Early childhood programs a worthwhile investment

I agree about the importance of investing in high-quality early childhood programs and would like to add that this is also important for our future national security (“Group: Invest in formative years,” Aug. 10).

As a retired U.S. Air Force general and the former Adjutant General of New York, I am very concerned that 71 percent of young people ages 17 to 24 in New York, and nationwide, cannot qualify for military service because they are too poorly educated, too overweight, or have a disqualifying record of crime or drug abuse. If they can’t qualify for the military, our young people are unprepared for other careers as well.

The best way to address these problems is to start early. In addition to state investments in early childhood programs, the bipartisan federal budget that was recently passed supports critical non-defense programs such as the Child Care and Development Block Grant, which helps low-income working families afford child care, and Head Start and Early Head Start, which help children from low-income families access early learning opportunities and become prepared for kindergarten.

I recently met with bipartisan members of New York’s congressional delegation to discuss the importance of a federal budget that balances investments in defense and non-defense programs. The new federal budget is a great start, but Congress needs to complete its work by quickly passing appropriations bills that fund specific programs such as those that prepare our children for success in school and in life.

Mike Hall Major General, U.S. Air Force (retired) Ithaca