The Department of Defense announced October 1 that families of
deployed members of the National Guard and Reserve, active duty
service members on independent duty and their families, and active duty
service members and their families assigned to selected bases would be
eligible for free family memberships at participating YMCAs in their local
community.
The new program, which is effective immediately, was unveiled in a
signing ceremony presided by Under Secretary of Defense for Personnel
and Readiness David S.C. Chu. Also signing the document was Assistant
Secretary of Defense for Reserve Affairs Thomas F. Hall and the
Executive Director of the Armed Services YMCA, retired Navy Rear Adm.
Frank Gallo.
"We know these programs are key to personal health and well-being, help
build strong families, and reduce stress and feelings of isolation," Chu
said. "I am extremely pleased to announce our new partnership."
The free YMCA memberships for Guard and Reserve families will be
available while the service member is deployed for a minimum of six
months. The deploying service member will also be eligible for three
months pre- and post-deployment membership to help promote family
participation.
Active duty families assigned to independent duty stations, such as
recruiting and ROTC assignments and not currently receiving support
from the service component will also be eligible for free memberships at
participating YMCAs. Single service members are eligible for fitness
center memberships up to $50 a month.
Active duty families at selected bases will also be eligible for free YMCA
memberships as part of a pilot program. Memberships will be issued on a
first come, first served basis with 300 to 450 family memberships
available per joint base location.
The selected bases are: Lackland Air Force Base/Randolph AFB/Ft. Sam
Houston, Texas; Langley AFB, Va.; McCord Air Force Base/Ft. Lewis,
Wash.; Ft. Carson, Colo.; Pearl Harbor/Hickam AFB, Hawaii; Naval
Weapons Station, Charleston S.C.; McGuire AFB/Ft. Dix/ Lakehurst Naval
Air Engineering Station, N.J.; Anacostia Naval Air Station /Bolling AFB,
Washington, D.C.; Ft. Myer/Henderson Hall, Va.; Elmendorf AFB/Ft.
Richardson, Alaska; and Andrews AFB/Naval Air Facility, DC/Md.
Additionally, 32 hours a month of free respite child care will be available
for families of deployed National Guard and Reserve and geographically
dispersed active duty service members in 10 states with YMCA child care
programs preapproved by DoD.
Respite Child Care is currently available at participating YMCAs in the
following ten states: Indiana, Maryland, Montana, North Carolina, New
York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Virginia and Washington. DoD is
working with the Armed Services YMCA on ways to expand the number
of YMCA child care programs eligible to offer respite care in order to
meet this critical need.
Participating YMCAs have agreed to cap their monthly fees and waive all
joining fees so there is no cost for service members and their families for
membership. Some classes may have fees associated with them and if
so, the service member will be responsible for those costs.
"Since the Civil War, the Armed Services YMCA has been committed to
supporting our troops and improving their quality of life," said
Gallo. "This new initiative will go a long way to help America's military
families live healthy lives."
Signing up for the program requires a YMCA/DoD eligibility form, a copy
of deployment orders and military ID. The YMCA/DoD eligibility form is
available at
http://www.miltaryonesource.com/ . A completed eligibility
form, a copy of deployment orders (where applicable) and the military ID
are all that are needed for the local YMCA to process memberships.
