Kirtland AFB Child Development Programs to Implement DOD Active-Duty Priority Policy Sept. 1

  • Published
  • By John Cochran
  • 377th Air Base Wing Public Affairs
KIRTLAND AIR FORCE BASE, N.M. --  

The Kirtland AFB Child Development Programs are making children of active-duty service members a top priority starting Sept.1, under a new Department of Defense policy.

Col. David S. Miller, 377th Air Base Wing commander, said that under current conditions, users of the child development center, youth center, and family child care at Kirtland AFB will keep their access to child care. He said that although the new priorities may affect some people in the future if the user population rises, base officials now don’t anticipate that any patrons will lose their child care.

“Based on current demand for the services, and our normal operational capacity at these facilities, we don’t expect anyone to be bumped from their on-base child care arrangements. However, we will continually re-evaluate the demand and capacity to ensure we are following DOD guidelines, prioritizing active-duty service members, and ensuring the readiness of the force.”    

The updated DOD policy applies to new child care requests, wait list management, and program enrollment. It establishes three eligibility tiers for care, with the order of precedence within each tier based on the sponsor’s status.

  • Priority 1A: Child Development Programs direct-care staff
  • Priority 1B: Single or dual active-duty members; single or dual Guard or Reserve members on active duty or inactive duty training status; and service members with a full-time working spouse
  • Priority 1C: Active-duty members, or Guard or Reserve members on active duty or inactive duty training status, with part-time working spouse or a spouse seeking employment
  • Priority 1D: Active-duty members, or Guard or Reserve members on active duty or inactive duty training status, with a spouse enrolled in a post-secondary education institution on a full-time basis
  • Priority 2: DOD civilians
  • Priority 3: Space available

The process for child care requests and waitlist management will stay the same as it has been. Families will apply for and request child care through MilitaryChildCare.com (MCC).

Child Development Programs will use MCC as the method to manage child care spaces, active care options, and offerings.

Any users who may be supplanted by someone in a higher priority will have 45 days’ notice to make other arrangements for child care.     

For more information, contact Molly Hayes at 505-846-1555 or molly.hayes@us.af.mil.