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Army National Guard Soldiers in all 54 states, territories and the District of Columbia with children ages six weeks through 12 years will soon have access to no-cost childcare during weekend drills.
Single parents, dual-military couples and families where a civilian spouse must work or attend school during drill weekends are eligible for the service.
Launched as a six-state test in 2022, the initiative expanded to 20 states in 2024 and is undergoing a rolling nationwide expansion by the end of 2026.
Upwards, the nation’s largest child-care network, serves as the primary third-party administrator for the federally funded program.
They manage enrollment and directly pay local, licensed and background-checked child-care providers so Soldiers do not have to pay upfront and seek reimbursement.
“We know that weekend care is often impossible to find, especially in rural areas,” said Emily Kreutner, Upwards’ director of customer experience.
The Army National Guard Weekend Drill Childcare program “gives Soldiers peace of mind,” Kreutner added. “It allows them to continue to serve, do what they love to do and know that their kids are being taken care of.”
She said the Upwards’ network includes “thousands” of providers that offer weekend care.
The program connects families with licensed, vetted childcare near the Soldier’s home of record or weekend drill location.
Interested Soldiers will be assigned a Care Navigator who can help with enrollment, finding available providers and arranging provider tours.
Program details are available here.
—By John Goheen
