§2131 College Student Pre-commissioning Initiative

Summary

Creates a Coast Guard program that lets eligible college undergraduates enlist and then get a guaranteed officer commission after finishing school and Officer Candidate School (OCS). Applicants must be U.S. citizens, eligible for a secret clearance, and between 19 and 27 years old on September 30 of the fiscal year when the selection panel meets. They must have good moral character and meet other character, medical, credit, and grade requirements set by the Commandant. Coast Guard members who were court-martialed, given nonjudicial punishment, or failed performance or character rules in the 36 months before the first OCS class in the selection cycle cannot be commissioned. Applicants may have no more than 2 dependents, and single applicants may not have sole or primary custody of dependents. Students must be college sophomores or juniors at an eligible school (including certain HBCUs or schools with at least 50 percent of specified minority enrollments for three straight years) and usually must attend a school within 100 miles of a Coast Guard unit or recruiting office unless the Commandant allows otherwise. Those accepted enlist as E-3 with a 4-year active duty obligation and a 4-year inactive Reserve obligation. While in the program they must do required monthly military activities and then join the first OCS class after they graduate. After finishing OCS they leave enlisted status and become an O-1 with a 3-year initial duty obligation. By August 15 each year, the Commandant must brief two congressional committees about recruitment efforts and enrollee demographics (race, ethnicity, gender, geographic origin, and school).