Redstone Arsenal child care: CDCs, the waitlist and off-post options

Child care is one of the first things to line up for a Redstone move, and one of the slowest. Here's what's on post, who can use it, how the MilitaryChildCare.com waitlist works, what to bring to Parent Central, and where to look off post if the centers are full. Every detail comes from the garrison, DoD or the State of Alabama. Hours and fees change, so call before you rely on them.

Do this first: request care on MilitaryChildCare.com as soon as you know your duty station and roughly when you'll arrive. DoD says that's how you get on the waitlist, and you can request several programs at once.^[1]

What's on post

Locations and phones: Army MWR and MilitaryINSTALLATIONS.^[2,3]

Both Child Development Centers (CDCs) offer full-day care for children from 6 weeks old until they start kindergarten. The Army says its CDCs offer full-time, part-time and hourly care in nationally accredited programs, and Redstone's MWR page says its centers meet NAEYC accreditation standards and serve breakfast, lunch and snacks prepared to USDA guidelines.^[2,3]

Hours: the Redstone MWR page and the July 2026 CYS Parent Handbook list both CDCs as open 7 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Friday. The handbook adds a 6:30 a.m. drop-off for active-duty military only.^[2,4] MilitaryINSTALLATIONS shows longer hours, so confirm drop-off and pickup times with your center before you plan a commute through the gates.^[3]

School-age care: the School Age Center runs after-school care for kindergarten through 5th grade during the school year, Monday through Friday from 2:30 to 6 p.m., plus full-day programs (camps and days off school) from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. Bus transportation from some local elementary and middle schools is available. Ask Parent Central which schools are covered before you pick a school zone.^[3] Our schools guide covers the districts.

Family Child Care (FCC): in-home care by certified providers living on post is a common option at other installations, but MilitaryINSTALLATIONS says FCC is not currently available at Redstone.^[3] That puts more pressure on the two CDCs.

Who can use the CDCs

Redstone MWR says the Child Development Centers serve:^[5]

• all active-duty personnel
• Reservists and Guard members on active orders
• DoD (Department of War) civilians and contractors

Placement follows Army CYS priority guidelines, so mission-essential families get access first. If a center is full, you join the waitlist and are contacted when a space opens.^[5] Contractors and civilians can apply, but expect a longer wait than active-duty families.

How the waitlist works

1. Create a MilitaryChildCare.com account and fill in your household profile. Keep sponsor and spouse details current, because programs use them to confirm eligibility.^[1]
2. Request care at Redstone as soon as you know your duty station and tentative arrival date. You can request every program in your search area that meets your needs.^[1]
3. Watch your email. Offers for care come to your preferred email address and show up under "Time Sensitive Actions" on your MilitaryChildCare.com dashboard. Respond quickly.^[1]
4. Register at Parent Central once you arrive (or when you get an offer). Parent Central verifies eligibility with your DoD ID card, explains waitlist policies, searches for immediate openings, sets your fee category and schedules orientation.^[4]

Coming from another Army post? Ask your current CYS office to send your child's registration records ahead through Global Data Transfer. Redstone's Parent Central can import them when you arrive, though you'll still need to update anything that's changed.^[4]

Parent Central is open Monday through Thursday, 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., and Friday, 8 a.m. to 1 p.m., according to MilitaryINSTALLATIONS.^[3] You'll need base access to get there; see gates and visitor passes.

What to bring to register

The Redstone CYS Parent Handbook (July 2026) says children must be fully registered before using any CYS program. Bring:^[4]

• ☐ Sponsor's or spouse's ID card
• ☐ Proof of income, such as Leave and Earnings Statements or pay vouchers (or proof of full-time school enrollment)
• ☐ A health assessment, sports physical or well-baby checkup (due within 30 days of initial registration, and current within one year)
• ☐ At least two local emergency contacts who are also authorized to pick up your child
• ☐ A Family Care Plan (DA Form 5305) if you're dual-military or a single service member
• ☐ Immunization records, including the flu shot. Children must be up to date to attend.

Put these in your move binder before you leave your old duty station. The Huntsville Move Checklist has a slot for them.

What on-post care costs

For military families, CDC fees are set by total family income (TFI), following Army CYS fee policy. MilitaryINSTALLATIONS says contractors, retirees and federal employees pay a flat fee, and Parent Central has the current amounts.^[3] We don't print a Redstone fee table because the garrison doesn't publish one online. Ask Parent Central for the current rates.

DoD's income categories run from Category I (up to $45,000.99 a year) to Category XII ($175,001 and up).^[6]

Off-post care and fee assistance

If the CDCs are full, DoD's fee assistance program, Military Child Care in Your Neighborhood (MCCYN), can help pay for an eligible community provider. You pay a DoD parent fee based on your income category, and DoD covers the rest up to a cap. For FY26, Child Care Aware lists full-time parent fees from $234 to $1,023 a month per child in basic-cost areas, effective January 1, 2026, with a provider cap of $2,000 a month per child for full-time care. You pay anything over the cap.^[6] Eligibility depends on the sponsor's service and status, so check the program rules on MilitaryChildCare.com and apply there.^[6,1]

To find community providers, use the Alabama Childcare Locator, run by the Department of Human Resources (DHR) and the Department of Early Childhood Education. It lists both licensed and license-exempt programs by ZIP code or address.^[7] Alabama has license-exempt programs, so check which kind a provider is before you enroll. DHR's Child Care Services Division licenses and monitors centers and homes. You can reach its licensing office at (334) 242-1425 or (866) 528-1694.^[8,9]

Where you live affects your options. Compare commutes from Madison, Harvest or Athens in our neighborhoods guide, and remember that BAH won't change with your choice (BAH explained).

Free state pre-K for 4-year-olds

Alabama's First Class Pre-K is open to Alabama residents who are 4 years old by September 1 of the school year, with no income test. For 2026-27, eligible children were born between September 1, 2021 and August 31, 2022. Children who can start kindergarten can't attend.^[10] There's no registration fee, and the pre-K day is 6.5 hours. Families register online through AlaCEED, and each site holds a random drawing. Every program keeps a randomized waitlist, and your child can be on more than one.^[10,11] You'll need the child's birth certificate, proof of Alabama residence and an immunization record.^[10]

Pre-registration for 2026-27 opened January 15, 2026.^[10] If you'll arrive in the summer, check the AlaCEED site in January. If you arrive after the drawings, register anyway and ask local sites about their waitlists.

Child care timeline for a Redstone move

1. As soon as you have orders: create a MilitaryChildCare.com account and request every Redstone program that fits.^[1]
2. 60-90 days out: gather the registration documents above and get any health assessments done.^[4]
3. 30 days out: if you have no offer yet, look at MCCYN and the Alabama Childcare Locator for a backup.^[6,7]
4. Arrival week: register at Parent Central, Building 3443.^[3]
5. Every January if you have a 3- or 4-year-old: watch for First Class Pre-K pre-registration.^[10]