{"id":50289,"date":"2019-07-17T20:01:47","date_gmt":"2019-07-17T20:01:47","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/militarytimes\/uncategorized\/2019\/07\/17\/new-commandant-considering-1-year-leave-of-absence-for-moms-and-changes-to-evaluating-and-promoting-marines\/"},"modified":"2026-08-08T20:48:52","modified_gmt":"2026-08-08T20:48:52","slug":"new-commandant-considering-1-year-leave-of-absence-for-moms-and-changes-to-evaluating-and-promoting-marines","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/militarytimes\/news\/your-military\/2019\/07\/17\/new-commandant-considering-1-year-leave-of-absence-for-moms-and-changes-to-evaluating-and-promoting-marines\/","title":{"rendered":"New commandant considering 1 year leave of absence for moms and changes to evaluating and promoting Marines"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

The top Marine is on the hunt to keep and retain the best talent the Corps has, and is considering a slew of changes from a new maternity leave policy to changing how Marines are evaluated and promoted.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Commandant Gen. David Berger<\/a> laid out guidance<\/a> for reshaping the Marine Corps in a planning document posted late Tuesday evening.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Among consideration is a new policy that would afford moms up to a year leave of absence to stay with their kids before they return back to duty and complete their service obligation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Berger described the current parental and maternal leave policy as \u201cinadequate\u201d and noted that the policy has \u201cfailed to keep pace with societal norms.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWe should never ask our Marines to choose between being the best parent possible and the best Marine possible,\u201d Berger wrote in his guidance message. \u201cThese outcomes should never be in competition to the extent that success with one will come at the expense of the other.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\t