OGL 481 Pro-Seminar I:

PCA-Human Resource Frame Worksheet

Worksheet Objectives:
1. Describe the human resource frame
2. Apply the human resource frame to your personal case situation

Complete the following making sure to support your ideas and cite from the textbook and other
course materials per APA guidelines. After the peer review, you have a chance to update this and
format for your Electronic Portfolio due in Module 6.
1) Briefly restate your situation from Module 1 and your role.

The situation that I am doing for my PCA is analyzing the parental leave and breastfeeding

policies in the Air Force. My role would be considered both internal and external given the

nature that I was once in the military and these policies affected me. Now that I am out of the Air

Force my opinions and insights are more external.

2) Describe how the human resources of the organization influenced the situation.

According to Bolman and Deal's Reframing Organizations “The human resource lens

emphasizes understanding people—their strengths and foibles, reason and emotion, desires and

fears.” (Bolman 2021 pg 23). “The human resource frame centers on what organizations and

people do to and for one another.” (Bolman 2021 pg 115). Leaders who use the human resource

frame are skilled at managing change, providing clear direction, and building a sense of

community among employees. They also focuse on creating a fair and equitable rewards system,

providing opportunities for learning and development, and promoting employee engagement and

satisfaction. The human resource department in the Air Force is responsible for a wide range of

activities related to the management and development of personnel. This includes recruiting and

enlisting new members, managing promotions and assignments, overseeing training and

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education programs, and providing support and assistance to Air Force members and their

families.

Some key components of the Air Force's human resource department include the Air Force

Recruiting Service, the Air Force Personnel Center, and the Air Force Manpower and

Organization Directorate. The human resources department of the Air Force plays a key role in

shaping the breastfeeding and parental leave policies for airmen and airwomen. They are

responsible for ensuring that the policies comply with federal laws, such as the Family and

Medical Leave Act (FMLA), and that they are fair and equitable for all members of the Air

Force. They also work to ensure that the policies are flexible enough to accommodate the unique

needs of of the members who are breastfeeding or taking parental leave. This may involve

working with other departments, such as health services and legal, to develop policies and

procedures that support breastfeeding and parental leave. Ultimately, the goal of the human

resources department is to provide the members with the support they need to balance their

military duties with their family responsibilities.

These are things that I wish I knew about when I was in, and that they were more accepted. I

was looked at like I was crazy because I wanted to pump for my son.

3) Recommend how you would use the human resources for an alternative course of
action regarding your case.

An alternative course of action for the Air Force's human resources department regarding

breastfeeding and parental leave could be to implement a comprehensive lactation support

program. This program would provide Air Force members with access to lactation consultants,

breast pumps, and other breastfeeding-related equipment, as well as training and education on

the benefits of breastfeeding for both mothers and their infants. As of seven or eight years ago,

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TriCare (medical insurance through the Air Force) started providing members with a free breast

pump. However, until the last two years, a lot of women did not know this and still continued to

pay out of pocket for them. Although a lot of women are still finding this out, a lot of the OB

doctors are now asking their TriCare patients if they plan on breastfeeding and if so what pump

did they want. I think this is huge that the outside medical fields are ensuring the military embers

are getting what they are entitled to.

Additionally, the program could include more generous parental leave policies, such as

extending the length of leave for new parents, and allowing parents to take leave on a flexible,

part-time schedule. Which, as of December 2022, the new parental leave policy states “Effective

Dec. 27, 2022, the updated policy authorizes birth parents 12 weeks of parental leave following a

provider-recommended period of convalescent leave and non-birth parents 12 weeks of leave

following the birth of their child. The policy also grants adoptive parents and eligible foster

parents 12 weeks of parental leave.” (Air Force 2023). This allows all parents to 12 weeks of

parental leave. I believe this is amazing and helps with the family adjustment period. Originally

the parental leave policy was, “Previously, birth parents received six weeks of parental leave

following their convalescent leave, and non-birth parents received 21 days.” Then if the unit

could support it, the parent that gave birth could request an additional 6 weeks off totalling to 12

weeks. But that was not a guaranteed. (Air Force 2023).

This approach would has several benefits for the Air Force, including improved health

outcomes for mothers and infants, reduced absenteeism and turnover among new parents, and

increased morale and job satisfaction among members of the Air Force.

4) Reflect on what you would do or not do differently given what you have learned
about this frame.

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 It would be important for the Air Force to conduct research and gather data on the

effectiveness of the lactation support program and parental leave policies before implementing

them. This would help to ensure that the program and policies are meeting their intended goals

and addressing the needs of Air Force members. Additionally, it would be important to gather

feedback from members and make adjustments as needed to improve the program and policies

over time.

It would also be important to ensure that the lactation support program and parental leave

policies are in compliance with relevant laws and regulations, such as the Affordable Care Act

and the Family Medical Leave Act. Additionally, it would be important to provide clear guidance

and support to supervisors and managers on how to implement and administer the program and

policies in order to ensure consistency and fairness across the Air Force.

Overall, it is important to ensure that the implementation of lactation support program and

parental leave policies are evidence-based, inclusive and fair, and that they comply with the laws

and regulations.

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References

Air Force. (2023, January 9). Department of the Air Force releases policy on Military Parental

Leave. https://www.af.mil/News/Article-Display/Article/3262428/department-of-the-air-

force-releases-policy-on-military-parental-leave-program/

Bolman, L. G., & Deal, T. E. (2021). Reframing organizations: Artistry, choice, and

leadership (7th ed.). San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass

U.S. Department of Labor. (n.d.). Family and Medical Leave Act. Retrieved from
https://www.dol.gov/agencies/whd/fmla

Gross, J. (2017). Supporting breastfeeding military mothers: A call to action. Journal of Human
Lactation, 33(1), 5-12. doi: 10.1177/0890334416682473

Kendall, E. (2018). Balancing military and family responsibilities: The role of human resources
in supporting breastfeeding mothers in the United States Air Force. Journal of Military and
Veterans' Health, 26(3), 22-28.

Kouzes, J. M., & Posner, B. Z. (2007). The Leadership Challenge (4th edition). John Wiley &
Sons.

U.S. Air Force. (n.d.). Air Force Personnel Center. Retrieved from https://www.afpc.af.mil/

U.S. Air Force. (n.d.). Air Force Manpower and Organization. Retrieved from
https://www.af.mil/About-Us/Fact-Sheets/Display/Article/104460/air-force-manpower-and-
organization/

U.S. Air Force. (n.d.). Air Force Recruiting Service. Retrieved from
https://www.airforce.com/careers/join-the-air-force

U.S. Department of Defense. (2018). Military OneSource. Retrieved from

https://www.militaryonesource.mil/family-relationships/parenting/breastfeeding-support-and-
resources

U.S. Office of Personnel Management. (n.d.). Parental Leave. Retrieved from

https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/pay-leave/leave-administration/fact-sheets/parental-
leave