Can your unit dictate when can you take your paternity leave because of deployment?

‘Use it or lose it’ applies in many situations:)

Your mistake was the earlier assumption, unless your Command Team has sympathy for your mistake you will deploy. Anytime you are making plans for anything that affects work you need to speak with leadership. I assure you it is the same on the outside as well.

Hopefully this will help because most of the comments on here are just people judging you. I too did not take my paternity leave because I was in the middle of flight school; I took it as pcs leave when I left Ft. Rucker.

I reviewed the regulation on secondary caregiver leave and unfortunately there is not exception to the one year rule even with a deployment. If I were you, you are authorized to take leas than 21 days so I would sit down with the commander and explain the situation and maybe get two weeks of paternity leave approved with the understanding that you will still attend any necessary pre-deployment medical appointments. I believe this is your best shot. Good luck!