CLASSIFICATION: UNCLASSIFIED/ ROUTINE R 281339Z FEB 25 MID180001641155U FM SECNAV WASHINGTON DC TO ALNAV INFO CMC WASHINGTON DC CNO WASHINGTON DC SECNAV WASHINGTON DC BT UNCLAS ALNAV 019/25 MSGID/GENADMIN/SECNAV WASHINGTON DC/-/FEB// SUBJ/ADMINISTRATIVE ABSENCE OR FUNDED TRAVEL FOR NON-COVERED ASSISTED REPRODUCTIVE TECHNOLOGY// REF/A/EXECUTIVE ORDER 14182/24JAN25// REF/B/PTDO USD-PR MEMORANDUM/3FEB25// REF/C/ALNAV 071/22// REF/D/ALNAV 018/23// REF/E/DODI 1327.06/15JAN21// REF/F/JOINT TRAVEL REGULATIONS 033013// NARR/REF A IS EXECUTIVE ORDER TITLED, "ENFORCING THE HYDE AMENDMENT." REF B IS UNDER SECRETARY OF DEFENSE FOR PERSONNEL AND READINESS, PERFORMING THE DUTIES OF, GUIDANCE: "NON-COVERED ASSISTED REPRODUCTIVE TECHNOLOGY." REF C IS ALNAV "REPRODUCTIVE HEALTH SERVICES AND SUPPORT." REF D IS ALNAV "ADMINISTRATIVE ABSENCE OR FUNDED TRAVEL FOR NON-COVERED REPRODUCTIVE HEALTH CARE." REF E IS DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE INSTRUCTION (DODI) 1327.06 "LEAVE AND LIBERTY PROCEDURES." REF F IS THE JOINT TRAVEL REGULATIONS SECTION "TRAVEL FOR NON- COVERED ASSISTED REPRODUCTIVE TECHNOLOGY." RMKS/1. References (a) and (b) establish policy that taxpayer dollars will not be used to fund, promote, or reimburse Service Members or dependents for elective abortion-related travel expenses. Accordingly, references (c) and (d) are rescinded. Reference (b) maintains access to non-covered Assisted Reproductive Technology (ART). This ALNAV should be read in its entirety. 2. The Department of the Navy (DON) is committed to ensuring the health, safety, and well-being of those who serve our country, and their families in an environment of safety, privacy, and respect. Sailors, Marines, and their families should be permitted access to lawfully available non-covered ART. Reference (b) announced revised policies that allow a Service Member to be authorized either an administrative absence to obtain non-covered ART or provided travel and transportation allowances to facilitate official travel to access non-covered ART that is unavailable within the local area of a Service Member's permanent duty station. Non-covered ART includes only the following: a. Ovarian stimulation and egg retrieval, including any needed medications and procedures required for retrieval, processing, and utilization for ART or cryopreservation. b. Sperm collection and processing for ART or cryopreservation. c. Intrauterine insemination. d. In vitro fertilization. 3. It is the responsibility of the Commanding Officer (CO) or approval authorities to meet operational requirements and protect the health and safety of those in their care. COs or approval authorities are expected to continue to display objectivity, compassion, and discretion when addressing all health care matters. 4. Consistent with existing law and Departmental policy, COs protect the privacy of protected health information they receive under this policy, as they should with any other protected health information. Such health care information will be restricted to personnel with a specific need to know; that is, access to the information must be necessary for the conduct of official duties. Personnel will also be accountable for safeguarding this health care information consistent with existing law and Departmental policy. 5. Administrative absence to obtain non-covered ART a. Reference (b) authorizes the use of administrative absence to include the ability for a Sailor or Marine to request an administrative absence from their duties at their normal duty station for non-covered ART without loss of pay or being charged leave. Reference (e) will be updated to reflect this change. b. Eligibility. Active duty Service Members, including Reserve Component members when on active duty orders for 30 or more consecutive days, may be granted an administrative absence to receive, or to accompany a dual- military spouse or a dependent who receives, non-covered ART as defined in paragraph 2. This administrative absence should be granted whether or not such care is available within the local area of the eligible Service Member's duty location as defined in reference(f), section 0206, "Travel In and Around the Permanent Duty Station," or whether the dual-military spouse or dependent resides with, or are geographically separated from, the eligible Service Member. c. Duration. The administrative absence may be granted for a period of up to 21 days per request. The period of absence will be limited to the minimum number of days essential to receive the required care and travel needed to access the care by the most expeditious means of transportation practicable. COs will limit health information required to the minimum amount necessary to ensure eligibility and be reasonably sure the duration of the time authorized meets this criteria. Should a Service Member or dependent decide not to proceed with the non-covered ART, the DON will not charge the time away as leave and the Member should expeditiously return to the unit. d. Approval guidance. COs or approval authorities should grant an administrative absence to eligible Sailors and Marines when a non-covered ART need is identified by the eligible Service Member. Requests for administrative absence should be given all due consideration and should be granted to the greatest extent practicable, unless, in the CO's judgment, the Service Member's absence would impair proper execution of the military mission. If the CO denies the request, the Sailor or Marine may appeal the request to the next level of leadership. (1) It is essential that COs or approval authorities act promptly and with appropriate discretion when considering a Service Member's request for an administrative absence to obtain non-covered ART. To the greatest extent practicable, delay in granting an administrative absence should not result in an eligible Service Member being unable to access the non- covered ART that served as the basis for the administrative absence request. (2) In considering the mission impact of a Service Member's request for an administrative absence for non- covered ART - for example, where recurring care may be necessary over a period of time - COs or approval authorities should coordinate with the eligible Service Member to balance operational requirements and the health care schedule. (3) Eligible Service Members will not be granted an administrative absence if their intention is to sell, to offer for sale, or to receive proceeds from a sale resulting from an ART procedure while on, or in connection with taking, such absence (including, but not limited to, selling eggs, embryos, sperm, or services as a surrogate). e. Convalescent Leave. COs or approval authorities may also grant a Service Member convalescent leave, as permitted under reference (e), following receipt of non-covered ART based on a recommendation from a Department of Defense (DoD) health care provider or a non-DoD health care provider from whom the Service Member is receiving care. 6. Travel allowances a. Eligibility, reimbursement amounts, and procedures for travel allowances to obtain non-covered ART are provided in reference (f). b. Travel funding is the responsibility of the command authorizing the travel. Commands must adhere to fiscal regulations and may not authorize travel which is not required or for which funding is not available, but all levels of leadership are expected to support this policy and prioritize available resources accordingly. If funding is an issue, commands will work with their chain of command and budget submitting office to obtain additional funds. c. Should a Service Member or dependent decide not to proceed with non- covered ART after travel requested in good faith has commenced, the DON will not recoup travel funds and the Service Member should expeditiously return. d. Eligible Service Members will not be granted travel allowances if their intention is to sell, to offer for sale, or to receive proceeds from a sale resulting from an ART procedure. 7. Accounting and Reporting. The DON will continue to be tasked to report cost and usage of the administrative absence and funded travel policies authorized by reference (b), reference (f), and this ALNAV. a. The accounting and reporting requirements in this message apply to DON organizations and Service Members assigned to DON organizations. The cost and usage by Sailors and Marines assigned to organizations in other DoD components will be recorded using the mechanisms established by those components. b. The Navy and Marine Corps will continue to use their previously established recording mechanisms for administrative absence. The number of days used will be reported by the Service of the Member, regardless of whether assigned to a Navy or Marine unit. Reports will include no Personally Identifiable Information (PII) or Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) information and will not disclose the type of non- covered ART. (1) The Navy will be responsible for reporting use by Sailors, regardless of whether assigned to a Navy or Marine Corps unit. (2) The Marine Corps will be responsible for reporting use by Marines, regardless of whether assigned to a Navy or Marine Corps unit. c. The Navy and Marine Corps will continue to use their previously established tracking mechanisms for cost and usage of travel and transportation allowances. (1) The Marine Corps will be responsible for reporting usage by Service Members whose travel was funded by Marine Corps commands, regardless of the branch of the Service Member. (2) The Navy will be responsible for reporting usage by Service Members whose travel was funded by Navy commands, regardless of the branch of the Service Member. (3) The reports will not include PII or HIPAA information. The reports will not specify what type of non- covered ART was the basis for travel. (4) The Navy and Marine Corps will be responsible for tracking and reporting the following information for each temporary duty travel period authorized. (a) Command name. (b) Branch of the Service Member (e.g., Navy, Marine Corps). (c) Fiscal quarter in which the travel completed. (d) Number of travel days used by the Service Member. Note that the days authorized or used by a dependent on the same trip may be more or less than this amount. Days of travel by non-Service Members are not required to be reported. (e) Total cost. A single cost is to be provided for the entire trip and inclusive of all authorized travelers. Do not break down costs by traveler or by any other basis. Provide the actual cost of the trip after travel claims are completed. 8. Secretary of the Navy Instruction 1000.10B, "Department of the Navy Policy on Parenthood and Pregnancy," Office of the Chief of Naval Operations Instruction 6000.1D, "Navy Guidelines Concerning Pregnancy and Parenthood," and Marine Corps Order 5000.12F, "Marine Corps Policy Concerning Parenthood and Pregnancy" will be updated to conform with this policy. In the meantime, the Chief of Naval Operations and the Commandant of the Marine Corps will issue additional implementation guidance as necessary. 9. Released by Mr. Terence G. Emmert, Acting Secretary of the Navy.// BT #0001 NNNN CLASSIFICATION: UNCLASSIFIED/