Pentagon Seeks to Reassure Service Members on Access to Abortion
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A new directive essentially tells commanders not to ask too many questions when women request leave for reproductive health care reasons.
By Helene Cooper
Oct. 20, 2022, 2:30 p.m. ET
WASHINGTON — Defense Secretary Lloyd J. Austin III issued a directive on Thursday meant to reassure military service members that the Supreme Court ruling overturning Roe v. Wade would not leave troops without access to abortions in states where the procedure had been banned.
But it was far from clear whether the directive would give women in the military who seek to end unwanted pregnancies the protection to do so in medically safe ways.
The directive essentially tells commanders not to ask too many questions when women request leave for reproductive health care reasons.
It also tells Defense Department health care providers not to disclose reproductive health information to commanders unless such info poses a risk to the mission. And it advises the Pentagon to develop a program to support and reimburse Defense Department health care providers who are fined or targeted by states for providing abortions.
The Hyde Amendment prohibits the use of federal funds for abortion except in cases of rape or incest, or when the patient’s life is at risk. But after the Supreme Court’s ruling in June, some states have banned the procedure, with no exceptions.
Pentagon officials say that when a pregnant service member’s life is threatened, the Hyde Amendment’s stipulations would supersede any state bans.
“I am committed to the department taking all appropriate action, within its authority and consistent with applicable federal law, as soon as possible to ensure that our service members and their families can access reproductive health care and our health care providers can operate effectively,” Mr. Austin said in the memorandum.
He said Pentagon officials had heard from “many of our service members and their families about the complexity and the uncertainty that they now face in accessing reproductive health care, including abortion services.”
Pentagon officials acknowledge that there is not much they can do for women in states where abortions are prohibited but say that the directive to commanders is meant to provide some help.
Helene Cooper is a Pentagon correspondent. She was previously an editor, diplomatic correspondent and White House correspondent, and was part of the team awarded the 2015 Pulitzer Prize for International Reporting, for its coverage of the Ebola epidemic. @helenecooper
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