evidence: WASHINGTON — The Defense Department announced Thursday that it’s updating military policies to protect access to abortions for female service members and back up health providers and doctors in states where laws prohibit the controversial procedure. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin said in a memo that the updated policies are designed to protect and enhance access to reproductive health for women in the armed forces, including added safeguards for privacy and financial support for service members who must travel to obtain an abortion. [...] To better ensure access, the department said reproductive health care will be available to service members regardless of where they are stationed, and the department will pay to varying extents for covered and non-covered abortions. Covered abortions are those in the military that are done in cases of rape, incest and to protect the life of the mother. Officials said service members would still be responsible for some of the expenses from non-covered abortions, but they did not specify which costs.