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Long hours, field training, and deployments can create a lot of stress at home.
So when parents are away, the last thing they want to worry about
is the safety and care of their children.
Sergeant 1st Class Randy Randolph and producer Dave Annarino
head to a Child Development Center.
[children chattering]
[child] Why does Olivia have a microphone on her?
[woman] Because they would like to know what Olivia does all day long
when she comes to school.
[♪mellow piano music♪] [children chattering]
[Randolph] Her day begins with a wave and a kiss.
There's no worrying about her during the day
as I've had with other day care programs.
Shake it just a little bit and be really careful.
[Randolph] The CDC is more than a day care;
it's a center for individual growth and learning.
We provide the job that their parents
aren't there to provide for them while they're doing their jobs.
Today is... >>[children] Thursday!
[male speaker] What are you doing? >>Washing my hands.
Listen with your ears. Are you ready?
[child] Am I high enough? >>You are high enough.
[female speaker] The people are great. They treat you like family.
And they understand the military community and understand
what we're going through as a family.
[male speaker] Olivia, where is your daddy at right now?
He's gone at Iraq. >>[child] That's where my daddy works.
My daddy is in the Army too.
[male speaker] Are you sad that he's in Iraq?
Yeah, I cry sometimes.
[children chattering] [Smith] I think it takes her mind off of it.
She's working, she's playing, she's around people that care for her.
Olivia. >>[children] Someone has a letter.
[Smith] The kids do letters, and they get letters in their boxes every morning.
We write letters to them.
[children chattering] [female speaker] We're all one big family.
Have a great day. Be a great girl. Be good. Hugs and kisses.
[Smith] I've been to a couple different day care programs,
and I have to say the whole worry factor, the whole thinking about Olivia during the day--
is she okay?--that doesn't even happen at a CDC for me.
[Olivia] And that is the end.
[Randolph] From the Child Development Center on Fort Belvoir,
[Olivia] Goodnight, Daddy.
[Randolph] I'm Sergeant 1st Class Randy Randolph.