The Defense Department is looking to help families in an effort to recruit and keep service members.
Defense Secretary Ash Carter announced proposals that could make parental leave longer and would give more child care and health care coverage to military families.
Carter said they plan to double the length of fully paid maternity leave for female members of the military to 12 weeks, up from the current six weeks, The Associated Press reported.
He is also going to work with Congress to add additional time off for paternity leave and adoptions.
Carter also proposed adding more hours at military child care locations and increasing the number of children who can be accommodated.
it will cost about $385 million for the changes over the next five years.
The decision to offer 12-week leave for new mothers will make the Navy cut its requirements of 18-week leave, and make accommodations for those who have already planned the full maternity leave, Navy Times reported.
The Navy instituted the policy last July.
The Marine Corps and Army were concerned about the 18-week plan, arguing that it would keep combat support troops from their jobs for too long, The AP reported.
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