CommunityEditor
04-01-2008, 08:53 PM
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/2008/03/army_sabbatical_033108w/
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/2008/03/army_sabbatical_033108w/