Introduction

Choosing to serve our country is a profound commitment, shaping not only the lives of those in uniform but also has the capacity to build a lasting legacy for generations of their family. Military children are known for their resilience, adaptability, and strong sense of community. They grow up experiencing new places, people, and experiences that help them develop independence from a young age. While frequent moves and deployments can present unique challenges, military families have access to a wide range of resources to support them, from food assistance programs to educational benefits and childcare support. With over 1.6 million military children in the U.S., a strong network exists to help them thrive no matter where their journey takes them. Whether a service member is active duty, a veteran, or considering enlistment, understanding the programs and benefits available is key to empowering military families and celebrating the strength they bring to every community they join.

GI Bill 

Since 1944, the GI Bill has been pivotal in helping more than 25 million veterans and their dependents achieve their educational and career goals. This bill includes six chapters designed to assist service members in achieving their professional goals in the civilian sector after service; two of these benefits can be extended to their dependents. 

Once a service member completes 10 years of service, they can transfer Chapter 33 of the GI Bill, known as the Post-9/11 GI Bill, to dependents under the age of 26 who hold a high school diploma or equivalent. The bill provides funding for educational programs, including undergraduate and graduate degrees, licensing, national testing programs, and tutoring assistance. The bill also covers vocational, technical, on-the-job, flight, correspondence, and entrepreneurship training. Recipients also receive a housing allowance as well as a $1,000 stipend to cover the cost of books and supplies for each academic year. If a service member is not able to transfer the Post-9/11 GI Bill due to unforeseen circumstances, dependents can still benefit from the Survivors’ and Dependents’ Educational Assistance program, Chapter 35 of the GI Bill, to receive funding for educational programs. More information on the GI Bill and its key 2025 updates can be found in our comprehensive State of the GI Bill article. 

Scholarships 

Currently, there are over 1.6 million military children, many of whom will move an average of six to nine times before their high school graduation. As they prepare to take on college, easing their access to higher education is critical. Fortunately, there are a wide range of scholarships and state programs available to help military dependents obtain higher education. 

Most states offer educational tuition waivers to military dependents who are state residents and attend in-state schools. Eligibility varies, and in many states is reserved for children of service members who experienced a service-connected disability, died in the line of duty, are classified as missing in action, or are prisoners of war. For instance, North Dakota provides the children of deceased service members with a tuition waiver if they are under 25 and were residents of North Dakota for at least six months before their parents’ active service entry. Similarly, Arizona honors fallen service members by giving their children free college tuition under the Purple Heart Waiver if they pursue an undergraduate degree at Arizona public universities and community colleges. Texas has gone further with its state tuition benefits and is currently the only state that expands military dependents’ eligibility for free tuition.  In 2009, state legislators updated the Hazlewood Act, offering children of Texas veterans up to 150 hours of free tuition at public Texas universities and colleges. 

For prospective students who don’t qualify for state tuition waivers, scholarships specifically created for them are widely available. Programs like the Scholarships for Military Children, Marine Corps Scholarship Foundation, and Dolphin Scholarship Foundation offer financial aid ranging from $1,500 to $10,000. Meanwhile, programs like the AMVETS Children/Grandchildren Scholarship and Children of Warriors National Presidents’ Scholarship extend scholarships to the grandchildren—and even great-grandchildren—of U.S. veterans.

Childcare 

For military families, balancing frequent moves, deployment, and parenting can prove challenging, but securing affordable childcare doesn’t have to be. Whether on base or at home, childcare assistance programs—primarily centralized under the Department of Defense and administered through Child Care Aware of America and Military OneSource—are available for military families of all branches.

One key initiative, Military Child Care in Your Neighborhood, provides child care fee assistance to DoD civilian families as well as families in the Air Force, Navy, Army, Coast Guard, Secret Service, and Marine Corps. There are also six types of Military-Operated Child Care Programs, offering full-day, part-day, school-year, summer, hourly, extended, and 24/7 care for qualified families. Military families can also take advantage of the Dependent Care Flexible Spending Account program, which allows them to set aside $5,000 in pre-tax income to cover the cost of their children’s childcare or summer camp expenses. 

Food and Financial Insecurity Support

Maintaining household stability and ensuring children have the resources they need amid moving or deployment is another unique challenge that military families face. Recognizing these challenges, numerous federal, state, and community-based programs have created financial and food assistance programs specifically designed to assist service members and veterans and to ensure their children receive the resources they need to thrive.

After discovering that one in five military and veteran families are food insecure, the Military Family Advisory Network created five programs that facilitate food access, resulting in more than one million meals being distributed to military families in 2021 alone. In addition to state and federal programs like SNAP and WIC that benefit low-income families throughout the U.S., Blue Star Families and Hope for Heroes are just two other examples of the thousands of organizations with food assistance programs set up specifically for service members, veterans, and their families. 

Beyond meeting service-connected families’ basic needs, many organizations invest in assistance programs that enrich the military child experience. Financial assistance programs that support military children’s enrichment include Our Military Kids, which provides $300 grants to help fund their involvement in extracurricular activities such as sports, tutoring, performing arts, STEM programs, and even driver’s education courses. The YMCA and Boys & Girls Clubs of America also partner with the U.S. Armed Services to support military families through temporary child care and reduced or free annual membership to their programs. Additionally, although most initiatives, such as Army Emergency Relief and the American Red Cross, don’t specifically assist military dependents, they do assist military families through grants covering emergency costs that may include child car seats, dental care for dependents, clothing, and child care.

Conclusion

Military children face unique challenges that many outside the community may never fully see, but behind every uniform is a family striving for stability, opportunity, and support. From education benefits like the GI Bill to childcare assistance and scholarships, there are a wealth of programs designed to ease the burden and help these families thrive. Access to these resources can make all the difference in a military child’s future. At Mission Roll Call, we believe that supporting those who serve means supporting their families, too, because when military families are cared for, our entire force is stronger. Knowing what’s available is the first step toward ensuring every military child has the chance to succeed, no matter where their parents’ service takes them.