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119-s-1530119th CongressWALLET

SERVE Act

Sponsored By: Senator Ernst, Joni [R-IA]

Introduced

Summary

Expands recruiter access to students and formalizes JROTC cross-town participation to boost enlistment. The bill would widen what student information recruiters and ROTC programs can get, create a HERO school pilot, and offer priority service-academy consideration for graduates of high-enlistment schools.

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  • Students and families: Recruiters could receive school and academic information for students age 17 or older who do not return after a semester and access lists of students who filed a FAFSA. Recruiters must be allowed at least four visits per academic year in high-traffic, non-disruptive locations.
  • High schools and JROTC programs: Establishes two affiliation types, Host unit and Cross-town, so students can join JROTC at other district schools. The Department of Defense must issue guidance and deliver a JROTC policy report within 180 days.
  • Military recruitment and service academies: Creates a two-year HERO schools pilot to recognize schools that exceed state-average enlistment rates and review effectiveness after year one. Graduates of eligible schools would receive priority consideration for service-academy appointments and the bill requires implementation and annual reports on outcomes.

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Bill Overview

Analyzed Economic Effects

4 provisions identified: 2 benefits, 0 costs, 2 mixed.

Priority for high-enlistment schools

If enacted, the Defense Secretary could run a two-year HERO school pilot to name high schools that exceed their State's average enlistment and meet support requirements. If enacted, graduates from eligible high-enlistment schools would get priority consideration for U.S. service academy admissions, including appointments and congressional nominations. DoD must review the pilot after year one and report to Congress within 90 days after the two-year pilot ends. The Defense Secretary must also send an implementation report within 180 days and annual reports afterward on how priority is used.

More Selective Service contact data

If enacted, the Selective Service System would give the Defense Department, the military services, or Homeland Security an annual list of registrants that includes name, date of birth, phone number, and email. The change is meant to help recruitment outreach. This would make it easier for recruiters to contact registrants, but it raises privacy concerns for those on the list.

More JROTC access across schools

If enacted, the Defense Department would create two JROTC types: a host unit at a school with full-time staff and a cross-town unit letting students join a nearby host program. DoD must issue guidance and report to Congress within 180 days on cross-town units, enrollment, and locations. This could let more high-school students take part in JROTC without their school hiring staff.

New school access for military recruiters

If enacted, high schools would have to give military recruiters and ROTC regular access, with visits at least four times a year or monthly during busy school hours. Schools would need to provide recruiters specified student data, including names and academic grades, and may share lists of students age 17+ who did not return or who submitted a FAFSA if those lists are kept. Visits must be in high-traffic, non-disruptive locations and occur with reasonable notice.

Sponsors & CoSponsors

Sponsor

Ernst, Joni [R-IA]

IA • R

Cosponsors

There are no cosponsors for this bill.

Roll Call Votes

No roll call votes available for this bill.

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