Post-Pregnancy Deployment & PCS Deferment

[Guest]

I saw a policy memo from AFPC of an upcoming guidance memorandum for AFI 36-2110, Assignments, expected to publish on 30 June. Post-pregnancy deferments for Deployment and PCS (aka Assignment Limitation Code "A") will increase from 6 months to a full year. This action will be retro-active for any child-births from March 2015 to present. Note that para 2.39.5. allows for members to voluntarily request removal of this deferment, which certainly will be a very important option as a year is a very LONG time and assignment possibilities will arise in that time. The change was also supposedly spear-headed by SECAF James. It's also very important that this deferment is not pushed by medical action. The limitation is strictly a personnel and quality-of-life standard. There is no physiological requirement that the member be restricted beyond 6-8 weeks post-pregnancy, especially as it has IMR implications and no opportunity for voluntary request for removal. However that isn't to say an extended deferment is worthwhile. Whether that deferment should be 6 months or 1 year is a different question.

Edited June 24, 2015 by deaddebate

[DFRESH]

Is the deferment only for female active duty members that give birth, or for active duty males whose spouse gives birth as well?

[nunya]

Don't be silly. Dads don't need to bond with their babies.

2.39.4. During the 6-month period after the birth of a child to an Airman, deferment from PCS is authorized (see Table 2.2, ALC ―A‖). The intent is for the mother and child to bond during 6- month period. The military mother will be deferred from an assignment to a dependent- restricted overseas tour or an accompanied overseas tour when concurrent travel is denied. The military mother may waive this deferment. Unless the military mother waives the deferment, she is not to depart on PCS to an OS short location where the unaccompanied tour length is less than 18 months unless permission has been granted to serve the accompanied by dependents tour (when an accompanied tour is authorized). Regardless of the tour length of the OS location, concurrent travel must have been granted so the mother and child could travel OS together. The 6-month post-delivery deferment is not authorized if approval has been granted for the mother and child to travel OS concurrently. The 6-month deferment applies to any TDY.

[pawnman]

Don't be silly. Dads don't need to bond with their babies.

Ten days should be plenty.

[nunya]

So what if it's a lesbian couple? They're both "military mothers," right?

[M2]

So what if it's a lesbian couple? They're both "military mothers," right?

Or, on the other hand, two homosexual active duty males that "have:" a child. I guess neither gets it (STS)...

[Guest]

https://www.defense.gov/transcripts/transcript.aspx?transcriptid=5650

Q: Sir, last week, the secretary of the Navy announced that effective immediately, women in the Navy and the Marine Corps will now have 18 weeks of maternity leave. Sir, I think this is a great strategy to retain some of our best leaders, as many of our women leave the military to raise their family. Do you think that other services will follow this policy change?

SECDEF CARTER: [...] I think they will. [...] this is just one of a number of adjustments that we need to make to make it practical for today's families to continue to serve. [...] Day care is another thing. Flexibility in hours is another. There are all kinds of things we can do that don't compromise the effectiveness of the force at all, but that just make common sense adjustments that make it more practical for people to do it. [...] we've got to keep thinking, sensing and adjusting and not just living with old regulations that hearken back to a different era.

[deaddebate]

AFI 36-2905 updated last week.  Mothers now get a PT test deferment for a full year after they deliver.  It doesn't specify how long they get Fitness Restrictions (what exercises they can or can't do), but that the Fitness Assessment Exemption (not testing) goes to the 12 month after delivery, and the member would become non-current/overdue on the 1st day of the 13th month.

As currently implemented, this is purely a personnel standard that is partially implemented through medical, but it is technically not a medical deferment or deployment restriction.