The right to abortion continues to divide in the United States, even in the highest circles. The Pentagon spokeswoman announced that the Department of Defense will continue to help American soldiers obtain an abortion if they wish. Because a Republican senator is blocking hundreds of military appointments because of his opposition to this policy. Because of the blocking of Tommy Tuberville, a senator from Alabama, the Army, the US Navy and the Marines are led by interim leaders, and other high-level positions could not be filled .
“We are not going to change our policy, which guarantees every member of the armed forces fair access to reproductive health care,” Pentagon spokeswoman Sabrina Singh told reporters. “If you are a military serving in a state that has reduced or restricted access to health care, you are there because that is where you were assigned, not because you chose to go there” , she explained.
Financial aid
In June 2022, the Supreme Court swept away the constitutional protection of the right to abortion, allowing states to ban or restrict it, which about twenty did. In response, the Pentagon grants financial assistance to soldiers who have to travel for abortions and facilitates the taking of administrative leave.
Anti-abortion Republican Tommy Tuberville considers such policies illegal and has vowed to block senior military appointments until the Pentagon reverses it.