The Office of the Air Power has developed various goods developed to assist aircrew to make the most informed selections about no matter if to fly all through their pregnancy.
In April 2022, the DAF issued a clarification of insurance policies pertaining to aircrew throughout being pregnant. Considering the fact that then, the Section regarded the require to present aircrew, commanders, and health care professionals bigger awareness of and transparency all around the approach for submission and critique of waivers to fly through being pregnant.






The Aircrew Voluntary Acceptance of Danger, or AVAR, is a a few-section document (which includes a chance acknowledgement web page, an define of healthcare challenges, and satisfactory flight profiles) developed to guarantee aircrew have accessibility to the details that will enable them to make the most informed decisions about whether to go on flying through their pregnancy. Moreover, a set of routinely requested inquiries and answers had been designed for supplemental assistance. Both the AVAR and FAQs could be uncovered on the Air Pressure Professional medical Service’s Reproductive Health and fitness webpage.
“At the finish of the working day, we need to have to balance operational readiness, security, and our aircrew’s company, and I’m very pleased of the development we have produced to that close,” explained Underneath Secretary of the Air Force Gina Ortiz Jones.
Aircrew who want to be deemed for crewed flight duty should personally request to proceed traveling in the course of their being pregnant. The AVAR will support guide conversations with healthcare companies and tell users of both recognized and probable, but unmeasured, risks to make an informed final decision.
To return to flying responsibilities soon after turning out to be expecting, the servicemember should submit a waiver for evaluation by their flight surgeon, obstetrical treatment service provider, and commander, who must collaborate to decide whether to approve the waiver. All flights have to meet up with approved flight profiles and are based mostly on commander’s discretion and protection criteria.
DAF leadership’s intent is that aircrew are assured that the conclusion of no matter whether to request to fly during being pregnant – or not – will have no effects on their navy career. Aircrew who elect not to fly have other choices to carry on their job development, this sort of as sustaining currencies in the simulator, instructing teachers, supervisor of traveling, best-3, and numerous other schooling prospects and duties.
“It was a team hard work to acquire these solutions for expecting aircrew so they can continue on carrying out the missions they are experienced and prepared to conduct,” mentioned Air Drive Main of Workers Gen. CQ Brown, Jr.
As with any medical condition, the DAF will keep on to assessment aircrew pregnancy coverage and practices, which includes ongoing assortment of wellbeing and basic safety details. The service stays concentrated on pinpointing, analyzing, and correctly mitigating flight security dangers and exposures to facilitate the harmless and productive accomplishment of the navy mission. Continuous assessment will also drive proper modifications to the AVAR to enable aircrew to make the most educated choice on no matter whether to ask for continuation of flight duties.