EXPANSION OF AUTHORITY OF SECRETARIES OF THE MILITARY DEPARTMENTS TO INCREASE CERTAIN END STRENGTHS TO INCLUDE SELECTED RESERVE END STRENGTHS.

SEC. 418. EXPANSION OF AUTHORITY OF SECRETARIES OF THE MILITARY DEPARTMENTS TO INCREASE CERTAIN END STRENGTHS TO INCLUDE SELECTED RESERVE END STRENGTHS. Subsection (g) of section 115 of title 10, United States Code, is amended to read as follows:“(g) Authority for Service Secretary Variances for Active-duty and Selected Reserve End Strengths.—(1) Upon determination by the Secretary of a military department that such action would enhance manning and readiness in essential units or in critical specialties or ratings, the Secretary may—123 STAT. 2269“(A) increase the end strength authorized pursuant to subsection (a)(1)(A) for a fiscal year for the armed force under the jurisdiction of that Secretary or, in the case of the Secretary of the Navy, for any of the armed forces under the jurisdiction of that Secretary, by a number equal to not more than 2 percent of such authorized end strength; and“(B) increase the end strength authorized pursuant to subsection (a)(2) for a fiscal year for the Selected Reserve of the reserve component of the armed force under the jurisdiction of that Secretary or, in the case of the Secretary of the Navy, for the Selected Reserve of the reserve component of any of the armed forces under the jurisdiction of that Secretary, by a number equal to not more than 2 percent of such authorized end strength.“(2) Any increase under paragraph (1)(A) of the end strength for an armed force for a fiscal year shall be counted as part of the increase for that armed force for that fiscal year authorized under subsection (f)(1). Any increase under paragraph (1)(B) of the end strength for the Selected Reserve of a reserve component of an armed force for a fiscal year shall be counted as part of the increase for that Selected Reserve for that fiscal year authorized under subsection (f)(3).”.