Supporting the needs of our future leaders Published June 23, 2015 By Roland Balik 436th Airlift Wing Public Affairs DOVER AIR FORCE BASE, Del. -- In the military, the act of being uprooted every couple of years or more, commonly known as a Permanent Change of Station, is always possible for military members and their dependents. Established Air Force and base programs have assisted those affected by a PCS as a whole but here at Dover Air Force Base the installation, the Caesar Rodney School District, Wyoming, Delaware, and Delaware state legislators are working together to make the educational transition easier and meet the educational needs for school-age dependents of military members. On June 9, 2015, Delaware legislators and staff members and Caesar Rodney School District members were briefed by wing leadership on the support the base offers to military children attending George S. Welch Elementary and DAFB Middle Schools located in the family housing area, as well as Caesar Rodney High School located in Camden, Delaware. "Having the legislators, administrators and the educators in the same room to understand what we do and the importance of what you do, not only for our base but also for the future of our Air Force is pretty impressive," said Col. Michael Grismer, 436th Airlift Wing commander. Active duty members assigned to Dover AFB have over 1,200 school-age children attending schools in the local area. Some children may experience between six to nine school changes over the career of their military parent. The Military Interstate Children's Compact and the introduction of Delaware State Senate Bill No. 94 is helping children with the educational transition associated with a PCS involving different states or countries. "All 50 states and the District of Columbia are now members of the Military Interstate Children's Compact," said Sonya Dyer, 436th Force Support Squadron school liaison officer and Exceptional Family Member Program coordinator. "I'm the point of contact between the installation and the schools." The Interstate Compact on Educational Opportunity for Military Children addresses educational issues such as enrollment, placement, attendance and graduation unique to children of military members experiencing a PCS. "Our wing has three priorities: people, mission and families," said Capt. Jacob Wygant, 436th FSS operations officer. "Our child and youth programs go a long way in meeting the family priority." The Child Development Center has 223 children enrolled, ages 6 weeks to 5 years old, and the Youth Center has a membership of 320 children with 166 enrolled in the School Age Care program with both being accredited by the National Association for the Education of Young Children and the Council on Accreditation, respectively. The Youth Center is also a community partner with the Delaware Boys and Girls Club of America and 4H. Plans to continue a 50-year partnership between the base and the Caesar Rodney School District through investing in the educational needs of future leaders was stated in the briefing. The proposal for a new elementary and middle school across from the Youth Center as a fiscal year 2018 military construction project was at the top of the list. "The Welch Elementary/DAFB Middle School was built in 1960 as a high school," said Jason Halpin, 436th Civil Engineer Squadron Portfolio Optimization Element chief. "We are hoping to get a 100,000 square foot new school." Another key element for educational opportunities is providing advanced placement [AP] and Science, Technology, Engineering and Math [STEM] courses which is a goal of the Caesar Rodney School District. "What Caesar Rodney [School District] brings to the table and the support we get from the folks [here] around the table, continue to provide opportunities for the military child," said Lt. Col. Michael Phillips, 436th Mission Support Group deputy commander. Having programs to assist military students transitioning between schools, meeting educational needs, planning for new facilities, and having a long-lasting relationship between the base and the Caesar Rodney School District are key elements to the success of our future leaders. "We have one of the top 50 grade schools [Dover AFB Middle School in 2014] in the country right across the street and that doesn't happen by accident," said Grismer. For more information, visit the Military Interstate Children's Compact Commission at www.mic3.net.