$6 million plus funds extra child care Published Dec. 14, 2005 By Beth Gosselin Air Combat Command Public Affairs LANGLEY AIR FORCE BASE, Va. -- A new initiative is underway to expand the capacity of child care spaces throughout Air Combat Command. Air Combat Command was awarded $6.35 million by the Pentagon to fund 212 additional child care spaces through minor construction projects at child development centers at five bases across the command. The bases are Nellis AFB, Nev.; Seymour Johnson AFB, N.C.; Offutt AFB, Neb.; Mountain Home AFB, Idaho; and Holloman AFB, N.M. Ms. Sheila Robinson, Family Member Program specialist for ACC, said the funding addresses a major concern of Air Force families. “When our Airmen engage in their mission, whether it is through deployment or here on base, they need to know their children are taken care of in a quality program,” said Ms. Robinson. “By providing additional child care spaces in the child development centers, we are taking some of the burden off of our people.” Air Combat Command provides child care through the use of on-base child development centers, school-age programs and by licensing on- and off-base family child care homes. There are 1,350 children command-wide on waiting lists to enter a CDC, Ms. Robinson explained. “We continually strive to meet the need for care because we want our families to have quality child care right here on base,” she said. Ms. Robinson said most of the new child care spaces will focus on caring for younger children. “Because we find we have a great demand for infants, pre-toddlers and toddlers, the (added) spaces will be geared toward (meeting that need),” she said. All ACC projects are estimated to be completed by January 2007.