Overview

The decision to adopt is an exciting step for a family, but it can also be stressful and overwhelming. The Department of Defense (DoD) recognizes the importance of family as well as the role a service member's family plays in overall career satisfaction and retention. For this reason, DoD supports service members' decisions to adopt children and strives to support families during the adoption process.

DoD provides two main benefits to service members adopting an infant or child: reimbursement of adoption expenses up to a certain amount and the authorization for leaders to permit their service members up to twenty-one days of non-chargeable leave following an adoption.

For service members who are just starting the adoption process, installation service providers can help them identify local qualified adoption agencies. During and after the adoption process, service providers can assist service members by ensuring that they are aware of the benefits available to them from DoD and their Service, as well as how to access these benefits.