My friend is serving in Afganastan right now until february of 2006. He has recently found out he is going to be a father as of the end of november. I was wondering if he has any rights to be able to fly home to the states for the birth of his baby. He and his girlfriend are not married and this was completly unexspected. He has asked his superiors but has gotten himself in quite a tangle in the last month or so and they told him that he had no chance of being able to come home. If this is so i understand but if there is anything he can do so he can be there i would greatly appriciate any help anyone can give me. Thank you!

Doubtful

The military does not recognize unmarried couples as having any legal rights. They will allow the child to become a dependent but not the girl friend. His acting out this situation will get him into trouble that he may not get over.

Why not attempt a satellite link up?

Maybe just a cell phone with video...
or tape the birth for him.

(It's the next best thang to beenin thare...)

geez o pete! birth of a child does not get anyone out of overseas duty, regardless of whether they are married or not.

This is just one of the many sacrifices that military members and thier loved ones HAVE to deal with.

The only thing that gets a military member out of the duty, is a (verified and notified via Red Cross) death in the IMMEDIATE family.

Gunny: You mean there is no maternity leave for men in the military and they cannot come home for birthday parties or homecoming parades. Not even in the Air Force?

I agree about the video tape. It's the best you can do.

My daughter would love to have hubby home for the birth of their child, but he's going to be gone a long time yet.
Could you imagine? Shorten yoyur deployment time but getting the wife pregnant?

Harry...thats the canuck way of doing things.....geez they even let men marry each other in thier military...

Gunny: Maybe it is because they have only 12 people and need to keep what they have.

Not even in the USAF will they allow you to go home early for a child birth. I wish there was but understand when you sign on the dotted line you are putting your country first and fore most. I understand that family is more important but remember that you or someone else is makeing it safe for your/their family to live in the USA. Its one of the many sacrifices that must be given and one of the little ones. Family will always be there for you when you get home. Atleast thats what I thought about when I signed up. But thats my thought.

Next time he comes home he should not get back on a plane again to go over seas. There will be pissing and grumbling, threats etc. But its easier to stay in the US once here than to try to get back to the US once you are over seas. Unless of course he wants to stay in the military then he just has to deal with it.

Your friend is getting a little taste of how things are done in the US military (kinda like the borg), im surprised he dident see this comming after what he has already been through in the military. They are not there to help you out, they are trying to get a service at the lowest price possible

If he plans on staying in the military, she should probably count on raising the kid herself, becasue the military could care less about your presence with your family.

And you know that how?