USAF must provide breastfeeding stations for nursing personnel

This’ll make the Chinese and Russians tremble with fear. I’ve never heard of anything so unwarlike in all of military history. Imagine how George Patton would react if he stumbled through a battlefield wormhole and popped into a breastfeeding station. What’s next I wonder? And this is happening while Trump is president. Lord help us if Bernie Sanders or Elizabeth Warren gets elected.

Aug. 30 (UPI) -- U.S. Air Force units must provide breastfeeding stations for nursing personnel under a policy announced this week.

An Air Force Guidance Memorandum of Aug. 15 calls for action that "immediately implements policy and procedures for women's health by supporting nursing mothers with a private, secure (lockable from the inside) and sanitary area, herein referred to as a lactation room, within unit facilities."

The order applies to accommodations for all new mothers in the Air Force, and calls for a lactation room, similar to a break room. It specifies appropriate furniture and lighting, as well as electrical outlets and proximity to hot and cold running water.

"This policy gap came to our attention from the grassroots level. Our job here is to do what we can to make it easier for Airmen to serve," said Christy Nolta, deputy assistant secretary of the Air Force for reserve affairs and Airman readiness. "Women shouldn't feel like they must choose between serving and being a mother. A small policy tweak can actually make a difference to our

A 2019 survey indicated that 20.6 percent of all U.S. Air Force personnel and 21.6 percent of officers, are women. Female officers tend to have lower overall continuation rates, indicating that they leave the service earlier than male counterparts.

The policy also offers guidance for lactation breaks and refers to a 2015 order, codified in a 164-page implementation policy for Air Force medical care management, expecting supervisors to offer 15 to 30 minutes every three to four hours to personnel to pump breast milk. That order specifically notes that a rest room is not adequate for use as a lactation room.

"We received a lot of feedback from nursing mothers about having to pump or nurse in less than ideal facilities," said Maj. Alea Nadeem, chief of the Air Force Women's Initiative Team. "They were having to pump in bathrooms, locker rooms and borrowed offices, and this sometimes discourages new mothers from continuing to express milk."

a reply to: Scapegrace
I just recently was called to serve on a jury, the one get out of serving was nursing mothers. No checkoff for males for any medical condition. Dont even get me started on pregnancy paid leave.

a reply to: Scapegrace

Nothing wrong with this. There are a lot of women in the military with babies and they need to eat.
Yes even George Patton had breast milk.

a reply to: Scapegrace

Women do not belong in the armed services. Young men fight to keep their women safe at home, it's always been that way and it shouldn't have been artificially changed.

a reply to: Scapegrace

Drop and give me 20ml soldier! I had to read three paragraphs in before finding out that I couldn't join the air force and enjoy these lactation stations.

Wha?

My wife is just wrapping up her breast feeding with our son, she never had an issue was never banished to a shed out past where smokers have been banished or anything, nobody complained when we were out at a restaurant or at the movies and this was in bible thumping Oklahoma, have people really had an issue with this?

a reply to: JAGStorm

I have nipples Greg, can you milk me?

a reply to: Irishhaf

I think there's a psychological difference between pumping in public and directly feeding a baby in public.

originally posted by: Scapegrace
This’ll make the Chinese and Russians tremble with fear. I’ve never heard of anything so unwarlike in all of military history. Imagine how George Patton would react if he stumbled through a battlefield wormhole and popped into a breastfeeding station. What’s next I wonder? And this is happening while Trump is president. Lord help us if Bernie Sanders or Elizabeth Warren gets elected.

Aug. 30 (UPI) -- U.S. Air Force units must provide breastfeeding stations for nursing personnel under a policy announced this week.

An Air Force Guidance Memorandum of Aug. 15 calls for action that "immediately implements policy and procedures for women's health by supporting nursing mothers with a private, secure (lockable from the inside) and sanitary area, herein referred to as a lactation room, within unit facilities."

The order applies to accommodations for all new mothers in the Air Force, and calls for a lactation room, similar to a break room. It specifies appropriate furniture and lighting, as well as electrical outlets and proximity to hot and cold running water.

"This policy gap came to our attention from the grassroots level. Our job here is to do what we can to make it easier for Airmen to serve," said Christy Nolta, deputy assistant secretary of the Air Force for reserve affairs and Airman readiness. "Women shouldn't feel like they must choose between serving and being a mother. A small policy tweak can actually make a difference to our

A 2019 survey indicated that 20.6 percent of all U.S. Air Force personnel and 21.6 percent of officers, are women. Female officers tend to have lower overall continuation rates, indicating that they leave the service earlier than male counterparts.

The policy also offers guidance for lactation breaks and refers to a 2015 order, codified in a 164-page implementation policy for Air Force medical care management, expecting supervisors to offer 15 to 30 minutes every three to four hours to personnel to pump breast milk. That order specifically notes that a rest room is not adequate for use as a lactation room.

"We received a lot of feedback from nursing mothers about having to pump or nurse in less than ideal facilities," said Maj. Alea Nadeem, chief of the Air Force Women's Initiative Team. "They were having to pump in bathrooms, locker rooms and borrowed offices, and this sometimes discourages new mothers from continuing to express milk."

Two words: Obama appointments

I'm having a hard time understanding what the beef is here.

Nursing a child is one of those things that moms have done since, forever? And if they're also in military service, want a private place to take care of their baby, I'm ok with that.

a reply to: Scapegrace

I don't have an issue with it on bases not in war zones. I know my wife often complained about not having a place to "pump" after our kids were born. Everyone on bases aren't special op soldiers. Women who have young children often need to pump milk. It isn't something you want to be doing in a bathroom stall.

Larger corps often have lactation or pump room so women can do so in a clean and comfortable environment.

a reply to: burdman30ott6

Still dont get it, they have bras that allow you to put the contraption on and pump without so much as a nipple showing, just a hose coming out.

ETA: But then I am oblivious to quite a bit.

originally posted by: burdman30ott6
a reply to: Scapegrace

Women do not belong in the armed services. Young men fight to keep their women safe at home, it's always been that way and it shouldn't have been artificially changed.

You do realize that that armed service is not just about "fighting".
In China women have been soldiers for over 5000 years.

originally posted by: burdman30ott6
a reply to: Scapegrace

Women do not belong in the armed services. Young men fight to keep their women safe at home, it's always been that way and it shouldn't have been artificially changed.

Making sammiches, I suppose...

We had more female graduates from my tech school and a lower washout rate.

Because we're smarter.

So if you want to get a little more technical at warfare then "me shoot you" then it would probably behoove you to have women there as well.

Although 486 got me my Marksman's medal... how about you?

why can't they just give all the boys a drink. That's the best stuff! Jeez. If life could only be so simple!

Really, This is so stupid. How in hell did it come to this

originally posted by: JAGStorm

originally posted by: burdman30ott6
a reply to: Scapegrace

Women do not belong in the armed services. Young men fight to keep their women safe at home, it's always been that way and it shouldn't have been artificially changed.

You do realize that that armed service is not just about "fighting".
In China women have been soldiers for over 5000 years.

Yes, I do and so what, who gives a flip what China has done for 5000 years? Until recently, China also bound the feet of female concubines because the wealthy found deformed, child sized feet to be arousing... doesn't mean it was a smart or ethical practice. Women don't belong in the military. They nosed their way into the military because, in America, style and image are more important than substance and logic. Better to fake it that they actually belong in the military and are the equivalent to men in terms of war fighting than to possibly admit that there is a reason why the males of every animal species spar and fight during the rut while the females tend to intermingle peacefully.

a reply to: Lumenari

My daughter outshot everyone on her junior rimfire league last year (including her brother) and has so far been the best natural shot I've seen on every weapon I've placed in her hands from archery to rifle to shotgun... I sure as hell hope I've raised her smart enough to not go into the military.

a reply to: Scapegrace

If you are going to allow women in the military this makes sense to me. Women have a lot of roles they can fill in the military I think, just not on the front line.

Men simply perform better and putting women in the unit puts everyone at risk. If a woman is found to perform equal to a man let her in, it just won't happen.
www.npr.org...

originally posted by: burdman30ott6

originally posted by: JAGStorm

originally posted by: burdman30ott6
a reply to: Scapegrace

Women do not belong in the armed services. Young men fight to keep their women safe at home, it's always been that way and it shouldn't have been artificially changed.

You do realize that that armed service is not just about "fighting".
In China women have been soldiers for over 5000 years.

Yes, I do and so what, who gives a flip what China has done for 5000 years? Until recently, China also bound the feet of female concubines because the wealthy found deformed, child sized feet to be arousing... doesn't mean it was a smart or ethical practice. Women don't belong in the military. They nosed their way into the military because, in America, style and image are more important than substance and logic. Better to fake it that they actually belong in the military and are the equivalent to men in terms of war fighting than to possibly admit that there is a reason why the males of every animal species spar and fight during the rut while the females tend to intermingle peacefully.

China has the biggest army in the world followed by India. We should care very very much.

taskandpurpose.com...

New Report Says China’s Military Could Dominate by 2049

Women do belong in the military, but I will not get into this argument with you. You have your beliefs, and I have mine and they will not change regarding this matter.

a reply to: Scapegrace

I have no problem with this. They're going to be on light duty in the already white collar branch of the military.

Also, I'd love someone tell my older sister with a black belt that girls can't fight and men should do it for them. More power to her. She's extremely ladylike, but she wants to be able to take care of her self if she needs to, and keep her mind and body in shape.

I've typically found that men who feel the need to appear dominant to females have insecurities.