The Armed Services YMCA is proud to work with the Department of Defense to administer the Military Outreach Initiative. Established in 2008, the Military Outreach Initiative offers no-cost fitness facility memberships and respite childcare services for eligible active-duty military and their families nationwide. This initiative provides access to vital resources that promote mission readiness and family resilience.

  • To date, more than 172,000 military children have benefited from this initiative.
  • Since 2008, this initiative has provided more than 140,000 memberships, of which more than 93,000 are through local YMCAs and another 47,000 through commercial/private fitness facilities.
  • More than 1,800 YMCAs and 2,900 private fitness facilities currently support this initiative.

Eligibility Criteria

The Department of Defense established the eligibility for Service members as: 
1) MUST be on Title 10 orders; and 2) MUST have at least six months remaining on Title 10 orders as of the date the application is approved; 
and 3) MUST meet all criteria in one of the following four categories.

CATEGORY 1: ACTIVE-DUTY INDEPENDENT DUTY PERSONNAL AND JOINT DEPLOYED GUARD / RESERVE

Category 1 includes Reserve Component and National Guard on Title 10 orders (Title 32 orders are not eligible).

I am assigned to a Service-designated Independent Duty Station that is not at or near a free or Service-provided fitness facility; AND

I require a single-person membership, or my family resides with me, and I require a family membership. Only one membership type (single or family) is authorized.

CATEGORY 2: UNACCOMPANIED SPOUSE / FAMILY OF ACTIVE DUTY

Sponsor is deployed or on “unaccompanied tour” orders that require the member to reside at an assigned duty location and restricts the spouse/family from accompanying the member; AND

Sponsor’s family resides at a Service-designated independent duty station or in an area that is not at or near a free or Service-provided fitness facility.

CATEGORY 3: UNACCOMPANIED SPOUSE / FAMILY OF JOINT DEPLOYED GUARD / RESERVE

Sponsor is on Title 10 deployment orders that require the member to reside at an assigned duty location that restricts the spouse/family from accompanying the member; AND

Sponsor’s family resides at a Service-designated independent duty station or in an area that is not at or near a free or Service-provided fitness facility.

Title 32 orders are not eligible.

CATEGORY 4: COMMUNITY BASED WARRIOR TRANSITION UNIT (CBWTU)

My duty location is my house address.

My home address is not located at or near a free or Service-provided fitness facility.

I require a single-person membership or my family resides with me and I require a family membership. Only one membership type (single or family) is authorized.

For more information or to sign up click the button below.

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