Department of Navy Stops Leave, Travel Reimbursement for Abortions
Heather Mongilio
March 3, 2025 3:55 PM - Updated: March 3, 2025 6:16 PM
The Department of the Navy will no longer cover travel-related expenses or provide leave for abortions for Marines and sailors, according to a policy released Friday.
Under the new policy, service members will need to provide travel and leave expenses for service members seeking non-covered reproductive care that is not abortion, a change from the Biden era policy that also covered abortion.
Non-covered reproductive care, which means services not covered by Tricare, the military’s insurance, includes ovarian stimulation and egg retrieval, sperm collection and processing, intrauterine insemination and in vitro fertilization. They are the only services covered, according to the NAVADMIN, signed by Acting Secretary of the Navy Terence Emmert.
The policy applies to both active and reserve sailors and Marines who are seeking the services or accompanying a spouse or dependent. Travel will be provided if the reproductive services are not local, while administrative leave must be provided, even if the procedures are local. Travel funding is the responsibility of the authorizing command, according to the policy.
https://news.usni.org/2025/03/03/department-of-navy-stops-leave-travel-reimbursement-for-abortions
