Spring Break
Plan gives service members leave before deployment
Eau Claire students in the military and their families look forward to new proposal
McLean Bennett
Issue date: 4/12/07 Section: Campus News
A new bill proposed by State Sen. Kathleen Vinehout, D-Alma, will allow family members of military servicemen and servicewomen to spend time with their loved ones before deployment.
The Family Military Leave proposal, if approved, would allow service members, parents and spouses of service members to take "unpaid, job-protected leave" from work, according to a press release.
"A lot of times, these deployments are a year long, so it's a drastic, dramatic change in their life," said Josh Wescott, communications director for state Senate Majority Leader Judy Robson.
"It just throws their life into upheaval," he said, adding the proposed bill provides an opportunity for families to get their lives in order prior to deployment.
According to the press release, the bill states that employees who have worked at least 1,000 hours in the last year and have worked for the same employer for at least 12 months are eligible for an unpaid leave of absence.
Junior Staci Blohm, who is currently going through ROTC, said she values her family and would enjoy an opportunity to spend time with her family members before deployment.
"It's incredibly important to me," Blohm said about the opportunity. "I've always been really close to my family, so I'd like to maybe take a vacation with them or do all the things with them that we've always done."
Carol Blohm, Staci Blohm's mother, echoed some of her daughter's sentiments, saying she believes spending time with her daughter before deployment "would be the most important thing ever."
"The kids are going to be gone and it's really important to spend time with their family and the people they love," Carol Blohm said.
The bill states that businesses with between 15 and 50 workers must provide up to 15 days of absence. Businesses that employ more than 50 workers must provide up to 30 days of leave.
Wescott said the bill is currently being drafted, and will eventually be assigned to a Senate committee before making its way to the Senate floor. From there, the bill will be passed through the state Assembly before going to Gov. Doyle.
Junior Andrew Pederson, a senior airman in the Air Force Reserve, also said he feels spending time with family is very important.
"Sometimes you could be gone for a year, sometimes you could be gone for three months," he said. "It's very important to spend time with your family before you leave."
The Family Military Leave proposal, if approved, would allow service members, parents and spouses of service members to take "unpaid, job-protected leave" from work, according to a press release.
"A lot of times, these deployments are a year long, so it's a drastic, dramatic change in their life," said Josh Wescott, communications director for state Senate Majority Leader Judy Robson.
"It just throws their life into upheaval," he said, adding the proposed bill provides an opportunity for families to get their lives in order prior to deployment.
According to the press release, the bill states that employees who have worked at least 1,000 hours in the last year and have worked for the same employer for at least 12 months are eligible for an unpaid leave of absence.
Junior Staci Blohm, who is currently going through ROTC, said she values her family and would enjoy an opportunity to spend time with her family members before deployment.
"It's incredibly important to me," Blohm said about the opportunity. "I've always been really close to my family, so I'd like to maybe take a vacation with them or do all the things with them that we've always done."
Carol Blohm, Staci Blohm's mother, echoed some of her daughter's sentiments, saying she believes spending time with her daughter before deployment "would be the most important thing ever."
"The kids are going to be gone and it's really important to spend time with their family and the people they love," Carol Blohm said.
The bill states that businesses with between 15 and 50 workers must provide up to 15 days of absence. Businesses that employ more than 50 workers must provide up to 30 days of leave.
Wescott said the bill is currently being drafted, and will eventually be assigned to a Senate committee before making its way to the Senate floor. From there, the bill will be passed through the state Assembly before going to Gov. Doyle.
Junior Andrew Pederson, a senior airman in the Air Force Reserve, also said he feels spending time with family is very important.
"Sometimes you could be gone for a year, sometimes you could be gone for three months," he said. "It's very important to spend time with your family before you leave."
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