--- title: "National Guard expands free childcare program for drill weekends, but with some caveats" description: "The program sets up National Guardsmen with licensed, vetted childcare providers near their home or drill location on drill weekends." date: "2026-11-06" modified: "2026-11-06" authors: - name: "David Roza" job_title: "Senior Reporter" link: "https://taskandpurpose.com/authors/david-roza.md" url: "https://taskandpurpose.com/news/national-guard-childcare-drill-weekend/" categories: - "Army" - "Field Guide" - "Military Branches" - "Military Life" - "National Guard" - "News" --- # National Guard expands free childcare program for drill weekends, but with some caveats ![An Oklahoma Army National Guard Soldier assigned to the 745th Military Police Detachment, 345th Combat Sustainment Support Battalion, 90th Troop Command, Oklahoma Army National Guard, holds his child during the unit’s welcome home ceremony in Mustang, Oklahoma, Aug. 20, 2026. The Citizen-Soldiers reunited with loved ones during a welcome home ceremony honoring the unit’s nine-month deployment to the U.S. Central Command area of responsibility. (Oklahoma National Guard photo by Anthony Jones)]() *An Oklahoma Army National Guard soldier holds his child during the unit’s welcome home ceremony in Mustang, Oklahoma, Aug. 20, 2026. National Guard photo by Anthony Jones.* The Army National Guard is expanding a program where eligible soldiers can receive free childcare on drill weekends, marking the latest effort to help retain service members amid a nationwide [childcare provider shortage](). First launched as a test in six states in 2022, the weekend drill childcare program sets up Army National Guard soldiers with licensed, vetted childcare providers near their home or drill location on drill weekends. The Army pays providers through the childcare network [Upwards](), so soldiers don’t have to worry about reimbursement. The program expanded to 20 states in 2024, and the National Guard plans to spread it to all 50 states, three territories, and the District of Columbia by Dec. 31. “Free childcare for our traditional drilling guardsmen relieved a large amount of stress for families when planning to attend drill and managing family responsibilities,” Col. Danielle MacDonnell, chief of the human resources directorate at the National Guard Bureau, said in a Nov. 3 [press release](). “By relieving the burden of childcare, soldiers are more able to focus during drill weekends and perform at higher levels.” Licensed, affordable childcare is [tough to find]() for both military and civilian families nationwide, but National Guardsmen and reservists face a [unique challenge]() on their monthly drill weekends, since [fewer providers are open]() outside traditional hours. That challenge makes staying in uniform unsustainable for some service members. “I felt like I was constantly pressuring my family for help, not receiving it and feeling like I'd rather just not be in the military because it was such a consistent burden that I simply had no fix for,” Sgt. 1st Class Amber Peck, a Wisconsin National Guardsman, said in the release. The weekend drill childcare program relieved that burden for Peck, and about 650 other military families, [according]() to Stars & Stripes. Expanding the program nationwide should help more soldiers, but a military childcare advocate warned that eligibility restrictions may put it out of reach for others. “Something is better than nothing, but it’s still failing to take into account the really unique circumstances that created the hardship to begin with,” said Kayla Corbitt, an Army spouse and CEO of the nonprofit Operation Child Care Project. To be eligible, many childcare providers must be [licensed]() with the state, meet Defense Department minimum requirements, and maintain a liability insurance policy coverage of at least $500,000. Few providers that meet these criteria are open on weekends near military bases, Corbitt said. Ideally, soldiers would receive a direct stipend to find their own childcare if an eligible provider cannot be found through Upwards, Corbitt added. ![U.S. Army Brig. Gen. Brian Wertzler, deputy adjutant general of Kentucky, watches two campers take part in a team-building challenge during the Kentucky National Guard’s Youth Camp at Camp Loucon, in Leitchfield, Kentucky, July 16, 2026. The annual Kentucky National Guard Youth Camp brings children from Guard families together to build friendships, confidence and resilience while strengthening connections within the Guard community. (U.S. Army National Guard photo by Sgt. 1st Class Benjamin Crane)]() *Army Brig. Gen. Brian Wertzler, deputy adjutant general of Kentucky, watches two campers take part in a team-building challenge during the Kentucky National Guard’s Youth Camp at Camp Loucon, in Leitchfield, Kentucky, July 16, 2026. Army National Guard photo by Sgt. 1st Class Benjamin Crane.* Soldiers in a dual-parent household must also prove that their spouse or domestic partner works or attends school during the drill period. Doing so can be difficult for spouses who do shift work or who need more support for children with special needs, Corbitt explained. “The extra steps make the process a lot longer and add a lot more administrative burden,” she said. Not all eligible soldiers will get a slot in the program, since space is limited and assigned on a [first-come, first-served basis](). Still, for those members who are eligible and can find the right provider, the program may be a life-changer. “Having that reliable childcare completely put my mind at ease for drill weekends and 100% allowed me to focus on what I needed to for the military,” Peck said in the release. ## Author David Roza is a senior reporter at Task & Purpose with extensive experience covering aviation, technology, military pay, benefits, health care, child care, culture, and a range of other personnel matters.David previously covered the Air Force and Space Force for Task & Purpose from 2019 to 2023 and for Air & Space Forces Magazine from 2023 to 2025 before returning to Task & Purpose as a scriptwriter for the team's YouTube channel. Share tips and story ideas with David at david.roza@recurrent.io. ## More - [Pentagon to Oklahoma National Guard troops: No vaccine, no paycheck]() - [The National Guard had more suicides in 2018 than any other military component]() - [The National Guard’s COVID-19 vaccine mutiny has spread to 6 states]() - [3 Reasons To Consider Transitioning To The National Guard And Reserves]() - [The Army National Guard is shelling out for some sweet fitness gear to help your lazy ass get in shape]() - [Sailor’s lawsuit leads to expanded healthcare for Reserve, Guard troops]() - [Reserve Force And National Guard Budget Cuts Are Threatening National Security]() - [5 Reasons Millennials Should Consider Joining The Reserve Or National Guard]()