Navy liberty policy revisions announced March 2, and outlined in MILPERSMAN 1050-290 provide commanding officers with greater clarification and authority to manage their people and meet mission requirements.

Consistent with Chief of Naval Personnel's goal to provide more authority back to command triads and allow for more effective management of their people, the revised policy expands descriptions of when special liberty may be appropriate, including for compassionate reasons.

Those examples include granting special liberty after extended deployments or time away from homeport, to reward exceptional performance, allow for Sailors to attend a funeral of a family member or assist one dealing with serious illness or injury, or any special occasion or circumstance determined by the commanding officer.

Leaders will also be able to establish their own "out of bounds" for liberty and special liberty and modify it as operational requirements dictate.

What's not changed is that special liberty may not exceed four days, or be combined with normal liberty or special holidays to allow for an absence exceeding four days. Sailors combining regular leave with special liberty still must start and finish leave at their home station or port.

The revised MILPERSMAN 1050-290 can be reviewed at www.npc.navy.mil.

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