DOD implements new bereavement leave for loss of immediate family

The U.S. Defense Department recently made a change to its bereavement leave policy to give eligible service members up to two weeks to grieve a family loss.

Service members who need it may now take up to two weeks of non-chargeable leave following the death of an immediate family member, the Department of Defense announced Wednesday.

The new bereavement leave benefit applies only to active-duty and active National Guard and reserve members who have served longer than 12 months but have less than 30 days leave available to them, according to a DOD news release. They are eligible for non-chargeable leave following the death of a spouse or child even if they have less than 30 days of leave available or will go below 30 days while on emergency leave.

This benefit is only available to service members with accrued leave balances below 30 days, the release states. Service members with a leave balance of 30 or more days may take chargeable emergency leave as they would in the past.

“The loss of a spouse or child has detrimental effects on a service member’s ability to perform assigned duties,” the release states. 

Bereavement leave allows service members time away from their military duties in the event of a family member’s death to make arrangements and attend the funeral, burial or memorial service, according to the new policy.

“I think it’s a good policy, I think it’s beneficial and it’s one less thing to worry about,” Marine Corps spouse Christian Perez, 26, of Stratford, Conn., told Stars and Stripes on Friday at Marine Corps Air Station Iwakuni, Japan. “I think [bereavement leave] will help take away stress from some people that don’t have the leave days already saved up.” 

While some said the policy goes in a good direction, others say the immediate family clause in the policy is too restrictive. 

“Mom, dad, grandparents, aunts, uncles and just anyone in your life you’re still close with, I think should count as immediate family,” Navy Petty Officer 3rd Class Brandon Izzo, 21, of Strike Fighter Squadron 115, MCAS Iwakuni, said Friday. 

The memorandum outlines that unit commanders have the authority to grant requests for bereavement leave.

The policy also allows services members to take chargeable leave, such as emergency leave, in conjunction with bereavement leave. 

The new benefit was included in the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2022, and service members who took leave on or after June 25 following the death of a spouse or child may have up to 14 days of leave restored.