The Army National Guard is expanding a program that gives eligible soldiers free childcare during drill weekends, providing relief for service members balancing military requirements with family responsibilities. The effort is also intended to help retain troops during a nationwide shortage of childcare providers.

The weekend drill childcare program began as a test in six states in 2022. It connects Army National Guard soldiers with licensed and vetted childcare providers located near their homes or drill locations.

The Army pays participating providers through the childcare network Upwards, which means soldiers do not have to pay first and seek reimbursement later. That arrangement removes one more financial and administrative concern from an already demanding drill weekend.

The program expanded to 20 states in 2024. The National Guard now plans to extend it to all 50 states, three territories, and the District of Columbia by Dec. 31.

“Free childcare for our traditional drilling guardsmen relieved a large amount of stress for families when planning to attend drill and managing family responsibilities,” Col. Danielle MacDonnell, chief of the human resources directorate at the National Guard Bureau, said in a Nov. 3 press release. “By relieving the burden of childcare, soldiers are more able to focus during drill weekends and perform at higher levels.”

Finding licensed and affordable childcare remains difficult for military and civilian families across the country. National Guardsmen and reservists face an additional obstacle during monthly drill weekends because fewer childcare providers operate outside traditional hours.

For some service members, that persistent problem can make remaining in uniform unsustainable. Drill requirements do not disappear when childcare falls through, leaving families to scramble for help or reconsider whether continued service is workable.

“I felt like I was constantly pressuring my family for help, not receiving it and feeling like I’d rather just not be in the military because it was such a consistent burden that I simply had no fix for,” Sgt. 1st Class Amber Peck, a Wisconsin National Guardsman, said in the release.

The weekend drill childcare program eased that burden for Peck and about 650 other military families, according to Stars & Stripes. Expanding the effort across the country is expected to make the benefit available to more soldiers who meet its requirements.

Still, the expansion comes with eligibility restrictions that could leave some families without assistance. Kayla Corbitt, an Army spouse and CEO of the nonprofit Operation Child Care Project, warned that the program does not account for every circumstance behind a family’s childcare hardship.

“Something is better than nothing, but it’s still failing to take into account the really unique circumstances that created the hardship to begin with,” Corbitt said.

Many participating childcare providers must hold a state license, satisfy War Department minimum requirements, and maintain liability insurance coverage of at least $500,000. Corbitt said few providers meeting those standards are open on weekends near military bases.

Corbitt said soldiers should ideally receive a direct stipend allowing them to secure their own childcare when Upwards cannot locate an eligible provider. The current structure depends on a participating provider being both available and accessible when a soldier needs care.

Soldiers in households with two parents must also demonstrate that a spouse or domestic partner works or attends school during the drill period. Corbitt explained that meeting that requirement can be difficult for spouses working shifts or families needing additional support for children with special needs.

“The extra steps make the process a lot longer and add a lot more administrative burden,” she said.

Even soldiers who qualify are not guaranteed a place because program space is limited. Available slots are assigned according to who applies first, adding another practical hurdle for families seeking dependable weekend care.

For eligible soldiers who secure a suitable provider, however, the program can dramatically change the drill weekend experience. Peck said reliable care allowed her to concentrate on her military responsibilities instead of worrying about whether her child was covered.

“Having that reliable childcare completely put my mind at ease for drill weekends and 100% allowed me to focus on what I needed to for the military,” Peck said in the release.