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Background:
The United States Army have implemented a plan allowing military members serving in Iraq to have R&R (rest and recuperation) leave. This leave allows soldiers to take up to 15 days to visit family or friends in the United States or Europe
Many soldiers participating in Operation Iraqi Freedom or Operation Enduring Freedom are members of the National Guard or Reserve. Guard and Reserve units often come from cities and small towns across America, and do not live close to a military installation. The military is unable to support these soldiers in the same way it supports members living on or around military installations.
What Operation Child Care is:
To help provide support to National Guard or Reserve members home on R&R leave, NACCRRA with the support of the Child Care Bureau, the National Child Care Association, the National Association of Family Child Care, and the nation's 4-H Clubs, is organizing a nationwide program that enables theses soldiers to access a few hours of donated child care. The child care will allow soldiers to take care of personal business, take a spouse out to dinner or enjoy other recreational activities.
How Soldiers Will Benefit:
Soldiers utilizing Operation Child Care services will benefit from:
- Improved morale.
- Increased appreciation of U.S. Army support and benefits.
- Increased sense of community support and respect.
Who Will Provide the Care:
Child care will be provided on a voluntary basis. Only legally operating, licensed or certified child care providers will be recruited. In addition, the National 4-H Program will coordinate the voluntary services of trained 4-H members to provide evening baby-sitting services. While free child care cannot be guaranteed to every service member who requests it, CCR&Rs will make every effort to locate care. CCR&Rs will make referrals, not recommendations. Service members who use Operation: Child Care will be provided with a list of questions to ask potential child care providers before deciding to use their services.
How Operation Child Care Will Work:
NACCRRA will utilize its Child Care Aware toll-free line, web site, and staff to serve as the point of contact for all soldiers seeking to utilize Operation: Child Care services. Child Care Resource and Referral agencies at the state and local levels will recruit child care providers willing to offer 4 or more hours of voluntary child care for the Operation: Child Care project.
Beginning in late spring of 2004, soldiers will receive information about Operation: Child Care at key staging areas along the soldiers' return, including debriefing in Iraq, airports in Kuwait, Europe and U.S. Soldiers will request referrals to child care in one of two ways: either by phone or by web request, through NACCRRA's Child Care Aware program toll-free line and web site.
Once a request has been received, soldiers will be linked to their local CCR&R, who will provide him or her with a list of potential child care provider volunteers. The soldier will then arrange care directly with one of the providers. All soldiers will be required to show proof of eligibility (military orders) to the provider prior to receiving donated child care.
Child care providers and local CCR&Rs who volunteer will be recognized for their efforts with certificates of appreciation signed by an Army General Officer, discount supply catalog coupons, lapel pins, and have their names added to a special recognition section of the Child Care Aware web site.
For more information, contact NACCRRA,
1319 F Street, NW, Suite 500, Washington, DC 20004
or call 202-393-5501
e-mail us - 5900 Mosteller Drive, Suite 1212A * Founders Towers * Oklahoma City, OK 73112 - (405)843-5737
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