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After Dobbs decision, DOD provides Q&A resource

  • Published
  • By Jim Garamone
  • DOD News

When the U.S. Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade, the 1973 decision protecting abortion rights, service members and families were left uncertain about their access to reproductive health care.
  
Recognizing that the defense community continues to have questions about available services, the Office of the Undersecretary of Defense for Personnel and Readiness today published a Q&A that includes answers to questions around reproductive health care access - including leave and travel, sexual assault, contraceptives and other types of related assistance.

DOD shared the Q&A on the TRICARE and Military Health System websites. The MHS site, known as Health.mil, also offers additional information and resources for women's health care within the DOD community. TRICARE is the health care program for uniformed service members, retirees, and their families around the world.

The Q&A represents part of the department's efforts to take care of service members, DOD civilians and their families, and to ensure military readiness. 

"Nothing is more important to me or to this department than the health and well-being of our service members, the civilian workforce and DOD families," said Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III in a message to the force after the Dobbs decision. "I am committed to taking care of our people and ensuring the readiness and resilience of our force. The department is examining this decision closely and evaluating our policies to ensure we continue to provide seamless access to reproductive health care as permitted by federal law."