§8634 Submarine Safety Programs: Participation of Nato Naval Personnel

Summary

The Secretary of the Navy can start a program on or after the date of the enactment of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2024 to assign naval personnel from NATO countries to U.S. commands. They will work with U.S. crews to develop, standardize, and make submarine safety and rescue systems and procedures work together. The program is not an exchange, so the U.S. does not have to send its sailors abroad in return. The U.S. may not pay many personal costs for those foreign members, such as salary, per diem, cost-of-living, travel, language or other training, and similar expenses. The U.S. can pay some things: temporary duty costs ordered by Navy leaders; training to orient or certify them for their specific assignments; and costs tied to using Navy facilities. These rules also apply when the Navy makes an agreement with a foreign government to assign its sailors, but that agreement needs the approval of the Secretary of State. The Secretary of the Navy can write rules to run the program.