TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE NOTE
No. 2005-33
Contact: Irene Wimbush
School Business Services
FOOD AND NUTRITION MANAGEMENT
(850)
245-9334
John L. Winn, Commissioner
SC 205-9334
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DATE: March 23, 2005
TO: Sponsors of the National School Lunch Program
FROM: Diane Santoro, Administrator
SUBJECT: Military Families and Eligibility in Child Nutrition Programs
The purpose of this technical assistance note is to address the treatment of income from deployed
military personal engaged in long-term military campaigns overseas.
Historical Perspective
Beginning in October 1991, the Food and Nutrition Service (FNS) issued guidance related to the
treatment of military income for the military campaign Operation Desert Shield/Desert Storm.
Subsequently, in February 2003 the treatment of military income for the military campaign
Operation Enduring Freedom/Noble Eagle was addressed. Prompted by the deployment of US
military forces in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom, FNS established policy as it applies to this
and future military deployments in recognition that:
•
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military deployments are initiated with little or no advance warning, and
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each deployment receives a unique designation to distinguish it from any other deployment
or campaign.
This policy will remain in effect until rescinded or replaced by legislation, regulation, or future
policy and affects households by making special accommodations for free and reduced price meal
determinations.
Current Policy
Under current policy (please refer to pages 32-33 of the
Eligibility Guidance for School Meals
Manual
, issued August 2001), household members who are temporarily absent from their household
are to be considered household members and their income is included with other household income
when making an eligibility determination. Household members not living with the household for an
extended period of time or living overseas are not included as members of the household for
eligibility purposes, and only that portion of their income made available by them or on their behalf
to the household is counted as income to the household.
TA Note 2005-33
March 23, 2005
Page 2
Policy for Deployed Service Members
Until further notice, FNS is continuing the exception to current policy on determining household
income and size for deployed service members. For the purpose of determining household size,
deployed service members should be considered family members living apart on a temporary basis
and considered a household member.
However, only that portion of the deployed service member’s income made available by them or on
their behalf to the household will be counted as income to the household.
School Nutrition Programs
Schools are to instruct families completing their meal benefit forms to include the names and that
portion of income of deployed service members made available to the household. The determining
official would count the service member as part of the household in establishing a child’s eligibility
for free and reduced price meals.
If you have questions, please contact Irene Wimbush at (800) 504-6609 or irene.wimbush@fldoe.org.
DS/IW/set
