US Navy Triples Paid Maternity Leave in Effort to Attract Women

Military.com ^ | July 3, 2015 | Lolita C. Baldor

[QT3.14]

The U.S. Navy is tripling the amount of paid maternity leave that female sailors and Marines can take after the birth of a child, and will now provide a total of 18 weeks off.

The change, directed by Navy Secretary Ray Mabus, makes the Navy the first of the military services to provide more than the current six weeks of leave.

According to the Navy, about 5,000 women would be eligible for the benefit each year, including 500 officers.

The actual order extends convalescent leave for maternity cases only, and is effective immediately. Service secretaries have the authority to make the change themselves, and no change of law is required.

In a statement, Mabus said that the Navy and Marine Corps are routinely looking for ways to recruit and retain good people.

[Chode]

it should ONLY apply if they are MARRIED!!!

[Leaning Right]

What you subsidize you will get more of.

[DoughtyOne]

According to the Navy, about 5,000 women would be eligible for the benefit each year...

Seems like an ill-advised time to have a kid, but I guess career women would fall under this heading too.

[QT3.14]

One of the commenters in the link said this about his sister:

"...she was pregnant twice while in, that means on light duty for 18 months for the pregnancy and three to six months following the pregnancy. So a total of 48 months of "active" service she spent 24-30 months of light duty. Plus all the leave and extended 72 or 96 hour liberty periods in San Diego."

[Salman]

Join up, get pregnant, pays better than civilian welfare?

Do I have that correct?

[ButThreeLeftsDo]

And married to a male.

[DoughtyOne]

This is why the equal pay crowd get such little respect from me.

[lightman]

Prolifers like me should applaud with me.

[Chode]

100%... that too!!!

[knarf]

WTF !!???!!!??!!!?????

Join the navy, get laid, get pregnant and we'll give you three times more than what we used to

THAT'S it ?

[relictele]

With the maternity wards and gay weddings it seems military readiness has fallen way down the charts if it remains at all.

The Pentagon may as well be the San Francisco Chronicle.

[CodeToad]

Navy: Another welfare program by another name.

[pleasenotcalifornia]

Is Caitlyn joining up?

[Iron Munro]

Because women are so much better at armed combat than men.

As long as the enemy gives them a time out once a month.

/s

[TheCipher]

Waiting for the day when a female sailor is deployed on a missile sub not knowing she is pregnant, then finding out during the cruise ( if a boomer, could be 6 months at sea ).

[DoughtyOne]

I agree.

Thinking people are able to understand the dynamics women in the military represent.

Anyone not willing to be honest about it is either too stupid or too intent on destroying our military for my liking.

[Blood of Tyrants]

Yea, but you eventually have to do something for the money. And don’t forget that the military has a zero tolerance towards drugs.

[Veggie Todd]

I’m a lesbian trapped in a man’s body. Do I qualify?

[Red Steel]

We’re all in a pink submarine. ;-)