Pentagon introduces new parental leave policy

The Defense Department this week rolled out its long-awaited parental leave policy for service members and their spouses.

Parents will be able to take 12 weeks of leave following the birth of their new child, along with any doctor-authorized convalescent leave for the mother.

The new leave policy was approved as part of the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) for the 2022 fiscal year. It will not count against any regular leave accrued during a military member’s time in service.

“It is important for the development of military families that members be able to care for their newborn, adopted, or placed child or children,” Under Secretary of Defense Gilbert R. Cisneros Jr. wrote in a Jan. 4 memo to senior Pentagon leadership. “Unit commanders must balance the needs of the unit with the needs of the member to maximize opportunity to use parental leave.”

Pentagon officials said the new policy builds on the department’s support of military families by “streamlining and enhancing the parental leave benefit for service members.”

Adoptive parents and eligible foster parents also will be granted 12 weeks of parental leave under the new policy.

In past years, new mothers in uniform received six weeks of leave following childbirth while the other parent received none.