First Lady Jill Biden Visits Military Camp, Acknowledges Need for More Child Care Facilities

Childcare issues continued during the First Lady's visit to Fort Drum.

First Lady Jill Biden, along with Deputy Secretary of Defense Dr. Kathleen Hicks, visited Fort Drum near Watertown Monday and met with the families of the 10th Mountain Division. Both got glimpses of army life on post and consistently heard concerns regarding child care.

"I heard from the families how important childcare is, which I've heard not only at these tables here at Fort Drum, but in every table across America, military or non-military. So we have to do a better job with getting childcare for our families," Dr. Biden gave this reassuring statement in a panel discussion that happened in the afternoon of their visit, North Country Public Radio reported.

Entire America cannot deny the ongoing childcare crisis. However, it seems that military families get it tougher. Service members receive relocation and permanent station change orders once every three years, and every relocation would mean parents finding new childcare facilities for their children.

Currently, Fort Drum only has four childcare centers, and the First Lady was able to visit one of them Monday.

Childcare inconsistencies

Aside from only having four, the spots on these facilities are hard to come by.

Simulations Officer for the 10th Mountain Division, Major C. Lynn Yingling, expressed how "childcare inconsistencies from post to post to post" are primary problems of every military family.

According to the 2021 Blue Star Families Military Family Lifestyle Survey, child care is one of the most challenging concerns of military families. Of 8,000 respondents, 32 percent stated that there is a regular need for child care, yet it still needs to be satisfied due to the lack of childcare availability, the high cost of child care, and its overall quality.

Major C. Lynn and her husband, Major Scott Yingling, moved to Fort Drum during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic bringing their three young daughters with them. One was a preschooler at that time. They were devastated to find out that the waitlist for on-post daycare will take six to nine months, which is quite impossible for the couple if they wait.

Lynn expressed that military parents, especially if both mother and father are in service, do not have the flexibility to stay at home while waiting for adequate child care as they never know when they will be called to be in the field. Thus, as a solution, and an expensive one, they decided to hire an out-of-the-country au pair.

Not many military families can run to this solution as the cost can be high.

Read also: Military Implements New Parental Leave Policy, Giving 12 Weeks for Birth, Non-Birth Parents

Better employment opportunities for military spouses

Dr. Biden noted that there should be more places, especially military bases, with childcare facilities.

According to Dr. Hicks, the shortage of childcare staff deepens the problem. Thus, the Defense Department is working on utilizing the 22 percent unemployed military spouses to solve the childcare shortage on staff. An incentive for military spouses was offered when they worked at daycare centers. At least 50 percent of childcare costs for their kids will be taken off if they opt to serve as childcare staff.

However, military spouses are also crying out for better employment opportunities, one of the recurring topics discussed Monday, the US Army wrote in an article on their website.

Fortunately, this topic is close to the heart of the First Lady as it has been an issue she had addressed in her own life. Being the only First Lady to have a full-time job aside from being in the White House and having a teaching profession for almost 40 years, she knows what it means to be passionate about one's career. Thus, it is one of the highlights of her Joining Forces initiative.

The First Lady stated how she empathizes with military spouses who need to let go of the careers they love to do and worked hard for. She believes that they should not be the ones giving up on everything, as it should be fair for both spouses.

For a start, President Joe Biden signed a law earlier this month allowing military spouses and service members with out-of-state professional licenses to have eligibility still when their credentials are transferred to a new duty station. 

The First Lady stressed that there is more that the government is planning to do.

Related Article: Military Spouses to Benefit from Pilot Program to Boost Their Careers