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McClatchy Washington Bureau
McClatchy Washington Bureau
National
Bryan Lowry

Some women in Armed Forces miss out on maternity leave. Kansas lawmaker's bill would end that

WASHINGTON _ The same week in December that Briell Zweygardt is due to give birth to her first child she's also scheduled to report to McConnell Air Force Base in Wichita, Kan., for drills.

Zweygardt, 25, is a second lieutenant in the Kansas Air National Guard and like other women in the National Guard or military reserves she'll face a tough choice when her child is born. If she takes time off from her monthly guard duties to care for her child, she'll lose out on pay and points toward her retirement.

"I have actually seen women bring their newborns to drill because they didn't want to miss," said Zweygardt, who lives in Wamego.

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