Chaplains: career flexibility; detail as students at schools for education required for appointment

(a) Career flexibility for chaplains Subsection (a) of section 710 of title 10, United States Code, is amended— (1) by inserting (1) before Each Secretary; and (2) by adding at the end the following new paragraph: (2) If the Secretary of a military department carries out a program under paragraph (1), such Secretary shall, pursuant to this section, inactivate a member who completes a detail under section 2004c of this title upon such completion so such member may perform religious ministry that meets professional requirements for appointment as a chaplain in the military department concerned.. (b) Detail as students at schools for education required for appointment as a chaplain Chapter 101 of title 10, United States Code, is amended by inserting after section 2004b the following new section 2004c: 2004c. Detail as students at schools for education required for appointment as a chaplain: commissioned officers; certain enlisted members (a) Detail authorized The Secretary of each military department may detail commissioned officers and enlisted members of the armed forces as students at accredited colleges, universities, and schools of theology, located in the United States, for a period of training leading to a graduate degree that meets the educational requirements for appointment as a chaplain in the armed forces. No more than twenty officers and enlisted members from each military department may commence such training in any single fiscal year. (b) Eligibility for detail To be eligible for detail under subsection (a), an officer or enlisted member must be a citizen of the United States and must— (1) (A) have served on active duty for a period of not less than two years nor more than five years and be an officer in the pay grade O–3 or below as of the time the training is to begin; or (B) have served on active duty for a period of not less than three years nor more than ten years and be an enlisted member in the pay grade E–4 or above as of the time the training is to begin; (2) in the case of an enlisted member, meet all requirements for acceptance of a commission as a commissioned officer in the armed forces; and (3) sign an agreement that unless sooner separated the officer or enlisted member will— (A) complete the educational course of chaplaincy training; and (B) if the Secretary of the military department concerned carries out a program under section 710 of this title— (i) agree to be inactivated for a period of not less than two years nor more than three years under subsection (a)(2) of such section title upon completion of a detail under this section; and (ii) accept transfer or detail as a chaplain in the military department concerned upon completion of the period described in clause (i). (c) Service obligation The agreement of an officer or enlisted member under subsection (b) shall provide that the officer or enlisted member shall serve on active duty for two years for each year or part thereof of chaplaincy training completed under subsection (a), except that the agreement may authorize the officer or enlisted member to serve a portion of such service obligation on active duty and to complete the service obligation that remains upon separation from active duty in the Selected Reserve, in which case the officer or enlisted member shall serve three years in the Selected Reserve for each year or part thereof of the chaplaincy training of such officer or enlisted member under subsection (a) for any service obligation that was not completed before separation from active duty. (d) Selection of officers and enlisted members for detail Officers and enlisted members detailed for chaplaincy training under subsection (a) shall be selected on a competitive basis by the Secretary of the military department concerned. (e) Relation of service obligations to other service obligations Any service obligation incurred by an officer or enlisted member under an agreement entered into under subsection (b) shall be in addition to any service obligation incurred by such officer or enlisted any other provision of law or agreement. (f) Expenses Expenses incident to the detail of officers and enlisted members under this section shall be paid from any funds appropriated for the military department concerned. (g) Failure to complete program An officer or enlisted member who is dropped from a program of chaplaincy training to which detailed under subsection (a) for deficiency in conduct or studies, or for other reasons, may be required to— (1) perform active duty in an appropriate military capacity in accordance with the active duty obligation imposed by regulations issued by the Secretary of Defense, except that in no case shall an officer or enlisted member be required to serve on active duty for any period in excess of one year for each year or part thereof he participated in the program; or (2) repay the expenses incident to the detail of such officer or enlisted member and paid under subsection (f). (h) Limitation on details No agreement detailing an officer or enlisted member of the armed forces to a chaplaincy school may be entered into during any period in which the President is authorized by law to induct persons into the armed forces involuntarily. Nothing in this subsection shall affect any agreement entered into during any period when the President is not authorized by law to so induct persons into the armed forces..