Defense

GAO: Servicemembers not aware of child care subsidies

GAO found a high rate of military deployments is one factor that\'s led child care facilities on military bases to fill up.

Federal News Network Staff

February 7, 2012 11:55 am

< a min read

Many military families are paying a lot more than they need to for child care.

That’s according to a new report by the Government Accountability Office.

GAO found a high rate of military deployments is one factor that’s led child care facilities on military bases to fill up.

To compensate, the Defense Department offers subsidies so families can use off-base child care. But GAO found many military families are never told about those subsidies. DoD says it’s in the middle of new construction projects that will provide 21,000 new child care spaces on military bases.

Later this year, the department plans to pilot a new central website that will let servicemembers request child care services either on-or-off of military bases.

This story is part of Federal News Radio’s daily DoD Report. For more defense news, click here.