Sec. 523. Merit-based principles for military personnel decisions in the Department of Defense
189 words·~1 min read·
/bill/118/hr/8070/eh/section-523·A research copy — for the controlling text, always check the official state or federal source. Not legal advice.
The Secretary of Defense shall ensure that each personnel decision regarding a covered member, including military accession, promotion, and command selection, is— based on the individual merit and demonstrated performance of the covered member; without regard to the political affiliation, race, color, religion, national origin, sex, or marital status, of the covered member; and with proper regard for the privacy and constitutional rights of the covered member. The Secretary shall protect a covered member against— arbitrary action, personal favoritism, and coercion for partisan political purposes; and reprisal for the lawful disclosure of information by a covered member that the covered member reasonably believes to evince— a violation of any law, rule, or regulation; or mismanagement, a gross waste of funds, or an abuse of authority.
The Secretary of Defense shall prescribe new regulations to carry out this section not later than 90 days after the date of the enactment of this Act. In this section, the term covered member means— a member of the Army, Navy, Marine Corps, Air Force, or Space Force; or an individual who has an active application to be a member described in paragraph (1).