Army Paternity Leave Program

Army Paternity Leave ProgramArmy Paternity Leave ProgramThe Army was the last Department of Defense (DoD) service branch to implement a paternity leave program, which took effect in 2009. TheFY 2009 Defense Authorization Act established a program that allows up to 10 days of nonchargeable leave for new fathers. The act leaves it up to the individual services to develop plans to implement the new benefit. The Navy was the first branch to issue details about its program, followed by the Air Force, and then the Marine Corps. Details of the Armys Paternity Leave Program Under the Army program, paternity leave must be taken consecutively and must be taken within 45 days of a childs birth. Deployed soldiers have up to 60 days after returning to their home station to use their leave. If the leave is not taken within the above time frames, soldiers lose their right to the leave. The Armys policy only allows paternity leave to be authorized for a married soldier on active duty, including Title 10 and Title 32 Active Guard and Reserve duty, whose wife gives birth to a child. It cannot be applied to unmarried soldiers fathering a child, and does not currently apply to soldiers who adopt a child. Army Maternity Leave vs. Paternity Leave The Armys maternity leave program allows female soldiers who give birth to take up to 12 weeks of leave, a policy that was updated in 2016. However, new mothers on active duty cannot be deployed for up to six months after giving birth. Navy Paternity Leave Policy The Navy was the first branch of the U.S. military to implement the 2008 DoD paternity leave program. It dictates that commanding officers will grant 10 days of nonchargeable leave to a married Navy member whose wife gives birth. The Navy policy allows paternity leave to be used in conjunction with chargeable leave. Paternity leave is not required to be used immediately following the childs birth, but must be taken the first year. Its allowable to have the 12-month limi t waived if there are extenuating circumstances. Paternity leave cannot be used consecutively with other normal time off such as weekends or military holidays, or special time-off leave such as three-day passes. And even if a sailors wife gives birth to multiples, the paternity leave is limited to 10 days only, not 10 days per child. Air Force and Marine Corps Paternity Policies The Air Force requires new fathers to use paternity leave within 60 days of their childs birth. In some circumstances, at a commanders discretion, leave may be used up to 90 days after the child is born. For Marines, paternity leave must be requested within 25 days of the childs birth. If a Marine is deployed at the time, he may be able to have his leave authorized outside that 25-day window, if approved by his commander. As with the Navy and Army policies, paternity leave is only granted to airmen and Marines who are married and whose wife gives birth to their child.