Empowered Moms Making a Difference
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These Two Moms Are the Architects of Enhanced Parental Leave in the U.S. Army
By Jamie Foster
The U.S. Army is significantly improving family leave benefits for its personnel, a change that positively impacts over 400,000 active-duty parents. On April 19, the Secretary of the Army, Christine Wormuth, issued a memo to commanders detailing the new parental leave and pregnancy policies. These updates are based on “evidence-based health and wellness guidance” aimed at enhancing quality of life, providing flexibility, and enabling soldiers to balance their familial responsibilities with their military duties.
One notable change allows soldiers who have given birth to be excused from continuous duty events exceeding 24 hours for a year post-delivery, ensuring they are not deployed or required to participate in field training, including combat exercises, according to Military.com. This initiative also extends to non-birth parents, single soldiers, and those undergoing fertility treatments. Additionally, breastfeeding soldiers will receive 30-minute breaks every two to three hours in a dedicated room equipped with a fridge for milk storage, rather than using a bathroom or maintenance closet.
Further progressive measures include granting 12 days of paid leave following childbirth and providing medical leave for pregnancy losses experienced by soldiers and their spouses. What sparked these significant changes in a military branch that previously lacked guaranteed paid leave for new mothers? A coalition of army moms advocating for their rights.
Specifically, two moms stationed at Schofield Barracks in O’ahu, Hawaii, played pivotal roles in this movement. Captain Lisa Hartman and 1st Lieutenant Sarah Johnson joined a Facebook group named Army Mom Life, established for active military mothers to exchange advice and support in managing their dual roles. While Hartman felt supported during her own maternity experience in 2018, she soon discovered that many Army Moms faced challenges in balancing military service and motherhood. “There wasn’t a platform for active-duty moms to connect and share experiences,” Johnson, a mother of two currently in the Army’s Captains Career Course in Texas, remarked.
After an unplanned pregnancy in 2018, Johnson found herself in a difficult position, forced to alter her plans for a year-long program in China and reconsider her career trajectory. “I was in limbo, unable to complete the necessary requirements to advance as a military intelligence officer,” she explained.
Johnson noted the frustration of existing policies that accommodated various injuries but treated pregnancy as a separate issue with stricter limitations. Throughout her son’s first year, she found herself engaged in field training while yearning to be present for her family, feeling torn between motherhood and her military ambitions. Hartman and Johnson collaborated to create a data-driven white paper that they sent to Sgt. Maj. of the Army Michael Grinston, following a discussion about the lack of parental support during a Twitter Q&A.
Just over a year later, the Army has announced these pivotal reforms to parental leave. Let’s hope other sectors follow suit, or better yet, let’s advocate for universal federal paid leave so no parent has to choose between their family and their career.
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In summary, the recent changes in U.S. Army parental leave policies were driven by the advocacy of two dedicated active-duty moms who recognized the need for better support for military families. Their efforts have resulted in progressive reforms that enhance the quality of life for over 400,000 active-duty parents, ensuring they can balance service with family responsibilities effectively.