The Pentagon should be proactive in securing easy access to abortion services, activists and lawmakers say, demanding that the military ensure no soldier who wants to terminate a pregnancy is blocked by state legislation.
The issue arose after a draft US Supreme Court ruling was leaked to the media earlier this month, indicating that the Roe v. Wade precedent recognizing abortion as a constitutional right may be overturned this summer. Although the US Army and Air Force have taken steps to make it easier for troops to get time off for abortions, proponents have argued that the Pentagon must take action to ensure that all branches of the military protect access to such services.
“This is not an Air Force issue, an Army issue, a Marine Corps issue, this is a national security, Department of Defense, personnel-readiness issue,” California law professor Rachel VanLandingham told The Hill in an article posted on Sunday.
“So therefore, this policy should come from the Department of Defense itself.” VanLandingham, a former Air Force lieutenant, added, “There’s no room for disparities amongst the services.”