The Pentagon’s New Parental Leave

"Beyond expanded leave, Mr. Carter announced that the Pentagon would increase child care services and establish some 3,600 rooms where new mothers could breast-feed at military installations worldwide. The Defense Department will also aim to be more flexible with employees who have compelling, family-related reasons, like medical treatment of a relative, to extend a particular assignment.

Mr. Carter said that the department’s research of parental leave showed that more flexible policies made good business sense. Several technology companies with which the Pentagon competes for talent, including Facebook, have recently adopted more generous leave policies.

The Pentagon’s move could have the positive effect of galvanizing efforts in Congress to allow civilian federal employees to take paid parental leave."