DoD plan would allow sabbaticals up to 3 years

[CommunityEditor]

Defense officials are proposing an experiment in which service members could take a break in their military careers of up to three years for personal or professional reasons.

This time off — with health benefits, but without pay — would be similar to sabbaticals offered by some private businesses in high-pressure fields and by colleges and universities to some professors, but with a major difference: Most academic and professional sabbaticals are limited to one year.

Officials are calling their proposal “career intermission.”

The Navy is the only service planning to use the pilot program right away, defense officials said, but the Navy’s experience with it could lead to its expansion to the other services.

While those taking the time off would not receive active-duty pay or allowances, they would still be on the military’s payroll because they would be required to participate in the Ready Reserve and would receive a monthly stipend of $100.

They would not have to take part in any military drills, but would have to report to a military office at least once a month and perform one day of active duty each year for medical and administrative screening.

Additionally, defense officials said they expect people taking a career break to maintain proficiency in their military specialty through online and correspondence courses and other means.

Time spent on a career break would not count toward retirement.

The volunteers who take a career break would be required to serve two months of active duty for every one month of time off they were granted, so that someone who took a full three years off would have a six-year obligation.

People returning to active duty after such a break would be reappointed to the same job they previously held, or a similar one, and would have their full pay and benefits, including special and incentive pays and bonuses as long as they remain eligible, defense officials said.

The idea has been discussed by defense and service personnel officials for several years as a way to make military service a little more like the private sector.

But the plan is going to get attention from Congress because the Pentagon’s top manpower official said it would be a way to give military women more time off after the birth of a child without making military men think women are being given an unequal advantage.

David S.C. Chu, undersecretary of defense for personnel and readiness, mentioned a sabbatical program at a recent Senate Armed Services Committee hearing and said it was one option for overhauling the services’ different maternity policies.

“I think we need to be a little careful that we don’t damage the standing of women as a key element of the force in saying that they should not share their part of the overall force burdens in terms of how we utilize them,” Chu said during a discussion of maternity rules.

A sabbatical, Chu said, “may be a superior alternative for those who would like room within which to develop a family.”

Chu said he expects most people would leave the military for one or two years, and that having some degree of benefits — like the small stipend and health care — would help keep them tied to the service.

The House and Senate Armed Services committees are expected to consider the proposal as they prepare the 2009 defense authorization bill for passage later this year. But congressional aides said the proposal represents such a dramatic change in military career policy that they could not predict how it will be received.

A formal proposal, sent to Congress as part of a March 14 package of proposed legislation, calls for a six-year test involving 60 officers and 60 enlisted members.

During the test, no more than 20 officers and 20 enlisted members each year would be granted an “intermission” in their career.


Article: http://www.militarytimes.com/news/20...tical_033108w/

The whole sabbatial idea is to make the military more equal to the civilan sectors. Seems more of an excuse to keep our pay lower than our civilian counterparts.

[driver31]

If they were giving me leave...yes i would take it, in a heartbeat too.

If this plan came my way, I would be all over it! I am getting out for a little while because I want to take a break. I plan on coming back in after I complete my Master's degree anyway, so this would be perfect.

[Measure Man]

Interesting idea.

I can envision a lot of people taking them up on this.

We could also benefit by having those folks come back to active duty after working a few years in the private sector and bringing with them the best commercial practices out there.

[KrashKatz]

Just wondering how its going to work when half the Navy takes off for 3 years. I'd assume there would be a quota for how many service members could participate in the program at one time. We learn a lot from the trial and error method........sometimes.

At what point in one's career would they consider eligible to "take a break"? I see this sabbatical having little or no value to military readiness at all. It will be abused. This is about the dumbest idea I have ever heard for the military.

This is a fantastic idea! May I be one of the first persons to be granted a sabbatical please?

[hjparagon]

The idea is good, but the payback is absurd. The Coast Guard has had a similar program since 1990. That program provides USCG members no pay or benefits and no time owed on the backside. The Navy's programs wants as much time owed from a participant in this sabbatical program who receives only a small stipend and medical benefits as, say, an officer who receives 100% tuition for a graduate degree ($$$) while still receiving full pay, incentives, and benefits. I'd rather find my own insurance coverage than pay such a premium for TRICARE.

The product they are pitching seems to be playing only lip service to what countless service women have expressed interest in--a desire to have a family and career. But I also want the freedom to reassess my situation as a new parent to determine if my career aspirations have changed or not. Ultimately the Navy gets service members to commit to additional time up to 6 years; and that secures the Navy's demographic and diversity outlook for that time but does nothing for my family's security.

If offered, I'd pass on this program every time.

[PhoenixCadet]

Does anyone know what the requirements will be in regards to time needed in service to initiate your time off? Granted I'm still in high school - I'm hoping to get my Masters after ROTC (if that works out). If that was the plan, I'd like to know if it would be possible to take the sabbatical right after (1) commission or (2) completion of TBS and/or my MOS school.

Would they be able to "modify" it if it's for educational purposes as outlined below? I'd really like to get the Masters out of the way before serving.