For most new parents, bringing home a newborn is both thrilling and nerve-wracking. For active-duty Army couples, the level act can be even more complex juggling long hours, strict schedules, and the demands of service while learning the ropes of parenthood.
For Captain Susan Sargent and Captain Liz Sims, both stationed at Fort Shafter, in Honolulu, Hawaii, the arrival of their first baby this past March marked a new and joyful chapter. One made easier by the strong network of support the U.S. military offers to families like theirs.
“We were nervous and excited all at once,” said Sargent, smiling as she recalled their first days as moms.
“You prepare as best as you can, but it’s still a huge life change. Especially when both of you are serving.”
Both Sargent and Sims said they felt reassured by how the military’s family benefits are designed to support service members through parenthood. Their medical coverage through TRICARE, the military’s healthcare system, covered all prenatal appointments, delivery costs, and postnatal care. Not many jobs give this amazing opportunity to be able to help these new parents cover all the fees.
“It took such a weight off our shoulders,” Sims said. “We didn’t have to think about medical bills or insurance paperwork. We could just focus on our health and our baby.”
Military families are given 90 days after birth to enroll their child in TRICARE to ensure continued coverage for pediatric care, checkups, and immunizations, something Sargent called “a huge relief.”
Being able to have this much time off with a newborn is very unlikely that it happens, but one of the biggest benefits the couple appreciated was the expanded parental leave policy.
Under current Department of Defense guidelines, both birth and non-birth parents are eligible for 12 weeks of paid leave following the birth or adoption of a child.
“It meant the world to us,” said Sargent, who took 12 weeks of maternity leave following delivery. “And Liz got the same amount of time: 12 full weeks of parental leave. We got to be home together as a family, which helped us find our rhythm and bond with our baby.”
Sims added that having both parents’ home at once is rare in military life, and it made all the difference. “Usually, one of us is working or deployed,” she said.
“This time, we both got to be there for every first, the first smile, the first night home, all of it. It really strengthened us as a couple and as new parents.
Beyond healthcare and leave, programs like the New Parent Support Program (NPSP) helped guide them through the early days of parenthood. The program offers home visits, parenting workshops, and counseling tailored to military families, a lifeline for those stationed far from relatives.
“We don’t have family nearby, so having someone check in and offer advice has been amazing,” Sims said. “They answered so many little questions and reminded us of we’re not doing this alone.”
The couple also benefited from an increased Basic Allowance for Housing (BAH), which helps service members adjust their living arrangements as their families grow.
Even with the military’s strong family programs, Sargent and Sims admit that raising a child while serving has its challenges. Between night feedings, duty calls, and preparing for potential reassignments, life can feel like a constant balancing act.
We’ve both learned to be flexible,” Sargent said with a laugh. “Some days we’re running on coffee and teamwork, but that’s what military families do best, we adapt.”
Still, they both said the military’s evolving family policies show a real commitment to supporting service members beyond their professional duties.
“When you serve, your family serves too,” Sims said.“Having these benefits, from healthcare to leave, shows that the military values us not just as soldiers or sailors, but as parents and partners.”
Military officials have repeatedly emphasized that family readiness and mission readiness go hand in hand. By ensuring that parents like Sargent and Sims have time and resources to focus on their new baby, the Department of Defense is investing in stronger, more stable service members.
For this Fort Shafter couple, that support has meant everything. “It’s not easy being a military family,” Sargent said. “But having these programs behind us has made it possible to really enjoy this time together. We feel supported both as service members and as new moms.”
Now that their parental leave has ended, Sargent and Sims have returned to work, but they’re not doing it alone. Their family recently came to stay with them in Hawaii to help care for the baby while they balance their military schedules.
“Having family here has been such a blessing,” Sims said. “They’ve stepped in to help with feedings; daycare runs and just being there when duty calls. It’s given us peace of mind knowing our baby is surrounded by love, even when we can’t be home.”
With a strong family foundation and the military’s growing support network, the couple says they’re ready for whatever comes next.
“It really takes a village,” Sargent said. “And between our family and the military community, we’ve found ours.”