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Commercial Travel Reimbursement for a Designated Person to Provide Child Care During PCS Moves

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Introduction

Starting October 1, 2024, if child care isn’t available within 30 days of your Date Care Needed (DCN) at your new Permanent Duty Station (PDS), you may be eligible for reimbursement of travel costs for a designated person who will care for your children. Reimbursement is provided through a congressionally authorized pilot program through 30 September 2027.

Here's how it works:

  • Reimbursement Amount: Up to $500 for PCS between domestic locations (CONUS) and up to $1,500 for PCS to or from overseas locations (OCONUS). You may receive one reimbursement per household.
  • What is Covered: Reimbursement can be requested for the commercial transportation expenses for a child care provider who is at least 18 years old and not your dependent.
     
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Eligibility:

  • The sponsor serves in the Department of Air Force, Army, Coast Guard, Marine Corps, or Navy and, if married, their spouse is working, looking for work, or a student.
  • You have PCS orders authorizing a move with a dependent.
  • Your child(ren) have not yet entered school.
  • You have requested full-day child care at a military-operated center.
  • Child care is not available at your new PDS until 30 days or more after the date you need care. Note that the wait time at your PDS may be different than the APT shown in MCC for the center you requested. 

How to Apply:

    Request Child Care

    Create a household account in MCC then search for and request full-day care at a military operated center at your new PDS. When requesting care, use your arrival date as your date care needed. MCC uses this date to calculate your estimated wait time.

    Obtain Your Travel Memo

    If the wait time at your new PDS is more than 30 days after your reporting date (the date you need care), a link on your MCC dashboard will appear. Access the travel memo link on your MCC dashboard to send a copy of it to all email addresses in your household profile that are set to receive notifications.

    Present the Travel Memo to Your Travel Office

    The travel office will use this towards determining eligibility for reimbursement. MCC does not issue reimbursement and only provides the memo to assist with documenting eligibility requirements.

    You can request the travel memo for about 3 months before and after the date you needed care. Once you accept an offer, the travel memo will be available for about 2 months. If your DCN or PDS changes, update your request in MCC to generate a new memo with the updated details. Once you have requested a travel memo, you can always access a copy of it from your My Notifications tab.

    Note: If you move to a location or installation where there is not a military operated child development center, a travel cost reimbursement is not authorized. In these situations, MCC will not issue a memo.

Questions?

Read more about this pilot program on the Defense Travel Management Office (DTMO) website, including specifics regarding the types of expenses eligible for reimbursement.

If you have questions: