VOLUNTEERS INVESTING IN PEACE AND SECURITY (VIPS) PROGRAM.

SEC. 1322. VOLUNTEERS INVESTING IN PEACE AND SECURITY (VIPS) PROGRAM. (a) Establishment of Program.—(1) Part II of subtitle A of title 10, United States Code, is amended by adding at the end the following new chapter: “CHAPTER 89—VOLUNTEERS INVESTING IN PEACE AND SECURITY “Sec. “1801. Volunteer program to assist independent states of the former Soviet Union. “1802. Participants in program. “1803. Determining needs for volunteers; role of the Secretary of State. “1804. Compensation and benefits. “1805. Termination of program. “§ 1801. Volunteer program to assist independent states of the former Soviet Union “The Secretary of Defense may, in coordination with the Secretary of State, carry out a program in accordance with this chapter to provide technical assistance to address the infrastructure needs of the independent states of the former Soviet Union. Assistance under the program shall be provided by volunteers who are retired members of the armed forces, or who are former members of the armed forces, who have been recently released from active duty. “§ 1802. Participants in program “(a) If the Secretary of Defense carrys out a program under section 1801 of this title, the Secretary shall select the volunteers to participate in the program. Volunteers shall be selected from among individuals— 106 STAT. 2552 “(1) who have retired from active duty or been released from active duty under a voluntary separation program; and “(2) who possess technical skills relevant to the infrastructure needs of the independent states of the former Soviet Union (as identified by the Secretary of State pursuant to section 1803(a) of this title), including skills in areas such as civil engineering, electrical engineering, nuclear plant safety, environmental cleanup, logistics, communications, and health care. “(b) Volunteers may be selected from among individuals who were separated from active duty not more than two years before the date of the enactment of this chapter. “(c)(1) The Secretary of Defense may employ volunteers, by contract, to provide services that use their technical skills for the benefit of governmental or nonprofit nongovernmental entities in any of the independent states of the former Soviet Union. “(2) A person who is employed as a volunteer under paragraph (1) shall be considered to be an employee for the purposes of chapter 81 of title 5, relating to compensation for work-related injuries. Such a person who is not otherwise employed by the Federal Government shall not be considered to be a Federal employee for any other purpose by reason of such employment as a volunteer. “(d) Volunteers may be required to agree to serve in an independent state of the former Soviet Union for a period of two years (in addition to such period of education and training provided under section 1803(c) of this title) except to the extent the Secretary of State determines otherwise. “(e) The Secretary of Defense shall prescribe procedures for the selection of volunteers, including procedures for the submission of applications. “(f) The Secretary of Defense may maintain a registry of applicants who are qualified to be volunteers, including the skills of such applicants. “§ 1803. Determining needs for volunteers; role of the Secretary of State “(a) The Secretary of Defense, in consultation with the Secretary of State, may identify the technical skills that could be provided by volunteers pursuant to this chapter and identify opportunities for the placement of volunteers with governmental or nongovernmental entities in each participating country. “(b) The Secretary of State shall approve the functions to be performed by each volunteer assigned pursuant to this chapter and the assignment of each volunteer to an independent state of the former Soviet Union. “(c) The Secretary of State may provide volunteers with language training, cultural orientation, and such other education and training as the Secretary determines appropriate. Any expenses incurred by the Secretary of State in carrying out this subsection shall be reimbursed by the Secretary of Defense from amounts currently available to the Secretary of Defense. “(d) Each volunteer shall serve under the authority of the United States chief of mission to the participating country and shall be considered to be a member of the United States mission to that country. 106 STAT. 2553 “§ 1804. Compensation and benefits “(a) Each volunteer may be paid a stipend at the annual rate of $25,000, subject to the availability of appropriations. “(b) If the Secretary of Defense determines that it is necessary to do so in order to recruit qualified volunteers, the Secretary may provide volunteers with the allowances and other benefits considered appropriate by the Secretary, including the following: “(1) Round-trip transportation for the volunteer and his or her dependents. “(2) Medical care for the volunteer and dependents, if the volunteer is not otherwise eligible for medical care from the Department of Defense or such medical care is otherwise not reasonably available. “(3) A housing allowance. “(4) An overseas cost-of-living allowance. “(5) Expenses of education of dependents. “§ 1805. Termination of program “The selection of volunteers to participate in the program under this chapter shall terminate on September 30, 1995.”. (2) The tables of chapters at the beginning of subtitle A, and at the beginning of part II of subtitle A, of title 10, United States Code, are amended by inserting after the item relating to chapter 87 the following new item: “89. Volunteers Investing in Peace and Security 1801”. (b) Reimbursement of Other Agencies.—The Secretary of Defense shall reimburse other departments and agencies for all costs, direct or indirect, of participation in the program established under chapter 89 of title 10, United States Code, as added by subsection (a). (c) Study To Determine Program Need and Availability of Volunteers.—The Secretary of Defense shall conduct a study to assess the need for the program under chapter 89 of title 10, United States Code, as added by subsection (a), and the availability of volunteers to participate in that program. The Secretary shall— (1) in consultation with the Secretary of State, conduct a survey, of a scope considered necessary by the Secretary, to determine what technical skills may be required within the independent states of the former Soviet Union and the degree of need for these skills; (2) determine the potential availability of former service members who are qualified in the required technical skills in a manner and of a duration considered necessary by the Secretary; and (3) maintain a registry of the skills and former service members who volunteer to participate during the study required in paragraphs (1) and (2). (d) Effective Date.—Chapter 89 of title 10, United States Code, as added by subsection (a), shall take effect on October 1, 1992.