ARMY COLLEGE FIRST PILOT PROGRAM

SEC. 573. ARMY COLLEGE FIRST PILOT PROGRAM (a) Program Required.—The Secretary of the Army shall establish a pilot program (to be known as the “Army College First” program) to assess whether the Army could increase the number of, and the level of the qualifications of, persons entering the Army as enlisted members by encouraging recruits to pursue higher education or vocational or technical training before entry into active service in the Army. (b) Delayed Entry With Allowance for Higher Education.—Under the pilot program, the Secretary may exercise the authority under section 513 of title 10, United States Code— (1) to accept the enlistment of a person as a Reserve for service in the Selected Reserve or Individual Ready Reserve of the Army Reserve or, notwithstanding the scope of the authority under subsection (a) of that section, in the Army National Guard of the United States; (2) to authorize, notwithstanding the period limitation in subsection (b) of that section, a delay of the enlistment of any such person in a regular component under that subsection for the period during which the person is enrolled in, and pursuing a program of education at, an institution of higher education, or a program of vocational or technical training, on a full-time basis that is to be completed within two years after the date of such enlistment as a Reserve under paragraph (1); and (3) in the case of a person enlisted in a reserve component for service in the Individual Ready Reserve, pay an allowance to the person for each month of that period. (c) Maximum Period of Delay.—The period of delay authorized a person under paragraph (2) of subsection (b) may not exceed the two-year period beginning on the date of the person’s enlistment accepted under paragraph (1) of such subsection. (d) Amount of Allowance.—(1) The monthly allowance paid under subsection (b)(3) is $150. The allowance may not be paid for more than 24 months. (2) An allowance under this section is in addition to any other pay or allowance to which a member of a reserve component is entitled by reason of participation in the Ready Reserve of that component. (e) Comparison Group.—To perform the assessment under subsection (a), the Secretary may define and study any group not including persons receiving a benefit under subsection (b) and compare that group with any group or groups of persons who receive such benefits under the pilot program. (f) Duration of Pilot Program.—The pilot program shall be in effect during the period beginning on October 1, 1999, and ending on September 30, 2004.113 STAT. 624 (g) Report.—Not later than February 1, 2004, the Secretary shall submit to the Committees on Armed Services of the Senate and the House of Representatives a report on the pilot program. The report shall include the following: (1) The assessment of the Secretary regarding the value of the authority under this section for achieving the objectives of increasing the number of, and the level of the qualifications of, persons entering the Army as enlisted members. (2) Any recommendation for legislation or other action that the Secretary considers appropriate to achieve those objectives through grants of entry delays and financial benefits for advanced education and training of recruits.