Adoptive Parent Leave for Military Personnel

SUBJECT: "Adoptive Parent Leave for Military Personnel"

In recognition of the fact that you have strongly supported meeting the family and medical leave needs of Federal and other employees, I ask you to consider action to specifically assist military personnel further in balancing the demands of work and family and in serving the very special public interest of encouraging adoptions. Recognizing that the Federal government has an impressive array of family-friendly leave flexibilities for Federal employees, including annual leave, sick leave, sick leave for family care, and leave for bone marrow and organ donation, among others, I urge you to consider the following policy proposal: ADOPTIVE PARENT LEAVE FOR MILITARY PERSONNEL to allow parents to bond with their adoptive child. Personnel may request special leave without pay for up four weeks. (This policy will not apply in the case of step-children or adult adoption.)

More and more children, either in domestic foster care or overseas, including special needs children, are in need of families. Many military families could create a happy, loving environment for such an adoptive child.

This proposal would assist in easing the way in a process fraught with difficulties and disappointments, as it would simultaneously serve to soften the transition for both parents and child. Since many of these children come to their adoptive families with an unknow

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d other dignitaries, which ultimately facilitated the return of the previously overthrown, democratically-elected government of Haiti. In Bosnia, I planned, managed and executed three major validation exercises in preparation for "Operation Joint Endeavor -- Bosnia." There, I took the lead of the 30th Medical Brigade as the first medical planner to deploy to the former Yugoslovian Republic. I was responsible for meticulously planning and executing the medical support package for the first armed convoy into Croatia. I aggressively coordinated with host nation support and strategically positioned available assets at crucial sites until the Mobile Army Surgical Hospital arrived. The fulfillment of my duties as a U.S. soldier are what I consider to be my most significant achievements to date. My most significant community service achievement has been realized over a 20-year period of my life, as I served as a softball coach for mentally handicapped children during Special Olympics' events, and as a soccer coach for Dependent Youth Activities. I count it an honor to have provided a positive influence in the lives of these children and to experience with them joy and exhilaration in a nurturing, yet competitive environment. A
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Approximate Word count = 1484
Approximate Pages = 6 (250 words per page)