MILITARY PARENTAL LEAVE POLICIES GET AN UPDATE: WHAT YOUR COMMAND MUST ALLOW

Military parental leave has been unified into a streamlined program for the active force and eligible reserve components. The updated program grants a consistent 12-week entitlement for birth parents, non-birth parents, adoptive parents, and long-term foster placements. With all service branches following the same rules, families and commands now have a clear framework for planning and using parental leave in the first year of a child’s arrival.

The policy guarantees 12 weeks of paid, non-chargeable parental leave to all eligible parents. It treats birth and non-birth parents equally, removes older caregiver categories, and establishes a unified standard across the total force.

What the Updated Policy Guarantees

Current Defense Department and service-level guidance establish the following entitlements:

• Twelve weeks of paid, non-chargeable parental leave for each eligible parent.
• Equal access for birth parents, non-birth parents, adoptive parents, and qualifying foster parents.
• A separate period of maternity convalescent leave is provided when medically indicated.
• The option to use parental leave in one block or multiple increments of at least one week.
• A 12-month window after the qualifying event to use the full benefit.
• Eligibility for long-term foster placements is once placement or parentage is documented.
• For non-birth parents, DEERS documentation is required to establish legal parentage for leave eligibility.

These provisions appear consistently across DoD policy and all service-specific parental leave instructions.

What Commands May Adjust

Although 12 weeks are guaranteed, commands determine timing. The policy allows parental leave in several increments or as one continuous period, depending on mission needs and administration. Leave must be used within a year unless an exception is approved.

Administrative steps, such as confirming parentage or documenting adoption or foster placement, must be completed before the leave begins. Beyond that, commanders cannot deny or reduce an eligible member's entitlement.

How Each Service Applies the Policy

Every military department follows the same DoD directive, but each has added administrative clarity:

• The Army sets documentation timelines and emphasizes that parental leave is given alongside, not in place of, convalescent leave.
• The Air Force and Space Force specify detailed DEERS and personnel system requirements for both birth and non-birth parents.
• The Navy and Marine Corps mirror the same 12-week standard with guidance for scheduling and unit coordination.
• The Coast Guard, operating under DHS, follows a parallel structure with comparable entitlements.

All branches apply the parental leave program consistently once eligibility is verified.

Guard and Reserve Eligibility

Parental leave entitlements for reserve-component members now fall into two categories:

Reserve Members on Long-Term Active Duty

• Members serving on qualifying active-duty orders, including Active Guard and Reserve and some full-time National Guard duty, get the same 12-week parental leave as active-component members.

Reserve Members in Drill Status

• Current law authorizes up to 12 inactive-duty training periods as paid parental leave for qualifying Guard and Reserve members not on active duty. These periods count as if attended and accrue retirement points. The leave must fit within the same one-year window as the active-duty benefit.

The Coast Guard Reserve continues to operate under separate authority.

Documented Experience With the Parental Leave Policy

Marine Corps Capt. Richard LeCompte and his spouse, Heather, shared how the updated parental leave rules supported their family. Heather described the earlier allowance for non-birth parents as “almost not enough,” referring to the previous 21-day limit.

When Capt. LeCompte used the full 12-week entitlement now available; she emphasized how much stronger their family’s transition felt with more time to recover, more stability in their home routine, and a more manageable adjustment period for their older child.

This family's experience shows why the new 12-week policy is so significant. Spending the first few months together can drastically improve the entire family’s well-being and the long-term parent-child bond. Growing families deserve the time and space to support and care for each other and their new arrival, whenever possible.

Military Parental Leave Program: Key Entitlements

Eligibility

• Birth parents
• Non-birth parents (must establish parentage in DEERS)
• Adoptive parents
• Long-term foster parents (once placement is documented)

Length of Leave

• 12 weeks of paid, non-chargeable parental leave
• Separate maternity convalescent leave for birth parents when medically required.

How Leave Can Be Used

• One continuous 12-week block OR multiple increments of at least 1 week
• Must be used within 12 months of the qualifying event

Documentation Required

• Birth: medical documentation and DEERS update
• Adoption: legal placement documents
• Foster care: verified long-term placement documentation
• Non-birth parents: parentage entered in DEERS before leave begins

Command Authority

• Cannot deny or reduce the 12-week entitlement
• Can determine timing and sequencing based on mission requirements
• Must administer leave within the one-year window

Suggested reads:

• Expecting in Uniform: The 2026 Maternal Health Guide for Active-Duty Service Members
• What Happens if You Get Pregnant in the Military?
• Smart Shopping Tips for Military Families on a Budget