The Department of Defense, under the supervision of the Biden Administration, reportedly announced plans on Thursday to reimburse travel expenses for military members seeking abortions or accompanying a spouse wanting to terminate a pregnancy.
According to the Pentagon’s instructions, troops will have up to 5 months, or 20 weeks, to notify their departments and seek travel for an abortion.
“…the DOD health care provider will place the Service member considering pregnancy termination in a medical temporary nondeployable status without reference to the Service member’s pregnancy status, until appropriate medical care and the necessary recovery period are complete.” the statement from the Defense Department read.
The letter also instructs the armed branches to give administrative leave with pay for women seeking abortion or fertility therapies that are not covered by military health care providers.
The new policy will go into force in 30 days.
Prior to the new policy, the DOD only covered abortions for pregnancies that were the result of rape, incest, or indicated a probable threat to the mother’s life, but the new law will provide troops with more covered alternatives for obtaining abortions.
The move comes in the wake of the Supreme Court striking down Roe vs. Wade, opening the door for many conservative states to implement various kinds of abortion bans in their respective states.
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