Should soldiers be given deployment leave or maternity leave?

2015-09-23T18:58:11-04:00

Would it be too much for Soldiers to get 2 weeks or more of free leave after 9-12 month deployment? Vs. the (Navy) and soon to be Army giving 18 Weeks of free leave for maternity?

Response by Capt Mark Strobl made Sep 23 at 2015 7:56 PM

2015-09-23T19:56:03-04:00

Apples v. Oranges. Leave & Liberty after deployment is granted at the Company & Battalion level --at the discretion of the commander. Maternity Leave is a matter of DoD policy.

Response by LCDR Private RallyPoint Member made Sep 23 at 2015 8:09 PM

2015-09-23T20:09:11-04:00

They are two very different things. You can't really compare one to the other. I know of units that actually do give free leave even though that is not authorized following deployments. Something commanders can do instead is give a series of 4 day weekends. To be perfectly honest, we already get 30 days of leave a year. That is way more than anyone I know that isn't in the military. And if you were just deployed you should even have it saved up!

Response by CSM Michael J. Uhlig made Sep 23 at 2015 8:38 PM

2015-09-23T20:38:14-04:00

When it comes down to dollars and sense, I am not sure we can really afford a blanket policy to do this for every redeploying troop.

I believe I understand the comparison you are making by drawing on the similarities as related to the specific time involved for both situations.....(9 months deployed and 9 months pregnant - I believe that is where you are going with this SSG Private RallyPoint Member)....with that in mind and the knowledge that 2-10 is one of the top three most deployed Brigades sized elements across the Army, I can see where your motivation (and potential frustration) is drawn to raise this question.

Response by CW3 Private RallyPoint Member made Jan 10 at 2017 1:09 PM

2017-01-10T13:09:02-05:00

Actually, at least in the Army, we do get deployment leave. If it's your second or further deployment, in addition to the ordinary leave you accrue, you get something called PDMRA leave. I might be remembering the acronym wrong, but when I came home from my first deployment (Afghanistan) some of my fellow USAR Soldiers got it, and were able to be on orders for longer...getting paid. One went back to his civilian job while on his leave and double-dipped for about 3 months!.