FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE PROGRAM FOR PURSUIT OF DEGREES BY OFFICER CANDIDATES IN MARINE CORPS PLATOON LEADERS CLASS PROGRAM.

SEC. 551. FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE PROGRAM FOR PURSUIT OF DEGREES BY OFFICER CANDIDATES IN MARINE CORPS PLATOON LEADERS CLASS PROGRAM. (a) In General.—(1) Part IV of subtitle E of title 10, United States Code, is amended by adding at the end the following new chapter: “CHAPTER 1611—OTHER EDUCATIONAL ASSISTANCE PROGRAMS “Sec. “16401. Marine Corps Platoon Leaders Class program: officer candidates pursuing degrees. “§ 16401. Marine Corps Platoon Leaders Class program: officer candidates pursuing degrees “(a) Authority for Financial Assistance Program.—The Secretary of the Navy may provide financial assistance to an eligible enlisted member of the Marine Corps Reserve for expenses of the member while the member is pursuing on a full-time basis at an institution of higher education a program of education approved by the Secretary that leads to— “(1) a baccalaureate degree in less than five academic years; or “(2) a doctor of jurisprudence or bachelor of laws degree in not more than three academic years. “(b) Eligibility.—(1) To be eligible for financial assistance under this section, an enlisted member of the Marine Corps Reserve must— “(A) be an officer candidate in the Marine Corps Platoon Leaders Class program and have successfully completed one six-week (or longer) increment of military training required under that program; “(B) meet the applicable age requirement specified in paragraph (2); “(C) be enrolled on a full-time basis in a program of education referred to in subsection (a) at any institution of higher education; and “(D) enter into a written agreement with the Secretary described in paragraph (3). “(2)(A) In the case of a member pursuing a baccalaureate degree, the member meets the age requirements of this paragraph if the member will be under 27 years of age on June 30 of the calendar year in which the member is projected to be eligible for appointment as a commissioned officer in the Marine Corps through the Marine Corps Platoon Leaders Class program, except that if the member has served on active duty, the member may, on such date, be any age under 30 years that exceeds 27 years by a number of months that is not more than the number of months that the member served on active duty. “(B) In the case of a member pursuing a doctor of jurisprudence or bachelor of laws degree, the member meets the age requirements of this paragraph if the member will be under 31 years of age 113 STAT. 613on June 30 of the calendar year in which the member is projected to be eligible for appointment as a commissioned officer in the Marine Corps through the Marine Corps Platoon Leaders Class program, except that if the member has served on active duty, the member may, on such date, be any age under 35 years that exceeds 31 years by a number of months that is not more than the number of months that the member served on active duty. “(3) A written agreement referred to in paragraph (1)(D) is an agreement between the member and the Secretary in which the member agrees— “(A) to accept an appointment as a commissioned officer in the Marine Corps, if tendered by the President; “(B) to serve on active duty for at least five years; and “(C) under such terms and conditions as shall be prescribed by the Secretary, to serve in the Marine Corps Reserve until the eighth anniversary of the date of the appointment. “(c) Covered Expenses.—Expenses for which financial assistance may be provided under this section are— “(1) tuition and fees charged by the institution of higher education involved; “(2) the cost of books; and “(3) in the case of a program of education leading to a baccalaureate degree, laboratory expenses. “(d) Amount.—The amount of financial assistance provided to a member under this section shall be prescribed by the Secretary, but may not exceed $5,200 for any academic year. “(e) Limitations.—(1) Financial assistance may be provided to a member under this section only for three consecutive academic years. “(2) Not more than 1,200 members may participate in the financial assistance program under this section in any academic year. “(f) Failure to Complete Program.—(1) A member who receives financial assistance under this section may be ordered to active duty in the Marine Corps by the Secretary to serve in an appropriate enlisted grade for such period as the Secretary prescribes, but not for more than four years, if the member— “(A) completes the military and academic requirements of the Marine Corps Platoon Leaders Class program and refuses to accept an appointment as a commissioned officer in the Marine Corps when offered; “(B) fails to complete the military or academic requirements of the Marine Corps Platoon Leaders Class program; or “(C) is disenrolled from the Marine Corps Platoon Leaders Class program for failure to maintain eligibility for an original appointment as a commissioned officer under section 532 of this title. “(2) The Secretary of the Navy may waive the obligated service under paragraph (1) of a person who is not physically qualified for appointment under section 532 of this title and later is determined by the Secretary of the Navy under section 505 of this title to be unqualified for service as an enlisted member of the Marine Corps due to a physical or medical condition that was not the result of misconduct or grossly negligent conduct. “(g) Institution of Higher Education Defined.—In this section, the term ‘institution of higher education’ has the meaning 113 STAT. 614given that term in section 101 of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1001).”. (2) The tables of chapters at the beginning of subtitle E of such title and at the beginning of part IV of such subtitle are amended by adding after the item relating to chapter 1609 the following new item: “1611. Other Educational Assistance Programs 16401”. (b) Conforming Amendment.—Section 3695(a)(5) of title 38, United States Code, is amended by striking “Chapters 106 and 107” and inserting “Chapters 107, 1606, and 1610”. (c) Computation of Creditable Service.—Section 205 of title 37, United States Code, is amended by adding at the end the following new subsection: “(f) Notwithstanding subsection (a), the periods of service of a commissioned officer appointed under section 12209 of title 10 after receiving financial assistance under section 16401 of such title that are counted under this section may not include a period of service after January 1, 2000, that the officer performed concurrently as a member of the Marine Corps Platoon Leaders Class program and the Marine Corps Reserve, except that service after that date that the officer performed before commissioning (concurrently with the period of service as a member of the Marine Corps Platoon Leaders Class program) as an enlisted member on active duty or as a member of the Selected Reserve may be so counted.”. (d) Transition Provision.—(1) An enlisted member of the Marine Corps Reserve selected for training as an officer candidate under section 12209 of title 10, United States Code, before implementation of a financial assistance program under section 16401 of such title (as added by subsection (a)) may, upon application, participate in the financial assistance program established under section 16401 of such title (as added by subsection (a)) if the member— (A) is eligible for financial assistance under such section 16401; (B) submits a request for the financial assistance to the Secretary of the Navy not later than 180 days after the date on which the Secretary establishes the financial assistance program; and (C) enters into a written agreement described in subsection (b)(3) of such section. (2) Section 205(f) of title 37, United States Code, as added by subsection (c), applies to a member referred to in paragraph (1).