Snyder: Child-care centers built, not staffedBy Rick Maze - Staff writer
Posted : Tuesday Feb 26, 2008 21:31:26 EST
A key Democrat accused the Pentagon of making hollow promises to military families by building new child care centers on military bases but not hiring enough people to staff them.
Rep. Vic Snyder of Arkansas, a member of the House Armed Services and Veterans’ Affairs Committees, raised the issue at a Tuesday hearing when he recounted attending the recent ribbon-cutting ceremony for a new child development center at Little Rock Air Force Base, Ark.
The center was fully equipped with toys and cribs and other needed equipment, but it could not open to full capacity because the base did not have enough money to hire extra people, Snyder said at an armed services committee hearing on military personnel, where Defense Department and service personnel officials had been talking about how important it was to improve child care facilities.
“We are screwing the kids,” Snyder said.
Base officials confirmed the ribbon-cutting took place Feb. 20 but had no immediate comment on Snyder’s criticism of the staffing.
Rest of article at:
http://www.armytimes.com/news/2008/02/military_childcare_nostaff_022608w/