The Department of Defense (DoD) was directed by Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III to “ensure access to reproductive health care” for its service members, including payment for abortion travel.
The Epoch Times reports, Austin told the department in an Oct. 20 memo that the Supreme Court’s decision to overturn Roe v. Wade was making getting abortions more difficult for service members-requiring them to travel further, take more time off work, and incur more out-of-pocket expenses.
As a result, service members and their dependents face “unusual, extraordinary, hardship, or emergency circumstances.” Further, it will hamper the military’s ability to recruit, retain, and maintain a qualified force.
It was Austin’s instruction that the DoD establish travel and transportation allowances for Service members and their dependents in compliance with applicable federal law and operational requirements, as necessary, and amend applicable travel regulations as necessary to facilitate official travel for access to reproductive health care that cannot be provided within the local area of the Service member’s permanent duty station.
In addition, Austin requested a uniform policy for the DoD, which allows “appropriate administrative absence” in compliance with federal law.
According to the Defense Secretary, the Department of Defense will continue to offer contraception and family planning services to its members and their families. In addition, some military medical treatment facilities will offer walk-in contraceptive care during “dedicated hours”.
