Skip to main content (Press Enter).
 News
    
        Photos

    Week in Photos

    Air Force TV

    Commentaries

    Features

    Art

    About Us
    
        Air Force Senior Leaders
    
        SECAF

    CSAF

    CMSAF

    Biographies

    Fact Sheets

    SECAF Reading List

    CSAF Leadership Library
    
        CSAF Leadership Library 2022

    CSAF Leadership Library 2021

    CSAF Reading List Pre-2020 Archive
    
        2018 CSAF Reading List

    2017 CSAF Reading List

    2016 CSAF Reading List

    CSAF Leadership Library 2023

    CMSAF Leadership Library

    50 Years of the CMSAF

    Adjunct Professors

    Air Force Strategic Documents

    Arctic Strategy

    Empowered Airmen

    State Licensure Portability

    Careers

    AF Federal Advisory Committees

    AF 75th Anniversary

    Policy Updates

    AF Content Management

    Contact Us

    AF Sites
    
        Site RegistrationU.S. Air Force LogoAir Force

        Policy UpdatesNewsroomReoptimizationBIOGRAPHIESAF Senior Leaders      Lt. Col. Hallie Herrera salutes during her change of command ceremony at Fort George G. Meade, Md., June 16, 2020. Hererra, who was eight months pregnant at the time, took command of the 22nd Intelligence Squadron. (U.S. Air Force courtesy photo by Felix Herrera)Change of Command
                        
                        
                        Lt. Col. Hallie Herrera salutes during her change of command ceremony at Fort George G. Meade, Md., June 16, 2020. Hererra, who was eight months pregnant at the time, took command of the 22nd Intelligence Squadron. (U.S. Air Force courtesy photo by Felix Herrera)
                
                Photo Details /
                        Download Hi-Res
        


        Lt. Col. Hallie Herrera takes command of the 22nd Intelligence Squadron from Col. Charles Freel, commander of the 691st Intelligence Surveillance and Reconnaissance Group in a ceremony at Fort George G. Meade, Md., June 16, 2020. (U.S. Air Force courtesy photo by Felix Herrera)Change of Command
                        
                        
                        Lt. Col. Hallie Herrera takes command of the 22nd Intelligence Squadron from Col. Charles Freel, commander of the 691st Intelligence Surveillance and Reconnaissance Group in a ceremony at Fort George G. Meade, Md., June 16, 2020. (U.S. Air Force courtesy photo by Felix Herrera)
                
                Photo Details /
                        Download Hi-Res

Air Force removes administrative burden, allows pregnant, postpartum women to attend PMEPublished July 29, 2020
                    
                    By   Secretary of the Air Force Public Affairs
            **WASHINGTON (AFNS) --**Pregnant and postpartum members may now attend professional military education without an exception to policy, and are also exempt from the requirement to have a passing fitness assessment prior to attending.



Previous policy prevented pregnant women and women within their one-year postpartum deferment period from attending PME, creating an unintended barrier to their developmental milestones.



“Empowering women to make a decision about the right time to attend PME, especially during or after pregnancy, is the right thing to do,” saidGwendolyn DeFilippi, assistant deputy director of Air Force manpower, personnel and services and strategic director of the Department of the Air Force Barrier Analysis Working Group. “These type of policy changes provide women flexibility to balance family planning and career progression; they help level the playing field. We’re committed to improving diversity, inclusion and belonging across the Department of the Air Force, and sometimes it’s hard to know what to do. Thanks to the Women’s Initiative Team and the work of the Diversity Task Force, we are able to implement meaningful changes that will help retain women in our ranks.”



This change, in collaboration with Col. Ricky Mills, Squadron Officer School commandant atMaxwell Air Force Base, Alabama, was introduced through the Women’s Initiative Team. The WIT, which is one of six teams in the DAFBAWG, was specifically created to address barriers for women in the Department of the Air Force and has championed numerous policy changes to benefit women.



“We found some people wanted to attend PME during pregnancy, but were facing obstacles to attend,” said Maj. Alea Nadeem, Women’s Initiatives Team chief. “The WIT advocated for pregnant women to work directly with their primary care manager or obstetrician to empower them to make a well-informed decision. We keep an ear to the ground and listen to what our teammates are saying. Thanks to the Air and Space Professionals who came forward and identified this as a barrier, and also for the support of Col. Mills and his team who assisted the WIT in making this important change.”



Air Force Instruction 23-2670,*Total Force Development*, outlines the exemption for pregnant and postpartum members. Routine obstetric care may not be available at the PME location, so members should work with their primary care manager or obstetrician to obtain medical clearance and any required paperwork.



Whether or not a member attends PME while pregnant or within the one-year postpartum period is left up to the individual and her medical team. For those who elect to attend PME while pregnant or within their postpartum period, there is no expectation to perform a physical event or activity with which they are uncomfortable.

For more information, members should contact their chains of command or refer toAFI 36-2670, *Total Force Development*.AFWN 



USAF 



AF 



Air Force 



diversity 



pregnant 



pregnancy 



women 



female 



Postpartum 



deferment 



PME 



professional military education 



fitness assessment 



exempt 



SAF 



Women’s Initiatives Team 



WIT 



Department of the Air Force Barrier Analysis Working Group 



Diversity Task Force Featured News
        Senior Leader Priorities
                DAF leaders talk budget, reoptimizing the force
                    
                    DAF leaders speak at National Character and Leadership Symposium
                    
                    DAF members recognized during BEYA STEM awards
                    
                    DAF senior enlisted advisors discuss Airmen, Guardians in the fight
                    
                    SecAF Kendall AFA Warfare Symposium Q&A: Reoptimizing for Great Power CompetitionInnovation
                AFWERX director discusses role of tech startups, quick innovation in Great Power Competition
                    
                    DAF delivers lethality at the speed of data during Project Convergence Capstone 4
                    
                    DAF welcomes industry partners to HQ development program
                    
                    DAF announces Spark Tank 2024 finalists
                    
                    Chief Digital, Artificial Intelligence Office to host hackathon in HawaiiMAJCOM News
                Air Combat Command welcomes new commander
                    
                    USAFE-AFAFRICA commander discusses Integrated Air, Missile Defense during Munich Security Conference
                    
                    Flosi to AFMC family: Embrace change, make every day count
                    
                    AMC rises to increasing global tension
                    
                    USAFE-AFAFRICA commander emphasizes five focus areas during AFA Warfare Symposium
 Quick Links
AccessibilityContact UsEqual OpportunityFOIA | Privacy | Section 508Information QualityInspector GeneralJAG Court-Martial DocketLink DisclaimerNo FEAR ActOpen GovernmentOSI Tip LinePlain LanguageQuestionsResilienceRSSSite MapVeterans Crisis LineCareers
Join the Air ForceAir Force BenefitsAir Force CareersAir Force ReserveAir National GuardCivilian ServiceConnect
            Get Social with Us
            
            Official United States Air Force Website
    Hosted by Defense Media Activity - WEB.mil