February 21, 2023 : The Department of Defense they revealed new policies to make it more comfortable for troops to seek non-covered reproductive well-being.
U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin marked a memorandum Providing Access to Reproductive Health Care that supplies flexibility to pregnant troops needing aided reproductive technology or a non-covered abortion.
According to the department, the guidelines will go into effect in 30 days.
The first policy widens the window for a service member to give notification of pregnancy to 20 weeks of pregnancy. At 20 weeks, they will be categorized as non-deployable.
The second policy permits troops to pursue any legal non-covered reproductive healthcare benefit regardless of where they are posted. They will be offered an administrative absence without it leaning against their leave time and will be offered travel and transportation assistance.
“Our service associates and their families do not control where they are stationed, and owing to the nature of military service, are frequently required to travel or move to meet operational needs,” the press release from the department told.
“The efforts taken by the unit today will not only ensure that service members and their households are afforded time and flexibility to make private health care findings, but will also ensure service members are able to cover non-covered reproductive health care regardless of where they are posted.”