Page 12 - Desert Lightning News 2-5-16

12
12 weeks paid military maternity leave, other benefits
Lisa Ferdinando
DoD News, Defense Media Activity
WASHINGTON — The Defense
Department is increasing military
maternity leave and instituting other
changes in an effort to support mili-
tary families, improve retention and
strengthen the force of the future, De-
fense Secretary Ash Carter said today.
Women across the joint force can
now take 12 weeks of fully paid ma-
ternity leave, Carter told reporters
at the Pentagon. The 12-week ben-
efit is double the amount of time for
paid maternity leave from when he
became defense chief nearly a year
ago, he noted.
“This puts DoD in the top tier
of institutions nationwide and will
have significant influence on deci-
sion-making for our military family
members,” Carter said.
While being an incentive for attract- when they return to work, Carter said,
ing and retaining talent, the secretary
said, the benefit also promotes the
health and wellness of mothers through
facilitating recovery and promoting
feeding and bonding with the infant.
“Our calculation is quite simple
-- we want our people to be able to
balance two of the most solemn com-
mitments they can ever make: a com-
mitment to serve their country and a
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February 5, 2016 Desert Lightning News
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commitment to start and support a Increasing Hours of Military able accommodations to allow service
family,” he said. Child Care members to remain, in exchange for
an additional service obligation.
The announcement builds on The Defense Department subsidiz-
previously announced initiatives on es child care on military installations Greater Flexibility in Family
strengthening the force of the future, he to ensure its affordability, Carter said. Planning
said. Those previous reforms, he added, However, he added, military families
included opening all remaining combat often have to use outside providers be- The military asks its men and wom-
occupations to women. cause the hours at military child care en to make incomparable sacrifices,
facilities do not align with the work Carter said, potentially putting them
ParentalLeave,SupportforNewParents schedules of service members. in situations where they could suffer
The maternity leave decision ap- injuries that would prevent them from
plies to all service members in the ac- With those challenges in mind, having children in the future.
tive duty component and to reserve- the Defense Department is increas-
component members serving in a ing child care access to 14 hours of Taking into account the tremendous
full-time status or on definite active the day across the force, he said. sacrifices military members make, the
duty recall or mobilization orders in Defense Department will cover the
excess of 12 months. “By providing our troops with child cost of freezing sperm or eggs through
The 12 weeks is less than the Navy’s care they can rely on from before reveil- a pilot program for active duty service
decision last year to institute 18 weeks le until after taps, we provide one more members, Carter said.
of fully paid maternity leave, Carter reason for them to stay on board,” he
noted. Sailors and Marines who are said. “We show them that supporting a The department also is looking at
currently pregnant or who become family and serving our country are by how it can provide reproductive tech-
pregnant within 30 days of the enact- no means incompatible goals.” nologies like IVF to a wider popula-
ment of the policy can still take the tion, he said. Currently, DoD provides
full 18 weeks of paid leave, he said. Remain at Current Location reduced-cost treatment at six locations.
To better support new mothers with Additional Obligation
These benefits provide the force
he is requiring that a mothers’ room Carter noted that military members greater confidence about their fu-
be made available in every DoD facility might want to stay at their current loca- ture, and they allow greater flexibil-
with more than 50 women. In addition, tion for a variety of family-related rea- ity for starting a family, Carter said.
the Defense Department is seeking sons, such as wanting to remain near
legislation to expand military paternity relatives, be close to a medical facil- They are one more tool, he said,
leave from the current 10-day leave ity that specializes in care needed for a to make the military a family-
benefit to a 14-day noncontinuous leave child with a medical condition, or have friendly employer that honors the
benefit, he said. a child finish out the same high school. desires of those who want to com-
mit fully to their careers or serve
When the needs of the force per- courageously in combat, while pre-
mit, the secretary said, commanders serving their ability to have children
will be empowered to make reason- in the future.
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