{"id":39461,"date":"2020-01-17T18:55:22","date_gmt":"2020-01-17T18:55:22","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/armytimes\/uncategorized\/2020\/01\/17\/new-army-program-offers-financial-assistance-for-child-care-costs-after-a-pcs-move\/"},"modified":"2026-08-08T06:57:54","modified_gmt":"2026-08-08T06:57:54","slug":"new-army-program-offers-financial-assistance-for-child-care-costs-after-a-pcs-move","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/armytimes\/management\/pay-benefits\/2020\/01\/17\/new-army-program-offers-financial-assistance-for-child-care-costs-after-a-pcs-move\/","title":{"rendered":"New Army program offers financial assistance for child care costs after a PCS move"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Soldiers and their families who move to a new duty station may be eligible for up to $1,500 in financial assistance for child care<\/a>, under a new program.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Army Emergency Relief<\/a> is launching the program Feb. 1. The assistance will be in the form of grants, no-interest loans or a combination of both. Soldiers may qualify for up to $500 per month per family for three consecutive months.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It\u2019s based on financial need of the family.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Soldiers must be participating in the Army Fee Assistance <\/a>program, and their child care costs for care in the civilian community must exceed the fee assistance they are receiving from the Army.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

All the branches of services offer fee assistance programs<\/a> for child care in the civilian community when on-base child care is not available or not a viable option. The programs provide subsidies that help make up the difference in cost between on-base child care and civilian child care. The Army program subsidy is the difference between what the soldier would pay for on-post child care and the community-based provider\u2019s rate, up to a cap of $1,500 per child per month.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Military families have long faced problems in finding good, affordable child care in some areas. The idea for this assistance began in February, 2019 when Army Emergency Relief CEO Ray Mason, also a retired lieutenant general, heard a question about lack of available slots at Army child care facilities<\/a> during a family forum at the Association of the U.S. Army.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Upon researching the issue, AER officials found that the average out-of-pocket costs to soldiers is $275 a month, after the $1,500 provided by the Army Fee Assistance program.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Here\u2019s how the new AER program works, starting Feb. 1:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

*Those eligible are active duty Army and Active Guard Reserve (AGR) soldiers with permanent change of station orders to an installation within the continental U.S.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

*Approval is based on financial need. Assistance is up to $500 per month, per family \u2014 not per child, and it\u2019s for no more than three consecutive months.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

* To apply, soldiers should visit their installation\u2019s Army Emergency Relief office. If the soldier is stationed at a base where there is no Army Emergency Relief office, the soldier can apply through the office of that installation\u2019s military relief society \u2013 i.e., Navy-Marine Corps Relief Society, Air Force Aid Society.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

*The first request must be submitted within the first 120 days after the family has arrived at the new duty station, and soldiers must provide documentation to verify the family\u2019s arrival, such as the Dependent Travel Settlement document (DD Form 1351.)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

*Soldiers most provide a certificate of participation in the Army Fee Assistance Program; and must provide a monthly billing statement of out-of-pocket child care expenses that are owed to the child care facility, above the Army Fee Assistance subsidy cap. In addition, the soldier must provide a Leave and Earnings Statement (LES); and copy of the PCS orders. If the soldier is not available, the spouse can apply with special power of attorney (AER Form 53 or civilian equivalent.)<\/p>\n\n\n\t