WASHINGTON – A new intergovernmental support agreement with Upwards Child Care Network will increase access to child care services for military families in and around Camp Bull Simons, Florida.

In accordance with the IGSA, Upwards will alert Army families of spaces available through agreements with local community child care centers and family child care providers through a mobile phone app.

According to IGSA, the Army will cover app service subscription costs for 100 military families per month in the Camp Bull Simons area who currently receive base operations services through Eglin Air Force Base. Military families will pay the Department of Defense’s current hourly rate for child care ($8 an hour), and the Army will subsidize the costs with provider fees that exceed the DoD’s hourly rate (currently between $4 and $6 an hour).

“Reliable, quality childcare is not just a nice resource, it’s a necessity and is critical to our Soldiers’ peace of mind and their ability to remain ready for the mission and task at hand,” said Lieutenant General David. Wilson, the G-9 deputy chief of staff, during a signing ceremony. “This IGSA, made possible through the collaboration of local, state, federal and military partners, will allow us all to provide essential child care services to our families at Camp Bull Simons.”

The agreement is for one year, with an option for nine additional years, until a local brick-and-mortar child development and development center is operational.

“A new Air Force childcare facility is scheduled to open in 2028, but this IGSA is a way to bridge the gap and help meet childcare needs in the meantime,” said Maj. Gen. Clair Gill, Commander of Army Aviation. Center of Excellence and Fort Novosel. “This initiative with Upwards is a win-win for the 7th Group, their Soldiers, their families and the Panhandle military community.”

In addition, the Army, Air Force and DoD will renovate a currently closed CDC on Eglin AFB and build a larger CDC in Crestview, Fla., that can house 256 children. If there is still unmet demand for Army and Air Force childcare in the area two years after the Crestview CDC is completed, the Army will consider building another CDC in the area.

“With IGSAs like this, we can deliver services at the speed of need versus the speed of bureaucracy,” Wilson said. “By working together, we not only increase access to affordable, high-quality care, but also strengthen the bonds between our military installations and our communities that support us.”