DoD plan would allow sabbaticals up to 3 years

[unhappycamper]

Soldiers may someday be able to take sabbaticals from duty to recuperate from high op tempo, if an experiment underway by the Navy works.


DoD plan would allow sabbaticals up to 3 years
By Rick Maze - Staff writer
Posted : Tuesday Apr 1, 2008 5:59:27 EDT

Defense officials are proposing an experiment in which service members could take a break in their military careers of up to three years for personal or professional reasons.

This time off — with health benefits, but without pay — would be similar to sabbaticals offered by some private businesses in high-pressure fields and by colleges and universities to some professors, but with a major difference: Most academic and professional sabbaticals are limited to one year.

Officials are calling their proposal “career intermission.”

The Navy is the only service planning to use the pilot program right away, defense officials said, but the Navy’s experience with it could lead to its expansion to the other services.

While those taking the time off would not receive active-duty pay or allowances, they would still be on the military’s payroll because they would be required to participate in the Ready Reserve and would receive a monthly stipend of $100.


Rest of article at: http://www.armytimes.com/news/2008/03/army_sabbatical_033108w/

[thunder rising]

1. Something like, go live under a bridge for a year and see if that changes your attitude.