§2141. Educational assistance program: establishment

(a) To encourage enlistments and reenlistments for service on active duty in the armed forces, the Secretary of each military department may establish a program in accordance with this chapter to provide educational assistance to persons enlisting or reenlisting in an armed force under his jurisdiction. The costs of any such program shall be borne by the Department of Defense, and a person participating in any such program may not be required to make any contribution to the program.

(b) The Secretary of Defense shall prescribe regulations for the administration of this chapter. Such regulations shall take account of the differences among the several armed forces.

(c) In this chapter, the term "enlistment" means original enlistment or reenlistment.

(Added Pub. L. 96–342, title IX, §901(a), Sept. 8, 1980, 94 Stat. 1111 ; amended Pub. L. 100–180, div. A, title XII, §1231(18)(A), Dec. 4, 1987, 101 Stat. 1161 ; Pub. L. 100–456, div. A, title XII, §1233(k)(1), Sept. 29, 1988, 102 Stat. 2058 .)

Editorial Notes

Amendments

1988-Subsec. (c). Pub. L. 100–456 inserted "the term" after "In this chapter,".

1987-Pub. L. 100–180, which directed that subsec. (c) be amended by inserting "the term" after "In this section,", could not be executed because that phrase did not appear. See 1988 Amendment note above.

Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

Repayment of Loans for Service in the Armed Forces; Authorization, Criteria, Etc.

Pub. L. 96–342, title IX, §902, Sept. 8, 1980, 94 Stat. 1115 , as amended by Pub. L. 97–86, title IV, §406, Dec. 1, 1981, 95 Stat. 1106 ; Pub. L. 98–94, title X, §1034, Sept. 24, 1983, 97 Stat. 672 ; Pub. L. 98–525, title VII, §709, Oct. 19, 1984, 98 Stat. 2572 , provided that the Secretary of Defense could repay any loan made, insured, or guaranteed under part B of the Higher Education Act of 1965, or any loan made under part E of that Act, after Oct. 1, 1975, and further provided for the administration and criteria for such repayment, prior to repeal by Pub. L. 99–145, title VI, §671(a)(3), Nov. 8, 1985, 99 Stat. 663 . See section 2171 et seq. of this title.

Educational Assistance Pilot Program; Payment of Monthly Contribution by Secretary; Manner, Scope, Etc., of Payments

Pub. L. 96–342, title IX, §903, Sept. 8, 1980, 94 Stat. 1115 , provided that:

"(a)(1) As a means of encouraging enlistments and reenlistments in the Armed Forces, the Secretary of Defense, on behalf of any person who enlists or reenlists in the Armed Forces after September 30, 1980, and before October 1, 1981, and who elects or has elected to participate in the Post-Vietnam Era Veterans' Educational Assistance Program provided for under chapter 32 of title 38, United States Code, may pay the monthly contribution otherwise deducted from the military pay of such person. No deduction may be made under section 1622 [now 3222] of title 38, United States Code, from the military pay of any person for any month to the extent that the contribution otherwise required to be made by such person under such section for such month is paid by the Secretary of Defense.

"(2) No payment may be made under this section on behalf of any person for any month before the month in which such person enlisted or reenlisted in the Armed Forces or for any month before October 1980.

"(b) The amount paid by the Secretary of Defense under this section on behalf of any person shall be deposited to the credit of such person in the Post-Vietnam Era Veterans Education Account established under section 1622(a) [now 3222(a)] of title 38, United States Code.

"(c)(1) Except as provided in paragraph (2), the provisions of chapter 32 of title 38, United States Code, shall be applicable to payments made by the Secretary of Defense under this section.

"(2) Notwithstanding the provisions of section 1631(a)(4) [now 3231(a)(4)] of title 38, United States Code, the Secretary of Defense, in the case of any person who enlists or reenlists in the Armed Forces or any officer who is ordered to active duty with the Armed Forces after September 30, 1980, and before October 1, 1981, or whose active duty obligation with the Armed Forces is extended after September 30, 1980, and before October 1, 1981, and who is a participant in the educational assistance program described in subsection (a), may make monthly payments out of the Post-Vietnam Era Veterans Education Account to the spouse or child of such person to assist such spouse or child in the pursuit of a program of education. Payments under this subsection may be made to the spouse or child of a person participating in such educational assistance program only upon the request of such person and only for such period of time as may be specified by such person. The total amount paid under this subsection in the case of any spouse or child may not exceed the amount credited to such person in the Post-Vietnam Era Veterans Education Account.

"(d)(1) The authority conferred on the Secretary of Defense under this section shall be used by the Secretary only for the purpose of encouraging persons who possess critical military specialties (as determined by the Secretary of Defense) to enter or to remain in the Armed Forces.

"(2) Except as otherwise provided in this section, the Secretary of Defense may offer the benefits of this section to persons eligible therefor for such period as the Secretary determines necessary or appropriate to achieve the purpose of this section.

"(f) As used in this section:

"(1) The term 'program of education' shall have the same meaning as provided in chapter 32 of title 38, United States Code.

"(2) The term 'child' shall have the same meaning as provided in section 101(4) of title 38, United States Code.

"(3) The term 'Armed Forces' means the Army, Navy, Air Force, and Marine Corps."

Authorization of Appropriations; Allocation of Amounts

Pub. L. 96–342, title IX, §904, Sept. 8, 1980, 94 Stat. 1116 , provided that:

"(a) There is hereby authorized to be appropriated to carry out chapter 107 of title 10, United States Code (as added by section 901), and sections 902 and 903 [set out above] a total of $75,000,000.

"(b) The Secretary of Defense shall equitably allocate the amount appropriated under this section among the educational assistance program provided for under chapter 107 of title 10, United States Code (as added by section 901), the repayment as authorized by section 902 [set out above] of loans made, insured, or guaranteed under part B of the Higher Education Act of 1965 [20 U.S.C. 1071 et seq.] and of loans made under part E of such Act [20 U.S.C. 1087aa et seq.], and the educational assistance program provided for under section 903 [set out above]."

Reports on Educational Assistance Programs; Submission, Contents, Etc.

Pub. L. 96–342, title IX, §905, Sept. 8, 1980, 94 Stat. 1117 , directed Secretary of Defense to submit to Congress, quarterly for fiscal year 1981, a report on the implementation and operation of the educational assistance program provided for under chapter 107 of this title and of the programs provided for under sections 902 and 903 of Pub. L. 96–342, set out above, and to also submit, not later than Dec. 31, 1981, a report on the extent to which the educational assistance program provided for under chapter 107 of this title, the Post-Vietnam Era Veterans' Educational Assistance Program provided for under chapter 32 of title 38, and the program established under section 902 of Pub. L. 96–342 have encouraged persons to enter or remain in the Armed Forces.