Pentagon Extends Paid Maternity Leave

Huffington Post (Jan. 28, 2016): Pentagon to Announce Longer Family Leave for Service Members (AP):

Defense Secretary Ash Carter intends to double the length of fully paid maternity leave for female service members and will also work to boost time off for paternity leave and adoptions, U.S. officials said.

Carter also intends to expand health care coverage to include more benefits for women trying to get pregnant. He also will direct the military services to expand the hours that military child care facilities are open and the number of children that can be accommodated, the officials said.

The proposals are scheduled to be announce Thursday as part of an ongoing effort to modernize and improve its ability to retain and recruit quality forces.   T he changes will increase paid maternity leave from six weeks to twelve weeks.  According to AP, "pregnancy is a key issue for military women, who often have to deploy for months at a time and try to plan childbirth around their more stable duty assignments."