Community leaders, Army and Department of War representatives and child care providers recently joined the National Board of Directors of the Armed Services YMCA for a ribbon cutting ceremony celebrating the opening of a new child development center in Arlington, Virginia.
The new center addresses a growing regional need. The Armed Services YMCA Child Development Center, which opened on Feb. 25, aims to provide affordable child care options for Families in the National Capital Region who continue to face challenges related to both the availability and cost of child care services.
To meet this demand, the facility was designed with both scale and quality in mind. The 30,000-square-foot center features 19 classrooms serving infants through prekindergarten, as well as a laundry room, kitchen and outdoor playground. The center can accommodate up to 216 children and employs 58 staff members.
Leaders at the event underscored the critical role child care plays in military readiness. Retired U.S. Navy Vice Admiral William D. French, President and CEO of the Armed Services YMCA, emphasized the importance of accessible child care and said, “We know a service member’s readiness is linked to accessible, quality and affordable child care. This allows our service members to focus on their mission without worrying about the safety and security of their children. Child care also plays an important role in spouse employment, which contributes to financial security.”
These local challenges reflect national trends. A 2025 RAND study found that “the U.S. Department of War’s Child Development Program represents the largest employer-sponsored child care system in the country. However, the CDP has struggled to meet the demand for child care and reflects the challenges of recruiting and retaining a qualified workforce.”
In response, the Department of War is expanding its efforts.
“The Department of War is committed to expanding child care availability through major investments in facility construction and strategic community partnerships,” said Donna Garfield, Chief of the Child, Youth and School Services Division within the Army’s Directorate of Prevention, Resilience and Readiness. “Quality, affordable child care is a cornerstone of Army readiness and a critical support system for military Families.”
The new center was developed through a partnership between the Armed Services YMCA, the Department of War and the City of Arlington, Virginia.
Families interested in enrolling their children can visit militarychildcare.com for more information.
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