The Military Parental Leave Program (MPLP) provides non-chargeable leave entitlements following the birth, adoption or long-term foster placement of a minor child. The policy applies to Total Force Service members who are birth mothers and fathers, same-sex couples, as well as adoptive, foster, and surrogate parents.

Effective December 27, 2022, parents who give birth are authorized 12 weeks (84 days) of Parental Leave following medical provider-recommended period of convalescent leave, typically six weeks (42 days). Nonbirth-giving parents, adoptive parents and foster parents are also authorized 12 weeks of Parental Leave. If a member uses a surrogate and they become the legal parent of the child, the event will be treated as an adoption and the member will be authorized Parental Leave. All leave must be taken within one year of the qualifying event but can be taken incrementally.

Retired Service members are not eligible for Military Parental Leave Program benefits.

Department of Defense Instruction 1327.06
https://www.esd.whs.mil/Portals/54/Documents/DD/issuances/dodi/132706p.pdf

Department of the Air Force Guidance Memorandum to AFI 36-3003, Military Leave Program
https://static.e-publishing.af.mil/production/1/af_a1/publication/dafi36-3003/dafi36-3003.pdf

Directive-Type Memorandum 23-001 – “Expansion of the Military Parental Leave Program”
https://www.esd.whs.mil/Portals/54/Documents/DD/issuances/dtm/DTM%2023-001.PDF

Air Force Manual 41-210
https://static.e-publishing.af.mil/production/1/af_sg/publication/afman41-210/afman41-210.pdf