it taking so long to build and open a CDC?
A.2. A MILCON project typically takes 3 years to be planned, programmed, and then authorized and appropriated by Congress. Once authorized and appropriated and the environmental analysis is complete, a MILCON project typically takes 2-3 years for construction. The CDC is currently projected to be authorized and appropriated in FY2025, which would allow construction completion as early as FY2027. This timeline is the fastest possible. The Army has awarded a design contract for a proposed CDC located at CBS; this planning and design effort will result in the required submission of a 35% design Congress needs before appropriating funds for MILCON projects.
Q.3. What is the DoD Comprehensive Approach to Child Care, and are all options being explored for 7th SFG as well as all Team Eglin families?
A.3. The DoD Comprehensive Approach to Child Care includes building a comprehensive network of child care delivery options ranging from infant care, special needs care, shift and overnight child care needs, extended hours and evening and weekend care. These needs are met through family child care homes, in‐home child care providers, and child care in local civilian child care centers as well as in CDCs on a military base. 7th SFG families and other military families living north of Eglin Air Force Base are best served through a comprehensive network of childcare delivery options.
Q.4. What other child care options are the Air Force offering 7th SFG members and families?
A.4. The Army and the Air Force have together identified numerous options to expand child care availability for all CBS and Eglin families.
- Army initiatives to meet child care needs include:
- Army placed a full time Child and Youth Outreach Specialist on-site at CBS to improve coordination and collaboration with the Eglin AFB leadership.
- Provides families information on Army Fee Assistance and referral program, referring families to Child Care Aware.
- Attends weekly newcomers’ meetings.
- Building relationships with Eglin Child and Youth team and Early Learning Coalition of the Emerald Coast and attends provider meetings.
- Attended 1st Battalion Family Readiness Group meeting to provide families information on Army Fee Assistance, Family Child Care options, and Office of Secretary of Defense Child Care in your home pilot In April 2023, the Army will activate the option on militarychildcare.com for requesting community-based childcare when childcare is not available at the installation. The outreach specialist will assist families in navigating this option. Army Fee Assistance will be available to families to buy down the higher cost of community child care.
- Army Deputy Chief of Staff, G9 personnel regularly monitor the progress of these initiatives and report results to the Army Senior Leadership.
- Air Force initiatives include:
- In February 2023 an option for identifying child care needs specifically at locations north of Eglin AFB was activated on militarychildcare.com to identify the child care requirements for both Army and Air Force families.
- The Air Force is engaged with a commercial child care provider who plans to construct a Guidepost Montessori school in Crestview by Dec 2023. The school will provide additional child care options for children 0-4 yrs.
- Increasing the number of Family Child Care homes in the Crestview area. There are currently three FCC providers in the area. The Defense State Liaison Office is working to encourage the state of Florida to recognize the rigorous DoD certification requirements in lieu of State licensing requirements for military-sponsored FCC providers. OSD expanded the Child Care in Your Home pilot; 45 spaces are allocated for Eglin / Hurlburt Communities. Three of the seven current applicants are 7th SFG families.
- Eglin AFB is beginning to see some staffing relief at CDCs on Eglin Main with the implementation of child care fee reductions of 100% for the first child of direct care staff along with recruitment bonuses of up to $1250 for experienced caregivers.
- Air Force is pursuing the construction of a CDC in FY2027 (location TBD) to support Team Eglin families in the north area.
Department of Air Force Headquarters staff regularly monitor the progress of these initiatives and report results to DAF Senior Leadership.|
Q.5. Why can’t the 7th SFG use the Camp Bull Simons chapel to provide temporary child care until the new CDC is built?
A.5. A temporary child care structure/space on CBS at the Chapel was determined to be unworkable due to impacts to the day-to-day mission of the Chapel as well as the extensive renovations that would be required to meet DoD child care standards. Therefore, the 7th SFG determined to pursue other options pending the proposed construction of the CDC at CBS.
Q.6. Why are families being asked to register child care needs on militarychildcare.com? Why does the site only include a listing to identify child care needs for “North Eglin” and not at Camp Bull Simons?
A.6. The nomenclature “North Eglin” was a joint Army, Air Force, and OSD decision intended to capture all Service members requirements, not just those working on CBS. Air Force families living north of Eglin also require child care.
Q.7. Is the Air Force partnering with a commercial provider to offer child care services in Crestview when that funding would be better spent on building and operating a CDC on Camp Bull Simons?
A.7. The Air Force is actively encouraging all child care providers in the local area, in partnership with Crestview community leadership, to increase child care capacity. A commercial entity has shown interest in local development and is working with the City of Crestview on solutions.
Q.8. There is unused capacity in the existing Eglin Main CDCs due to a shortage of workers. What is the Air Force doing to increase childcare workers in order to operate the existing CDCs at full capacity?
A.8. Eglin AFB has launched recruitment and retention initiatives for child care providers and is beginning to see some staffing relief at CDCs on Eglin with the implementation of recruitment incentives. These efforts, along with the new benefit of free child care for the first child and 25% off subsequent children for direct care staff along with recruitment bonuses of up to $1250 for experienced caregivers, are proving instrumental in attracting new recruits
Q.9. What are Air Force, Army, and OSD Senior Leaders doing to address this issue at Eglin and across the Services?
A.9. Army Deputy Chief of Staff, G9 personnel regularly monitor the progress of these initiatives and report results to the Army Senior Leadership. Similarly, Department of the Air Force Headquarters staff regularly monitor the progress of these initiatives and report results to DAF Senior Leadership. Senior Leaders from the Army Secretariat, DAF Secretariat, and OSD Special Operations/Low Intensity Conflict will continue to meet monthly to track progress on expanding child care offerings, communicate any concerns, and resolve issues.
Q.10. What is OSD Test and Resource Management Center’s role with respect to child care on Camp Bull Simons?
A.10. OSD TRMC oversees Major Range and Test Facilities Bases, which includes Eglin Test and Training Center. OSD TRMC must approve changes to the ETTC, such as the addition of the proposed CDC on CBS.
Q.11. What is the community of Crestview leadership doing to help 7th SFG and Team Eglin families?
A.11. The 96th TW continues to liaise with the City of Crestview as they engage with a commercial child care vendor on their plans for a new facility in Crestview by the end of 2023. The Crestview City Manager is meeting with the vendor and potential investor/developer to identify a suitable location.
Q.12. What is the plan and timeline for the military family care complex?
A.12. The Defense Health Agency and the Department of Veterans Affairs recognize the opportunity to provide primary care to a growing population in the City of Crestview. DHA's Market Director for the Florida Panhandle and Gulf Coast VA Director are in the initial stages of collaborating with the Crestview City Manager to identify a suitable location to provide care to the DoD and VA beneficiaries in the community, including the potential lease of a facility. Eglin is exploring the possibility of also co-locating a CDC with this facility.
Q.13. Why is the Air Force planning to construct a second CDC in Crestview when a CDC on CBS will solve the 7th SFG issues?
Q.13. The Air Force is considering child care solutions for all of Team Eglin family members living in the areas north of Eglin. This is part of a comprehensive solution to the Team Eglin child care requirements. The Air Force is planning this CDC in addition to the Army FY2025 MILCON CDC.
Q.14. How can I find out about options for child care in Crestview and areas north of Eglin?
A.14. Families should first go to militarychildcare.com to find options for DoD childcare. Additionally, families can reach out to the Army Child and Youth Program outreach specialist at CBS (Erika Johnson, 850-885-3806,) or the Air Force Child and Youth Services Community Childcare Coordinator at Eglin AFB (Jeanene Montano, 850-882-2994.)
Q.15. Where can families find updates on child care options?
A.15. Families should first go to militarychildcare.com to find options for DoD childcare. Additionally, families can reach out to the Army Child and Youth Program outreach specialist at CBS (Erika Johnson, 850-885-3806) or the Air Force Child and Youth Services Community Childcare Coordinator at Eglin AFB (Jeanene Montano, 850-882-2994).