EXTENSION OF TRANSITION TO JOINT DUTY ASSIGNMENT STAFFING REQUIREMENTS

SEC. 516. EXTENSION OF TRANSITION TO JOINT DUTY ASSIGNMENT STAFFING REQUIREMENTS (a) General Extension.—Subsection (a) of section 406 of the Goldwater-Nichols Department of Defense Reorganization Act of 1986 (Public Law 99–433; 100 Stat. 1033) is amended to read as follows: “(a) Joint Duty Assignments.—(1) Section 661(d) of title 10, United States Code, shall be implemented as rapidly as possible and (except as provided under paragraph (2)) not later than October 1, 1989. “(2) The first sentence of section 661(d)(2)(B) of such title shall apply with respect to positions designated under the first sentence of section 661(d)(2)(A) of that title as critical joint duty assignment positions which become vacant after January 1, 1989.”. (b) Transition.—Subsection (b)(1)(B) of such section is amended by striking out clauses (ii) and (iii) and inserting in lieu thereof the following: “(ii) waive the requirement for the length of a joint duty assignment in the case of a joint duty assignment begun by an officer before January 1, 1987, if the officer served in that assignment for a period of sufficient duration (which may not be less than 12 months) to have been considered a full tour of duty under the policies and regulations in effect on September 30, 1986; or “(iii) consider as a joint duty assignment any tour of duty begun by an officer before October 1, 1986, that involved significant experience in joint matters (as determined by the Secretary) if the officer served in that assignment for a period of sufficient duration (which may not be less than 12 months) for his service to have been considered a full tour of duty under the policies and regulations in effect on September 30, 1986.”. (c) Deadline for Initial Selection of Officers for the Joint Specialty.—Subsection (b)(3) of such section is amended by striking out “two years after the date of the enactment of this Act” and inserting in lieu thereof “on October 1, 1989”.