INCREASE IN NUMBER OF UNITS OF JUNIOR RESERVE OFFICERS’ TRAINING CORPS.

SEC. 548. INCREASE IN NUMBER OF UNITS OF JUNIOR RESERVE OFFICERS’ TRAINING CORPS.(a) Plan for Increase.—The Secretary of Defense, in consultation with the Secretaries of the military departments, shall develop and implement a plan to establish and support, not later than September 30, 2020, not less than 3,700 units of the Junior Reserve Officers’ Training Corps.122 STAT. 4467(b) Exceptions.—The requirement imposed in subsection (a) shall not apply—(1) if the Secretary fails to receive an adequate number or requests for Junior Reserve Officers’ Training Corps units by public and private secondary educational institutions; or(2) during a time of national emergency when the Secretaries of the military departments determine that funding must be allocated elsewhere.(c) Cooperation.—The Secretary of Defense, as part of the plan to establish and support additional Junior Reserve Officers’ Training Corps units, shall work with local educational agencies to increase the employment in Junior Reserve Officers’ Training Corps units of retired members of the Armed Forces who are retired under chapter 61 of title 10, United States Code, especially members who were wounded or injured while deployed in a contingency operation.(d) Report on Plan.—Upon completion of the plan, the Secretary of Defense shall provide a report to the congressional defense committees containing, at a minimum, the following:(1) A description of how the Secretaries of the military departments expect to achieve the number of units of the Junior Reserve Officers’ Training Corps specified in subsection (a), including how many units will be established per year by each service.(2) The annual funding necessary to support the increase in units, including the personnel costs associated.(3) The number of qualified private and public schools, if any, who have requested a Junior Reserve Officers’ Training Corps unit that are on a waiting list.(4) Efforts to improve the increased distribution of units geographically across the United States.(5) Efforts to increase distribution of units in educationally and economically deprived areas.(6) Efforts to enhance employment opportunities for qualified former military members retired for disability, especially those wounded while deployed in a contingency operation.(e) Time for Submission.—The plan required under subsection (a), along with the report required by subsection (d), shall be submitted to the congressional defense committees not later than March 31, 2009. The Secretary of Defense shall submit an up-dated report annually thereafter until the minimum number of units of the Junior Reserve Officers’ Training Corps specified in subsection (a) is achieved.