As the need for child care centers grows, base officials wonder who will staff them

[unhappycamper]

As the need for child care centers grows, base officials wonder who will staff them
By T.D. Flack, Stars and Stripes
Pacific edition, Sunday, December 27, 2009

MISAWA AIR BASE, Japan — Faced with a staffing crisis that threatened their ability to care for the community’s children, Misawa officials came up with a unique plan earlier this year: They put U.S. military personnel to work in the Child and Youth Services program.

The situation is not exclusive to Misawa. Nearly every overseas U.S. military base reported staffing shortages when queried in recent weeks. And many are scrambling to find ways to hire and keep employees.

Kelly B. Hruska, deputy director for government relations with the National Military Family Association, said there is a tremendous need for child care in the U.S. military community.

She said a little more than half of the 1.1 million children of military families identified in a 2007 census were 7 or younger.

Hruska said the Defense Department has long realized the need for top-notch child care, especially in overseas locations, and is still investing the money to build the centers.


Rest of article at: http://www.stripes.com/article.asp?section=104&article=66881