Pentagon Ends Travel Support for Abortions
Update: The Pentagon has issued updated guidance on its reproductive healthcare travel policy. You can learn all about the new policy in our article on the Pentagon update.
A 2025 policy change at the Department of Defense (DoD) has eliminated government-funded travel for service members seeking certain types of reproductive healthcare, including abortions. The decision reverses a policy enacted in 2023 and has ignited more discussion about reproductive rights, military readiness, and the military’s role in social issues.
2023 DoD Reproductive Healthcare Travel Policy
The 2023 policy gave service members the option of taking three weeks of leave and a travel stipend meant to offset the costs of crossing state lines to get reproductive care, abortion services, and options such as in vitro fertilization and egg retrieval.
As NBC News reports, the options were made available to those stationed in areas where reproductive care “was not offered by the military, was outlawed or was unavailable. ”
An AP News article notes, “The policy did not cover the cost of abortions,” and it is not clear how many instances where the travel policy was used for which types of care.
The travel policy was created to continue providing military families with reproductive healthcare, even in states where strict laws control access to those options. It was created in the wake of a Supreme Court decision that overturned Roe V. Wade, which previously guaranteed access to abortion services as a right.
Then-Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin wrote a memorandum to Pentagon Leadership in 2022, noting, “Our Service members and their families are often required to travel or move to meet our staffing, operational, and training requirements. Such moves should not limit their access to reproductive health care.”
The 2023 travel policy was designed in part to address that concern. It was particularly relevant for those stationed in states with restrictive abortion laws, which appeared after the reversal of Roe V. Wade.
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Limited Use By Servicemembers?
While it was used a limited number of times, primarily for travel related to abortion services, the policy was considered by some to be a crucial part of military healthcare in the United States, ensuring all stateside servicemembers had equal access to necessary care.
Today’s Rules
In 2025, the DoD rescinded the 2023 reproductive care travel policy in the direction of the Commander-in-Chief. Service members may no longer receive government funding for travel or other considerations under the old policy related to obtaining reproductive healthcare, including abortions.
This policy shift has generated controversy. Some argue the changes align with existing laws, while others suggest the policy restricts access to essential medical care for women in uniform. The long-term consequences of this policy change remain to be seen, and there are many questions.
How do the new rules affect recruitment, retention, and service member morale? The DoD has restated its commitment to providing comprehensive medical care, but the replacement policy’s practical implications will likely continue to be debated and analyzed as long as it remains in effect.
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About the author
Editor-in-Chief Joe Wallace is a 13-year veteran of the United States Air Force and a former reporter/editor for Air Force Television News and the Pentagon Channel. His freelance work includes contract work for Motorola, VALoans.com, and Credit Karma. He is co-founder of Dim Art House in Springfield, Illinois, and spends his non-writing time as an abstract painter, independent publisher, and occasional filmmaker.
