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Date Posted: 03:37:08 01/09/05 Sun
Author: AP
Subject: Emergency Home Leave Common in Military

Emergency Home Leave Common in Military

Sat Jan 8, 4:16 PM ET

 U.S. National - AP


PIKEVILLE, Ky. - Marine Cpl. Paul Ratliff was in Iraq (news - web sites) last month when he learned that his wife has gone into labor prematurely and their child was at risk of being born with underdeveloped lungs.

 

"My heart hit my stomach when I got the message," said Ratliff, a 26-year-old reservist whose commanders allowed him to travel to Kentucky to be with his wife.


The question of whether a soldier, sailor or marine should be granted emergency leave is one that military officials deal with regularly: The Red Cross sent about 200,000 emergency messages to personnel in the armed services between July 2003 and June 2004.


A birth does not qualify Marines for emergency home leave unless, as was the case for Ratliff, there are complications, said Marine spokeswoman Staff Sgt. Christina Delai. Leaves are most often granted when immediate family members die or are seriously ill or injured, she said.


"It's done on a case-by-case basis, but we do everything we possibly can to accommodate the Marine," Delai said.


The process of applying for home leave differs slightly in each military branch, but the same general rules apply: Military personnel qualify for up to 30 days of home leave if a parent, spouse, child, or sibling dies or faces life-threatening injury or illness.


Most requests start when a family member notifies a local American Red Cross (news - web sites) chapter. The Red Cross verifies the emergency with a doctor and sends notification to the appropriate military unit. The request then goes up the chain of command, Delai said.


In some cases, family members inform the military unit directly with details of the situation, an increasingly common and acceptable practice in the age of speedy electronic communication, Delai said.


In Ratliff's case, an electronic instant message was sent to his platoon commander, Staff Sgt. Jay Taylor, who approved an emergency leave for Ratliff and sent the request up the chain of command in Iraq.


Before Ratliff arrived home, doctor's halted Rachel Ratliff's pre-term labor with medication.


On Dec. 30, Ratliff was at his wife's side when she went into labor again and gave birth to Paul Jeremiah Ratliff, whose lungs were fine.


"I was so happy to be there and see it," said Paul Ratliff, who on Saturday began the trip back to Iraq. "It's opened my eyes and will change my life."

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