Sec. 162. Consolidation of authorities for college student precommissioning initiative
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Section 3710 of title 14, United States Code, is amended to read as follows: There is authorized within the Coast Guard a college student precommissioning initiative program (in this section referred to as the Program ) for eligible undergraduate students to enlist in the Coast Guard Reserve and receive a commission as a Reserve officer. To be eligible for the Program an applicant shall meet the following requirements upon submitting an application: The applicant shall be not less than 19 years old and not more than 31 years old as of September 30 of the fiscal year in which the Program selection panel selecting such applicant convenes, or an age otherwise determined by the Commandant.
The applicant shall be of outstanding moral character and meet any other character requirement set forth by the Commandant. Any applicant serving in the Coast Guard may not be commissioned if in the 36 months prior to the first Officer Candidate School class convening date in the selection cycle, such applicant was convicted by a court-martial or assigned nonjudicial punishment, or did not meet performance or character requirements set forth by the Commandant. The applicant shall be a United States citizen.
The applicant shall be eligible for a secret clearance. The applicant shall be enrolled in a college degree program at— an institution of higher education described in section 371(a) of the Higher Education Act of 1965 ( 20 U.S.C. 1067q(a) ); an institution of higher education (as defined in section 101 of the Higher Education Act of 1965 ( 20 U.S.C. 1001 )) that, at the time of the application has had for 3 consecutive years an enrollment of undergraduate full-time equivalent students (as defined in section 312(e) of such Act ( 20 U.S.C. 1058(e) )) that is a total of at least 50 percent Black American, Hispanic American, Asian American (as defined in section 371(c) of such Act ( 20 U.S.C. 1067q(c) )), Native American Pacific Islander (as defined in such section), or Native American (as defined in such section), among other criteria, as determined by the Commandant; or an institution that meets the eligibility requirements for funding as a rural-serving institution of higher education under section 861 of the Higher Education Act of 1965 ( 20 U.S.C. 1161q ).
The institution at which the applicant is an undergraduate shall be within 100 miles of a Coast Guard unit or Coast Guard Recruiting Office unless otherwise approved by the Commandant. The applicant shall meet credit and grade point average requirements set forth by the Commandant. The applicant shall meet other medical and administrative requirements as set forth by the Commandant. The Commandant may provide financial assistance to enlisted members of the Coast Guard Reserve on active duty participating in the Program, for expenses of the enlisted member while the enlisted member is enrolled, on a full-time basis, in a college degree program approved by the Commandant at a college, university, or institution of higher education described in subsection (b)(5) that leads to— a baccalaureate degree in not more than 5 academic years; or a post-baccalaureate degree.
To be eligible for financial assistance under this section, an enlisted member of the Coast Guard Reserve shall enter into a written agreement with the Coast Guard that notifies the Reserve enlisted member of the obligations of that member under this section, and in which the member agrees to the following: The member shall complete an approved college degree program at a college, university, or institution of higher education described in subsection (b)(5). The member shall satisfactorily complete all required Coast Guard training and participate in monthly military activities of the Program as required by the Commandant.
Upon graduation from the college, university, or institution of higher education described in subsection (b)(5), the member shall— accept an appointment, if tendered, as a commissioned officer in the Coast Guard Reserve; and serve a period of obligated active duty for a minimum of 3 years immediately after such appointment as follows: Members participating in the Program shall be obligated to serve on active duty 3 months for each month of instruction for which they receive financial assistance pursuant to this section for the first 12 months and 1 month for each month thereafter, or 3 years, whichever is greater.
The period of obligated active duty service incurred while participating in the Program shall be in addition to any other obligated service a member may incur due to receiving other bonuses or other benefits as part of any other Coast Guard program. If an appointment described in clause
(i)is not tendered, the member will remain in the Reserve component until completion of the member’s enlisted service obligation. The member shall agree to perform such duties or complete such terms under the conditions of service specified by the Coast Guard. Expenses for which financial assistance may be provided under this section are the following: Tuition and fees charged by the college, university, or institution of higher education at which a member is enrolled on a full-time basis. The cost of books. In the case of a program of education leading to a baccalaureate degree, laboratory expenses. Such other expenses as the Commandant considers appropriate, which may not exceed $25,000 for any academic year. Financial assistance may be provided to a member under this section for up to 5 consecutive academic years. The Secretary may retain in the Coast Guard Reserve, and may order to active duty for such period of time as the Secretary prescribes (but not to exceed 4 years), a member who breaches an agreement under paragraph (2). The period of time for which a member is ordered to active duty under this paragraph may be determined without regard to section 651(a) of title 10. A member who is retained in the Coast Guard Reserve under subparagraph
(A)shall be retained in an appropriate enlisted grade or rating, as determined by the Commandant. A member who does not fulfill the terms of the obligation to serve as specified under paragraph (2), or the alternative obligation imposed under paragraph (5), shall be subject to the repayment provisions of section 303a(e) of title 37. Not later than August 15 of each year following the date of the enactment of the Coast Guard Authorization Act of 2025 , the Commandant shall provide a briefing to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation of the Senate and the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure of the House of Representatives on the Program. The briefing required under paragraph
(1)shall describe— outreach and recruitment efforts over the previous year; and demographic information of enrollees, including— race; ethnicity; gender; geographic origin; and educational institution. . Section 2131 of title 14, United States Code, is repealed. The analysis for chapter 21 of title 14, United States Code, is amended by striking the item relating to section 2131. The analysis for chapter 37 of title 14, United States Code, is amended by striking the item relating to section 3710 and inserting the following: 3710. College student precommissioning initiative. .
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Sec. 162
Consolidation of authorities for college student precommissioning initiative
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