In response to the House and Senate Armed Services and Appropriations Committees' need for information on the condition of child care facilities, construction requirements, program operation, and methods for controlling costs, the General Accounting Office (GAO) has reviewed child care programs provided for military personnel. Although the services have expressed a commitment to provide quality care and have taken action to upgrade some facilities and develop program regulations, the GAO finds that many child care centers currently in use are neither safe nor suitable. The majority of centers in the Army and Navy, and 20 percent of those in the Air Force, need upgrading. Minimum day care standards for all units within the jurisdiction of the Department of Defense have not been formulated, but are needed to control important program elements, including total group size, caregiver/child ratios, educational activities, staff training, and food services. The GAO recommends that the Secretary of Defense take several specific actions to insure that the services provide quality child care programs. (RH)