Putting Parents in the Driver’s Seat: Empowering Army Families

At the Warfighter and Family Forum during the 2026 AUSA Annual Meeting, Army and Pentagon leaders laid out how they're trying to give parents more control over child care and schooling. Tim Dill, assistant secretary of war for manpower and reserve affairs, said strong families make a strong Army and called for child care that is affordable, accessible, and high quality. The Army still puts on-post child development centers first. Families who live far from post or face long waitlists can use the Army Fee Assistance program to pay approved community providers. Josh Gwinn of Installation Management Command said the waitlist for families who need care right away is probably the lowest it has been in 10 years.

Panelists also pointed families to school support. School liaisons at each installation are getting added training to help homeschooling families, and the Exceptional Family Member Program helps families of children with special needs get school and community services. Christy Miller, spouse in the 2025 AUSA Volunteer Family of the Year, said a job at a Fort Bliss child development center let her go back to work for the first time since becoming a mom.