TL;DR: A DoD pilot program — active now through September 2027 — reimburses service members up to $1,500 for flying in a family member or trusted friend to watch their kids when on-base child care isn’t available after a PCS. Here’s who qualifies, how much you get, and exactly how to apply — plus what else you can do to close the child care gap.
If you’ve ever PCS’d with young kids, you already know the problem. You get to your new duty station. You report for work. The CDC waitlist is months long. Your spouse is trying to find a job, restart a career, or finish a degree. And somehow, nobody has figured out who’s watching the kids.
Military families have been quietly solving this problem for years — flying in Grandma, calling a trusted friend, paying out of pocket for temporary child care while waiting for a spot to open. Now, for the first time, the DoD is reimbursing you for it.
This benefit went live on October 1, 2024, and runs through September 30, 2027. It’s one of the most practical, family-first changes to come out of Congress in years — and most families don’t know it exists. Let’s fix that.
Planning your next PCS? Don’t wait until orders drop to figure out housing, BAH, and move logistics. Start your free PCS Plan now and get ahead of it.
Why This Benefit Exists: The CDC Waitlist Problem Is Real
This is not a small or isolated issue. According to a 2024 report by the House Armed Services Committee, military families wait an average of six to seven months for on-base child care, with more than 12,000 children on CDC waitlists at any given time. Infant spaces are the hardest to come by — and they’re exactly what families with the youngest kids need most when they arrive at a new installation.
The problem compounds quickly after a PCS. You arrive, you in-process, your spouse starts a job search, and the clock starts ticking. Civilian child care in many military markets costs anywhere from $1,000 to $1,800 per month — and that’s if you can find it. According to research from RAND, the average annual cost of infant care even in military-subsidized centers exceeds $12,000, which for junior enlisted families can exceed 40% of take-home pay. When a CDC spot doesn’t materialize fast enough, families absorb that gap out of pocket.
That’s the problem this reimbursement program was designed to address — not solve entirely, but meaningfully offset. Congress authorized it in the 2023 National Defense Authorization Act specifically because it recognized that military families were already doing this. They were already flying Grandma in. The pilot just acknowledges it and covers part of the cost.
What This Benefit Is
The DoD’s Child Care Transportation Reimbursement is a congressionally authorized pilot program covering commercial transportation costs for a designated caregiver — a family member, friend, or trusted adult — to travel to your new duty station and watch your kids while you wait for a CDC spot to open up.
This is a one-time reimbursement for travel costs. It is not a monthly child care subsidy, not a stipend, and not an ongoing benefit. Think of it as the government finally acknowledging what military families have always done — and picking up part of the tab.
How Much Can You Receive?
| Move Type | Maximum Reimbursement |
|---|---|
| CONUS to CONUS (domestic move) | Up to $500 |
| OCONUS (to or from overseas) | Up to $1,500 |
You receive one reimbursement per household — not per child, and not per parent if both spouses serve. Reimbursement covers commercial transportation only: flights, trains, and buses. It does not cover lodging, food, or other travel expenses for your designated caregiver.
Who Qualifies for This Benefit
Eligibility requires meeting all of the following criteria:
- You are active-duty in the Army, Air Force, Navy, Marine Corps, or Coast Guard
- Your PCS orders authorize a move with a dependent
- Your child or children have not yet entered school (pre-school age only)
- You have requested full-day child care at a military-operated center at your new duty station
- Child care at your new installation is not available within 30 days of the date you need care
- If you are married, your spouse must be working, actively job searching, or enrolled as a student
That last requirement matters. This benefit is specifically designed for families where both adults are working or in school — situations where neither parent can simply stay home and cover the child care gap. A stay-at-home spouse disqualifies the family from this particular program.
Who Can Be Your Designated Caregiver?
Your designated caregiver must be at least 18 years old and cannot be your dependent. Otherwise, the restrictions are minimal. A parent, sibling, extended family member, or trusted friend all qualify. You are not required to hire a licensed or credentialed professional — this is specifically designed for the people military families already rely on.
One important note: only one child care provider is authorized per military family, even if both parents serve on active duty.
Wondering what your BAH covers at your next installation? Use our 2026 BAH rates guide to look up your housing allowance before you start planning your move.
How to Apply — Step by Step
The entire process runs through MilitaryChildCare.com. Here’s exactly how it works:
Step 1: Create Your Household Account
Log into or create a household account at MilitaryChildCare.com. This is the same platform used to search for and request CDC spots at any installation. If you already have an account from a previous PCS, update your household information — especially your email and phone number — before you do anything else. Offers of care expire quickly (sometimes within 24–48 hours), and you need to be reachable.
Step 2: Request Full-Day Child Care at Your New PDS
Search for military-operated child care centers at your new duty station and submit a request for full-day care. Use your arrival date as your Date Care Needed (DCN). The system uses this date to calculate your estimated wait time. You can submit multiple requests at different programs on the same installation — do it. More requests mean more opportunities and a faster path to both a spot and the travel memo.
Step 3: Check Your Dashboard for the Travel Memo
If the wait time at your new installation exceeds 30 days past your reporting date, a link will appear on your MCC dashboard. That link generates your official travel memo — the document that establishes your eligibility for reimbursement. The system proactively surfaces this to you; you don’t need to hunt for it.
Step 4: Submit the Travel Memo to Your Travel Office
MCC does not issue reimbursement directly. The travel memo documents eligibility, and you take it to your installation travel office to process the actual payment. Coast Guard families submit through the USCG FSC Application Portal.
Timing note: you can request the travel memo approximately three months before or after your Date Care Needed. Apply as soon as your waitlist status confirms the 30-day gap — do not wait until after your caregiver has already traveled.
What If Your DCN or PDS Changes?
Update your request in MCC immediately. The system generates a new memo with the updated details. Keep your household profile current throughout the PCS process to avoid gaps or delays.
Important Limitations to Know
- If your new installation does not have a military-operated CDC, a travel reimbursement is not authorized and MCC will not generate a memo
- Your children must be pre-school age — once they’ve entered school, this program does not apply
- Only one reimbursement per household, even in dual-military families
- This is a pilot program running through September 30, 2027 — apply while it’s active
- Reimbursement covers commercial transportation only — not lodging, food, or local transport for your caregiver
What to Do While You Wait for a CDC Spot
Flying in a caregiver solves the immediate problem. However, you still need a longer-term child care plan while you work through the waitlist. Here are the options worth knowing about:
Family Child Care (FCC) Providers
FCC providers are DoD-certified caregivers who offer child care in their own homes, either on or off the installation. Many installations publish FCC fee charts showing rates running roughly 15% below traditional CDC care. FCC is often overlooked by incoming families, but it’s one of the fastest ways to secure quality, subsidized care — especially for families with infants or kids with non-standard schedules. Ask your installation’s Child and Youth Services office about FCC availability immediately upon arrival.
Military Child Care in Your Neighborhood (MCCYN)
When on-base care isn’t available, MCCYN provides fee assistance for eligible military families using community-based civilian child care centers and licensed in-home providers. The program closes the gap between what you’d pay for on-installation care and what civilian providers charge — making off-base care significantly more affordable. Apply through MilitaryChildCare.com to check your eligibility.
Child Care in Your Home (CCYH) Pilot
The DoD launched a Child Care in Your Home pilot in 2024 that offers fee assistance for families who hire a qualified nanny or in-home caregiver. Eligibility mirrors MCCYN requirements, and the program is currently limited to specific geographic regions. If you’re in a high-cost market or a remote installation with few civilian provider options, this is worth checking. Apply through MilitaryChildCare.com to see if your duty station is included.
The Kinderspot App
If you’re at an Air Force or Space Force installation, ask about the Kinderspot app. It allows families with existing CDC spots to temporarily sublet their space to other military families while they’re traveling or on leave. As of early 2025, more than 12,000 spots had changed hands through the app. It won’t solve a months-long waitlist, but it can fill gaps for short stretches while you’re waiting for a permanent spot to open.
Put Yourself on Multiple Waitlists
MCC allows you to submit requests at multiple programs simultaneously. Submit requests at every CDC and FCC program within a reasonable commute of your new installation. If a spot opens anywhere on your list, you’ll receive an offer — and you can evaluate whether to accept it or continue waiting for your preferred program. Accept an offer at a viable program first, then keep your other requests active while you wait for your preferred option.
PCSing soon with kids? Our PCS binder and checklist walks you through every step — including child care, schools, and in-processing timelines.
Pro Tips From Military Families Who’ve Done This
The process works, but a few things will make it smoother:
Request child care before you have orders in hand
MCC allows you to get on waitlists as soon as you have published orders. For installations with notoriously long waitlists — think JBLM, Fort Campbell, Fort Hood, or any installation in a high cost-of-living area — submitting a request the day orders drop can mean the difference between a 60-day wait and a 6-month wait. Earlier is always better, especially for infants.
Use your arrival date, not your report date, as your DCN
Your Date Care Needed drives the math on whether you qualify for the travel reimbursement. Use the earliest realistic date you’ll actually need care — your arrival date, not your official report-for-duty date. A few days of cushion matters when the 30-day threshold is the qualifying line.
Don’t ignore the 48-hour acceptance window
When a CDC offer of care comes through, you typically have 24–48 hours to accept it before the offer expires and goes to the next family on the list. If you miss it, you may need to resubmit your request and restart the clock. Keep your MCC notifications active and check your email while in-processing.
Keep your household profile updated through every PCS
If your contact information, DCN, or duty station changes, update MCC immediately. An outdated profile means offers go to the wrong email, memos reflect old information, and your timeline can slip. Treat your MCC profile like your military records — accurate and current at all times.
Where to Get Help
For questions about your travel memo, contact MCC directly at FamilySupport@MilitaryChildCare.com. For questions about the reimbursement process and what expenses qualify, the DTMO FAQ page has the full breakdown. To locate your installation travel office, use the DTMO directory.
Coast Guard families can reach the PSC Help Desk at (844) 727-2022 or PCSAssist@uscg.mil for reimbursement assistance.
And if you’re still sorting out the rest of your PCS — housing, BAH, your move, your timeline — our free PCS Plan pulls it all together in one place.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the DoD child care travel reimbursement program?
It’s a congressionally authorized pilot program, active October 1, 2024 through September 30, 2027, that reimburses service members for commercial transportation costs of a designated caregiver who travels to the new duty station to provide child care when on-base CDC spots aren’t available within 30 days of arrival.
How much does the DoD reimburse for child care travel during a PCS?
Up to $500 for domestic (CONUS) moves, and up to $1,500 for overseas (OCONUS) moves. Each household receives one reimbursement regardless of how many children you have or whether both spouses serve.
What exactly does the reimbursement cover?
Commercial transportation costs only — flights, trains, and buses for your designated caregiver to travel to your new duty station. Lodging, food, and local transportation for your caregiver are not covered. For the full list of eligible expense types, review the DTMO FAQ page.
Who can I designate as my child care provider under this program?
Any person who is at least 18 years old and is not your dependent. This includes parents, siblings, extended family, or trusted friends. You are not required to use a licensed or credentialed professional.
What branches are eligible for this benefit?
Active-duty members of the Army, Air Force, Navy, Marine Corps, and Coast Guard are all eligible. Space Force members serving under Air Force orders should confirm eligibility with their travel office, as Space Force families generally access Air Force child care programs.
Does my spouse need to be working for us to qualify?
Yes. If you are married, your spouse must be actively working, job searching, or enrolled as a student. This benefit is designed for dual-income or dual-military families where neither parent can simply stay home during the child care gap. A spouse who is not working and not in school disqualifies the family from this specific program.
What if my new installation doesn’t have a CDC?
The reimbursement is not authorized if your new location does not have a military-operated child development center. MCC will not generate a travel memo in that situation. However, other options like MCCYN fee assistance may still be available to help with civilian child care costs.
How do I actually get reimbursed — does MCC pay me directly?
No. MCC generates a travel memo that documents your eligibility. You take that memo to your installation travel office to process the actual payment. MCC handles documentation only. Coast Guard families submit through the USCG FSC Application Portal instead of a travel office.
We’re a dual-military couple. Can we each get reimbursed?
No. Only one reimbursement per household is authorized, even if both spouses are active-duty. Additionally, only one designated child care provider is authorized per family under this program.
When should I apply for the travel memo?
You can request it approximately three months before or after your Date Care Needed. Apply as soon as your waitlist status confirms the 30-day gap — don’t wait until after your caregiver has already traveled. Once you accept a care offer, the memo remains available for about two months.
Does this benefit apply to EFMP families?
The program’s eligibility requirements are the same regardless of EFMP status — you still need to meet the pre-school age, waitlist, and spouse-employment criteria. However, EFMP families navigating installations with specialized care needs may face longer waitlists, which often means they clearly qualify for the 30-day threshold. Contact your installation’s EFMP coordinator and Child and Youth Services office together to confirm the best path forward for your family’s specific situation.
Is this benefit available to Reserve and National Guard members?
The program is specifically for active-duty service members on PCS orders. Reserve and Guard members on active orders should contact their travel office to confirm eligibility based on their specific orders status.
Key Takeaways
- Apply through MilitaryChildCare.com first — the travel memo lives on your MCC dashboard, not at your travel office. Start there.
- Request child care the day you get orders — CDC waitlists average six to seven months at many installations. Earlier is always better, especially for infants.
- CONUS families get up to $500; OCONUS families get up to $1,500 — one reimbursement per household.
- Your designated person just needs to be 18+ and not your dependent — Grandma, your sister, a trusted friend all qualify.
- This pilot runs through September 30, 2027 — it’s not a permanent benefit yet. Use it while it’s active.
- Combine this benefit with MCCYN or FCC to build a complete child care plan during your transition gap — one benefit doesn’t have to do all the work.
- Getting your full PCS plan together makes every part of the move smoother. Start your free PCS Plan and let us help you map the whole move.
