The U.S. Air Force announced plans to construct a new child development center (CDC) in Crestview, to address the growing childcare needs of military families north of the Eglin Test and Training Range.

• The facility, scheduled for completion by the end of 2028, will accommodate approximately 250 children from eligible families.
• This expansion is part of a broader effort by the Departments of the Air Force and Army to increase access to childcare for military families near Eglin Air Force Base.

Over the past year, the Air Force has taken several steps to enhance childcare options. These include joining the Florida Apprenticeship Program to boost staffing at the Eglin CDC, opening two additional classrooms, and restoring a CDC on Eglin AFB that will care for more than 118 children.

The service has also more than doubled its certified Family Childcare (FCC) homes, now totaling 17 with a capacity for 102 children. Applications for 13 more FCC homes are in process, which could increase capacity by an additional 72 children.

• The Army is contributing to these efforts by hiring a Parent and Outreach Specialist and initiating a one-year pilot program this fall to provide various childcare support options for up to 100 active-duty Army families, according to Eglin.

Both services are working with Eglin’s Child and Youth Programs to offer extended care hours as needed. They are also collaborating with a local commercial childcare provider planning to open a new facility in Crestview by late 2025.

The Air Force and Army will monitor childcare needs and review the effectiveness of these measures every six months, reporting to leadership to ensure demand is met or to identify if additional resources are required, according to Eglin.

Land acquisition for the new Crestview CDC will follow the completion of the ongoing National Environmental Policy Act process, with the Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) Record of Decision expected in January 2025.

• A draft EIS is currently open for public comment until Aug. 26, with a public hearing scheduled for Aug. 8 from 6 to 8 p.m. at Warriors Hall in Crestview.

Families seeking childcare can request services through militarychildcare.com, a Department of Defense website providing information on military-operated and military-subsidized childcare options worldwide. A

dditional resources for childcare assistance include the AF Family Child Care, Army Community Outreach Program Manager, and the Kinderspot app for weekly childcare needs.