SOLDIER, FAMILY AND SPOUSE SERVICES
TAKING CARE OF FAMILIES
Beyond salary, education and housing benefits, there are valuable Army family support services for Soldiers and their families. These include, but are not limited to, support groups, counseling and training. Many of the services are offered free or at discounted prices.
RELOCATION ASSISTANCE SERVICES
The Army Community Service offers several unique programs to help Soldiers and their families adapt to transfers and new tour cycles. One example, the Relocation Readiness Program, is a support service designed to assist military families with the challenges associated with a permanent change of station. Benefits include family counseling, education, and training throughout all phases of the relocation process.
MONEY MANAGEMENT SERVICES
Financial readiness programs are available to educate and counsel Soldiers in the area of personal finance. Through classes on money management, financial planning and insurance and consumer counseling, Soldiers learn how to eliminate debt and manage their money wisely.
LEGAL ASSISTANCE SERVICES
Every Army post has a Legal Assistance Center that provides free walk-in services. The attorneys on staff offer advice on personal legal matters; review legal documents such as contracts and leases; and prepare wills, correspondence and other legal documents. Legal Assistance Centers also operate tax centers, with free income tax preparation and electronic filing for active duty Soldiers, dependents and military retirees.
DEPLOYMENT SERVICES
Predeployment and reunion briefings are provided through the Mobilization and Deployment Support program. The program offers classes for Soldiers and their families on topics such as how to establish and manage household budgets, how to communicate with children and how to prepare wills. Family members are encouraged to join Soldier and Family Readiness Groups and maintain communication with the rear detachment of the deployed unit.
PARENTAL BENEFITS
The Army offers parental benefits designed to improve quality of life, promote flexibility, and help all Soldiers safely continue their duties and advance their careers while growing their families. Available support includes:
- Paid Leave: The program offers up to 12 weeks paid leave to new parents, including options for birth mothers or fathers, same-sex couples, as well as adoptive and surrogate parents.
- Maternity Care: The Army offers medical services, treatments, and care needed throughout pregnancy, during delivery, and generally six weeks post-partum.
- Fertility Treatment: Soldiers can stay at their current base for up to two years while they or their spouse pursues fertility treatment.
- Convalescent Leave: Soldiers are offered paid medical leave of up to 42 days when either themselves or their spouse experiences a miscarriage or a stillbirth.
- Family and New Parent Support Program: Staffed by nurses, social workers, and home visitation specialists, the program aims to support expectant and current parents with home visits, parenting classes, playgroups, and more.
- Lactation Accommodations: The Army provides lactation breaks every two to three hours for at least 30 minutes in designated areas. This policy applies to lactating Soldiers for up to two years.
- Deferments: Soldiers who are parents can be excused from deployments, field trainings, temporary duty assigments, or more for up to a year after birth, adoption, or long-term foster care placement.
- Additional Support: Other benefits for Soldiers include temporary postpartum body composition and physical fitness test exemptions to allow time for healing and recovery. Special pregnancy and postpartum dress uniforms are also available to ensure comfort. To continue their professional development while pregnant, Officers and Warrant Officers can attend and graduate from Professional Military Education classes as well.
CHILD & YOUTH SERVICES
Army Child and Youth Services provide affordable child-care programs for Army families. Costs for child care in the Army are typically based on rank and pay grade. Programs range from day-care facilities to sports and fitness programs.
- Child development centers provide full-day care, part-day care and hourly care for children 6 weeks to 5 years of age.
- Family child-care homes offer full day, hourly, extended hours and long-term care in government quarters and off-post residences.
- School-age services deliver before- and after-school care during the school year and camps during vacations.
- Middle school/teen programs focus on sports and fitness, life skills and leadership, arts and recreation and mentoring and education for youth grades six through 12.
- Sports and fitness programs are available for children up to 18 years of age and include team sports, individual sports, fitness and outreach.
- Youth education support services include school transition support, instructional programs, youth sponsorship and home-school support.
- Outreach programs include referrals to off-post child-care programs, parent co-ops, trained babysitters for evening hourly care and partnerships with community organizations.
ARMY MORALE, WELFARE AND RECREATION PROGRAM
The U.S. Army also offers a network of support and leisure services for Soldiers and their families. The Army Morale, Welfare and Recreation program delivers a wide array of recreation, sports, entertainment, travel and leisure activities for Soldiers and their families worldwide.
