WEBVTT

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The Air Force Aid Society announced a

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series of expansions to support the

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evolving needs of airmen , guardians ,

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and their families by broadening its

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categories of financial assistance and

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simplifying the application process .

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The changes represent the reshaping of

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the AFAS mission to meet service

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members where they are , especially in

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times of transition or hardship . The

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new categories of financial assistance

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include mental health counseling ,

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overseas car rentals , essential home

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repairs , and more . Eligible members

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can apply online at AFAS.org or by

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visiting their local military and

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family readiness center . Military

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families and DOD civilians face

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challenges finding quality care ,

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especially for children under 5 . To

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increase the quality of care , the DOD

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continues to expand the Military

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Childcare in your neighborhood or MCCYN

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program and recently created MCCYN Plus .

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Listen . Initiative utilizes a state's

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quality rating and improvement system

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as an indicator of quality , broadening

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the pool of childcare providers . The

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department also runs the Childcare in

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Your Home fee assistance program that

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allows military families to be

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reimbursed between 30 to 60 hours of

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at-home childcare provided by a

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babysitter or nanny . The Air Force

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reached a critical milestone in the

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pilot program for microreactors , which

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are a next generation nuclear energy

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system capable of safely producing up

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to 50 megawatts of continuous

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electricity . These compact reactors

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can operate for years without refueling ,

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ensuring an uninterrupted energy supply

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at almost any location . Once the

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contract is awarded , the company

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selected would be required to site ,

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develop , and operate a licensed

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microreactor facility . The Air Force's

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preferred location for the pilot

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program is Ielson Air Force Base ,

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Alaska . It's part of a program to

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promote small modular reactors for

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national defense and space exploration .

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That is your look around the Air Force .

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I'm Technical Sergeant Lewis Kokonas .