Readers of Tom Philpott’s Military Update column sound off

Paternity Leave Would Be a Popular Benefit

I really liked the article regarding the Senate committee vote to provide three weeks of extra leave for new military dads.

I am a new father. Just seven days after my son's birth, I boarded a bus set for Fort McCoy, Wis. This Army Reserve officer takes being a father very seriously.

As it turns out, my commander is a good commander who prioritized my leave from Iraq three months into our deployment and it occurred over Thanksgiving. I truly appreciated this. However, it just is not enough time to really get to know your child.

So I want to thank all those lawmakers who are involved in getting this piece of legislation through. Nowadays, it seems, we fathers are undervalued by the court system and by society. It is refreshing to see our government taking a step to make being a father a priority!

CLARENCE M. WALTON
Major, USAR
Forward Operating Base Warrior, Iraq

Nice article. But the contention that the Air Force does not offering any type of paternity leave, it’s not entirely true.

Under a not very well known policy, new fathers can be granted up to 10 days non-chargeable leave after the birth of their child. I personally took 10 days back in 2006 as did other new fathers in my unit upon the births of their children.

The granting of such leave, however, is left to the commander’s discretion. But what commander would turn a new papa down?

BENJAMIN J. HADDEN
Senior Airman, USAF
Wright-Patterson AFB, Ohio

I am a soldier currently serving in Iraq. My daughter was born while I was out here. When would this leave option take effect?

I will be returning home around late July. Would I be eligible for this option by then?

JONATHAN D. AUGUSTINE
Sergeant, U.S. Army
Camp Taji, Iraq

The paternity leave provision in the Senate bill, if approved by the full Congress, would take effect the date the bill is signed into law.  It would apply only “with respect to children born on or after that date,” if the military chooses to use the new authority.

Defense authorization bills should be signed into law before the new fiscal year begins Oct. 1.  But in recent years, congressional action on these defense policy bills have been delayed and often are not signed by the president until weeks or months after the fiscal year begins.  The fiscal 2008 authorization bill wasn’t signed until January of this year, nearly four months late. – Tom Philpott

The extra leave for new fathers is a great idea. I am stationed in South Korea and have a baby boy due in September. But my mother just passed away last month so I had to use most of my leave days for that

Now I may not get to go home when my child is born. My kid could be about four months old before I see him.

If anyone has any answers or ideas [to getting home sooner] please let me know.

PHILIP MOORE
Private First Class, U.S. Army
Via e-mail 

I read your recent article regarding paternity leave and I have a few questions.  You wrote that female members get several months of convalescent leave following childbirth. I am active duty and have two children, 14 months old and three years old. The current Air Force policy is six weeks convalescent leave. If you have a cesarean, this can be extended to eight weeks.

So did your reference to “several months” refer to the Marines?

Also, my husband is active duty too, but [for allowance purposes] the children are identified as my dependents.  Would the proposed change in law still paternity leave for fathers in my husband situation?

ANN CURTIS
Major, USAF
Peyton, Colo.

My reference to “several months” of convalescent leave for service members who give birth was an error.  A subsequent correction arrived too late for some newspapers.

Under the paternity leave provision, a service could make the three weeks available to any service member on active duty who is the husband of a woman who gives birth to a child so your husband would be eligible if you had more children while in service. – T.P.

As I read your recent article concerning paternity leave, I noticed you did not use the proper term of address for those serving in the U.S. Air Force. You used the other services proper terms of address -- soldier, sailor and marine -- but instead of airman, you chose to use “Air Force personnel.”

I live in the Panhandle of Florida which has three Air Force bases and a large Air Force population. I served 25 years and am retired Air Force. Your column appears quite regularly in our local paper and if I recall correctly, this is not the first time you've made this mistake or slight.

For future reference, remember the proper term of address for all Air Force personnel, regardless of rank or gender, is “airman.” All who currently serve and all who have ever worn the Air Force uniform deserve that respect.

RON JOHNSON
Navarre, Fla.

Letters may be edited for clarity or length.  Write to Military Forum, P.O. Box 231111, Centreville, VA  20120-1111, send e-mail to militaryforum@aol.com or visit www.militaryupdate.com.

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