DOD Membership

Military Outreach Initiative

About the Program

The Military Outreach Initiative offers Y memberships for qualified military members and families nationwide. Through this initiative, military members and families receive access to vital resources that promote youth development, healthy living, and social responsibility.

Eligibility

Military personnel who fall into one of the following categories qualify for the DOD Armed Service YMCA Military Outreach Initiative. This program gives those who qualify free access to the Skagit Valley Family YMCA. 

Category 1: Active Duty Independent Duty Personnel 

  • 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) authorized. 
  • National Guard and Reserves member on Title 10 IDP assignment and any service member on IDP assignment as support staff to a warrior transition/care unit are included in this category 

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 and Reserve 

  • Sponsor is on 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. 

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) authorized. 

Military personnel who do not qualify for the Military Outreach Initiative outlined above, may qualify for a 10% military discount on membership fees at the Skagit Valley Family YMCA. Call our Welcome Center at 360-336-9622 to see if you qualify.

Attendance Requirements

To be eligible for membership renewal, the fitness facility must be used a minimum of 48 days (an average of eight days per month) during the previous six-month period. First-time renewals will use the previous five-month period for a minimum of 40 days use (an average of 8 days per month) to avoid a gap in service. Note: This requirement is currently being waived due to COVID-19 disruptions.

Application Forms

To apply, please fill out the forms below and submit them to your command (see “Who is the Military Component Approving Official?” in FAQ below). Your command will then approve your application and submit your membership request to our Skagit Valley Family YMCA Membership Services team to set up your membership. 

Frequently Asked Questions

Those who are not eligibility are most Active Duty personnel affiliated with a military installation, Title 32 National Guard/Reserves, new military recruits preparing for training, military retirees, veterans, wounded warriors, parents of deployed personnel, unit administrators, members of the United States Public Health Service, and memberships under the Department of Homeland Security. 

“Family” of military personnel includes spouse and child dependents of the military member with active Military Identification (ID) cards. In the Unaccompanied Spouse/Family categories, “family” may also include legal guardians assigned by the deployed military member for custodial care of his/her children.  

Children cannot exceed 18 years of age. If the child is older than 18 and is still a legal dependent of the Service member, the child limit will be dependent on the fitness facilities child age policies.  

Yes, both are eligible if they are deployed for 6 months or more, and have enough time left on the orders when signing up/renewing.  

Each Military Component Approving Official (MCAO) determines the appropriate/reasonable commuting distance.  

The Military Component Approving Official (MCAO) is a representative from each Service (Army, Navy, Air Force and Marine Corps) who reviews new and renewal applications, verifies eligibility and determines Independent Duty Stations.  

Fitness facility must be used a minimum of 48 days (an average of 8 days per month) during the previous 6-month period to be eligible for membership renewal. First-time renewals will use the previous 5-months to avoid a gap in service; minimum of 40 days use (average of 8 days per month). 

A visit is defined as the Service member (or member of the service member’s family) coming to the facility to participate in any youth or adult activity. Facility use is counted by “calendar day” only. Multiple entries on the same day by member and/or dependents only count as one (1) visit towards the minimum requirement.