Posted on Jun 1, 2022
The Female Soldier Insurgency that Helped Rewrite the Army's Rules on Parenthood
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Staff Sgt. Nicole Edge had a miscarriage in 2016 and was allowed only two days of convalescent leave.
For Edge and thousands of military women, the Army Mom Life Facebook group became a refuge and a resource where they could reach out for help dealing with the difficult issues of parenthood while also serving their country.
The problems discussed on the board include sexism in the ranks -- male soldiers scoffing at pregnant women as a burden -- or commanders ignoring critical family issues. Members discussed requirements for women who recently miscarried to complete intense physical training, and commanders who don't give female soldiers time and space to pump breast milk.
The Facebook group, moderated by Edge and a handful of relatively low- to mid-ranking women, spearheaded a grassroots effort that led the Army to policy changes last month on how it treats parenthood. The group's own proposal was taken up by the service, and new policies moved at "lightning" speed through the approval process, according to interviews.
Those new policies will affect about 400,000 parents who serve in the Army, including its reserve components. As part of the changes, women will also now be allowed up to 42 days of convalescent leave after a miscarriage, stillbirth, or other situations that resulted in a loss of the pregnancy. With the doctor's discretion, even more can be awarded, and spouses are also eligible for time away from work.
For Edge and thousands of military women, the Army Mom Life Facebook group became a refuge and a resource where they could reach out for help dealing with the difficult issues of parenthood while also serving their country.
The problems discussed on the board include sexism in the ranks -- male soldiers scoffing at pregnant women as a burden -- or commanders ignoring critical family issues. Members discussed requirements for women who recently miscarried to complete intense physical training, and commanders who don't give female soldiers time and space to pump breast milk.
The Facebook group, moderated by Edge and a handful of relatively low- to mid-ranking women, spearheaded a grassroots effort that led the Army to policy changes last month on how it treats parenthood. The group's own proposal was taken up by the service, and new policies moved at "lightning" speed through the approval process, according to interviews.
Those new policies will affect about 400,000 parents who serve in the Army, including its reserve components. As part of the changes, women will also now be allowed up to 42 days of convalescent leave after a miscarriage, stillbirth, or other situations that resulted in a loss of the pregnancy. With the doctor's discretion, even more can be awarded, and spouses are also eligible for time away from work.
The Female Soldier Insurgency that Helped Rewrite the Army's Rules on Parenthood
Posted from military.com
Women in the Military
Pregnancy
Grooming Standards
Posted 2 y ago
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..."In addition to the large personnel policy shifts with some of the most immediate impacts on the rank-and-file in decades, the service has zeroed in on the critical skills for soldiers in combat, implementing a more comprehensive fitness test and a more difficult and combat-focused marksmanship test. It also is eyeing an increased focus on land navigation.
"Our Army can do so many things at one time, some people may assume we can only do one thing at a time," Grinston told Military.com. "We can do a grooming and parenthood policy while still preparing for large-scale combat operations."
The personnel policies -- more relaxed regulations for how women wear their hair and making service more friendly for parents -- also serve key Army interests, such as an "outsized positive impact on long-term readiness and the Army's ability to recruit and retain talent," according to an internal memo obtained by Military.com.
"I should be completely focused on what can harm me," Grinston said. "If soldiers aren't worried about their spouse having issues and they know the Army is taking care of them, the worry isn't on their mind."
He said when troops in combat pass through the base gates, all they should be worrying about is killing the enemy and completing the mission. "If your spouse has a miscarrage, how could you focus on your combat mission?"
The new policies come four decades after women were integrated into most male units. But it wouldn't be until 2015 they were allowed in combat arms jobs. As more women take the helm in senior roles and are in the room drafting rules impacting the rank and file, their footprint is expected to grow, as the service aims to be more inclusive.
"When I joined in the '80s, there were low expectations for women. But when we did well, it caught people by surprise," Smith said. "There is a lot higher expectations of the young women today. Because of that, we need to make sure they have the tools to perform at that higher level."
"Our Army can do so many things at one time, some people may assume we can only do one thing at a time," Grinston told Military.com. "We can do a grooming and parenthood policy while still preparing for large-scale combat operations."
The personnel policies -- more relaxed regulations for how women wear their hair and making service more friendly for parents -- also serve key Army interests, such as an "outsized positive impact on long-term readiness and the Army's ability to recruit and retain talent," according to an internal memo obtained by Military.com.
"I should be completely focused on what can harm me," Grinston said. "If soldiers aren't worried about their spouse having issues and they know the Army is taking care of them, the worry isn't on their mind."
He said when troops in combat pass through the base gates, all they should be worrying about is killing the enemy and completing the mission. "If your spouse has a miscarrage, how could you focus on your combat mission?"
The new policies come four decades after women were integrated into most male units. But it wouldn't be until 2015 they were allowed in combat arms jobs. As more women take the helm in senior roles and are in the room drafting rules impacting the rank and file, their footprint is expected to grow, as the service aims to be more inclusive.
"When I joined in the '80s, there were low expectations for women. But when we did well, it caught people by surprise," Smith said. "There is a lot higher expectations of the young women today. Because of that, we need to make sure they have the tools to perform at that higher level."
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