The Army updated its parental and adoption leave policies to extend the number of days available and include flexibility in deciding which parent receives primary caregiver leave. The new Army Military Parental Leave Program, signed Jan. 22, gives soldiers who give birth six weeks of maternity convalescent leave, starting immediately after discharge from a hospital, with an additional six weeks available. And soldiers who qualify for "secondary caregiver" leave, once called paternity leave, are authorized up to 21 days. The non-chargeable leave can be used in conjunction with birth or adoption but must be taken within a year of the event. Previously, the Army provided 12 weeks of maternity leave and 10 days of paternity leave. Read more in this Military.com story.