II 

111TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION S. 262 

To improve and enhance the operations of the reserve components of the 

Armed Forces, to improve mobilization and demobilization processes for 

members of the reserve components of the Armed Forces, and for other 

purposes. 

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES 

JANUARY 15, 2009 

Mr. CASEY introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred 

to the Committee on Armed Services 

A BILL 

To improve and enhance the operations of the reserve components of the Armed Forces, to improve mobilization and 

demobilization processes for members of the reserve components of the Armed Forces, and for other purposes. 

1 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa2 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 

3 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 

4 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Fortifying Operational 

5 Reserve Component Efforts Act of 2009’’ or ‘‘FORCE Act 

6 of 2009’’. 

7 SEC. 2. FINDINGS. 

8 Congress makes the following findings: 


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1 (1) The number of troops deployed to Iraq and 

2 Afghanistan from at least 35 States exceeds the 

3 number of troops deployed from such States to any 

4 war since World War II. 

5 (2) As of March 31, 2008, more than 267,399 

6 members of the National Guard have been deployed 

7 abroad since September 11, 2001. 

8 (3) 41 percent of the members of the National 

9 Guard and Reserves who have been deployed over10 seas report mental health symptoms within three to 

11 six months of returning home from deployment, 

12 compared with 32 percent of the members of the 

13 regular components of the Armed Forces who have 

14 been so deployed. 

15 (4) In June 2007, the Department of Defense 

16 reported that almost half of the members of the Na17 tional Guard and Reserves who had served in Iraq 

18 or Afghanistan suffer considerable post-combat psy19 chological problems. 

20 (5) In 2007, the Department of Defense found 

21 that members of the National Guard who had been 

22 deployed to Iraq and Afghanistan were 25 percent 

23 more likely to have suffered a combat related psy24 chological wound than regular members of the Army 

25 who had been so deployed. 


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1 (6) In the December 2006 Status of Forces 

2 Survey of Reserve Component Members conducted 

3 by the Defense Manpower Data Center, 13 percent 

4 of respondents indicated a preferable availability of 

5 health care providers through the TRICARE pro6 gram while 47 percent of respondents indicated a 

7 preferable availability of health care providers 

8 through civilian health care plans. 

9 (7) In June 2007, the Task Force on Mental 

10 Health of the Department of Defense reported that 

11 at many locations members of the Armed Forces 

12 and their families who rely on the TRICARE pro13 gram for health care have less access to care than 

14 health care provider lists under the TRICARE pro15 gram would otherwise suggest because the mental 

16 health care providers on such lists routinely included 

17 providers who do not accept patients under the 

18 TRICARE program. 

19 (8) The Commission on the National Guard and 

20 Reserve found that families of members of the re21 serve components of the Armed Forces who live con22 siderable distances from military treatment facilities, 

23 and thus tend to rely on the TRICARE Standard 

24 program for health care benefits, often have an espeVerDate Nov 24 2008 23:15 Jan 16, 2009 Jkt 079200 PO 00000 Frm 00003 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\S262.IS S262

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1 cially difficult time finding civilian health care pro2 viders under that program. 

3 (9) In April 2008, the Government Account4 ability Office reported that coordination between 

5 Federal officials and the Adjutants General of the 

6 States in the development of homeland defense, 

7 homeland security, and civil response plans remained 

8 inadequate. 

9 (10) It is in the national interest to have a 

10 large cadre of volunteers to assist family support 

11 programs for families of members of the reserve 

12 components of the Armed Forces. However, without 

13 an adequate number of paid professional staff posi14 tions within such programs, such programs may suf15 fer. 

16 SEC. 3. ENHANCEMENT OF DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE 

17 COMMUNICATIONS TO MEMBERS OF THE RE18 SERVE COMPONENTS OF THE ARMED 

19 FORCES AND THEIR FAMILIES ON HEALTH 

20 BENEFITS AND FAMILY SUPPORT PROGRAMS. 

21 (a) REVIEW OF COMMUNICATIONS FOR PURPOSES OF

22 IMPROVEMENT.—The Secretary of Defense shall conduct 

23 a comprehensive review of the programs and activities of 

24 the Department of Defense regarding communications to 

25 members of the reserve components of the Armed Forces 


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1 and their families on health benefits, family support, and 

2 other resources available to such members and families 

3 through the Department of Defense. The review shall 

4 serve as a basis for the Secretary to identify means by 

5 which such programs and activities may be improved to 

6 enhance the availability of information to such members 

7 and families on such benefits, support, and resources and 

8 the communication of such information to such members 

9 and families. 

10 (b) SURVEY ON FAMILY PARTICIPATION IN MOBILI11 ZATION AND DEMOBILIZATION PROGRAMS AND ACTIVI12 TIES.— 

13 (1) IN GENERAL.—In conducting the review re14 quired by subsection (a), the Secretary shall conduct 

15 a survey of members of the reserve components of 

16 the Armed Forces and their families regarding 

17 means of enhancing the participation of families of 

18 such members in programs and activities associated 

19 with the mobilization and demobilization of such 

20 members. 

21 (2) ELEMENTS.—The survey required by this 

22 subsection shall obtain information on the following: 

23 (A) The level and extent of understanding 

24 by family members of members of the reserve 

25 components of the benefits, assistance, and 


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1 other resources available to such family mem2 bers through the Department of Defense during 

3 the mobilization and demobilization of members 

4 of the reserve components. 

5 (B) The level of utilization by family mem6 bers of members of the reserve components of 

7 the benefits, assistance, and resources available 

8 to such family members as described in sub9 paragraph (A). 

10 (C) Particular concerns of family members 

11 of members of the reserve components under12 going demobilization during the demobilization 

13 process, including the adequacy of the benefits, 

14 assistance, and other resources available to such 

15 family members as described in subparagraph 

16 (A) to address such concerns. 

17 (D) Any other matters that the Secretary 

18 considers appropriate. 

19 (3) DEADLINE FOR COMPLETION.—The survey 

20 required by this subsection shall be completed not 

21 later than 180 days after the date of the enactment 

22 of this Act. 

23 (c) ENHANCEMENT OF COMMUNICATIONS MATE24 RIALS.—Utilizing the results of the review required by 

25 subsection (a), the Secretary shall undertake such imVerDate Nov 24 2008 23:15 Jan 16, 2009 Jkt 079200 PO 00000 Frm 00006 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\S262.IS S262

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1 provements of the educational materials provided by the 

2 Department of Defense to members of the reserve compo3 nents of the Armed Forces and their families on health 

4 benefits, family support programs, and other resources 

5 available to such members and families through the De6 partment of Defense in order to enhance their utility and 

7 ease of use. 

8 (d) DATABASE ON HEALTH CARE PROVIDERS

9 UNDER TRICARE.— 

10 (1) DATABASE REQUIRED.—The Secretary shall 

11 maintain and make available to beneficiaries of the 

12 TRICARE program a current, comprehensive elec13 tronic database on the health care providers partici14 pating in the TRICARE program and on the health 

15 care services available through such providers under 

16 that program. 

17 (2) UPDATE.—The Secretary shall update the 

18 electronic database required by this subsection at 

19 least once each year and at such other times as the 

20 Secretary considers appropriate. 

21 (3) TRICARE PROGRAM DEFINED.—In this 

22 subsection, the term ‘‘TRICARE program’’ has the 

23 meaning given that term in section 1072(7) of title 

24 10, United States Code. 


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1 SEC. 4. ENHANCEMENT OF STAFFING OF RESERVE COMPO2 NENTS OF THE ARMED FORCES REGARDING 

3 DEPLOYMENT AND OTHER TRANSITION MAT4 TERS. 

5 (a) STAFF FOR FAMILY ASSISTANCE.— 

6 (1) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary of the mili7 tary department concerned shall assign to each unit 

8 (as determined by the Secretary for purposes of this 

9 subsection) of the reserve components of the Armed 

10 Forces under the jurisdiction of the Secretary full11 time non-dual status personnel of the military de12 partment who shall provide assistance to the family 

13 members of the members of the reserve components 

14 in such unit during and in connection with the mobi15 lization and deployment of such unit. 

16 (2) DUTIES.—In providing assistance to the 

17 family members of members of the reserve compo18 nents under this subsection, the personnel assigned 

19 under paragraph (1) shall provide information, as20 sistance, and support to such family members on the 

21 following: 

22 (A) Deployment readiness. 

23 (B) Education benefits available to such 

24 family members. 


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1 (C) Benefits available to such family mem2 bers as family members of members of the re3 serve components. 

4 (D) Healthcare benefits available to such 

5 family members, including benefits under the 

6 TRICARE program, mental health services, 

7 and dental services. 

8 (E) Financial matters. 

9 (F) Reintegration matters. 

10 (G) Career and employment matters. 

11 (b) TRANSITION ASSISTANCE ADVISORS.— 

12 (1) MINIMUM NUMBER OF ADVISORS.—The 

13 Secretary of Defense shall take appropriate actions 

14 to ensure that the number of Transition Assistance 

15 Advisors (TAAs) in each State is not less than the 

16 number equal to one Transition Assistance Advisor 

17 for each 10,000 members of the reserve components 

18 of the Armed Forces who reside in such State. 

19 (2) REPORT.—Not later than 90 days after the 

20 date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary 

21 shall submit to Congress a report setting forth a de22 scription of the efforts of the Secretary to implement 

23 the requirements of this subsection. 

24 (3) STATE DEFINED.—In this subsection, the 

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1 monwealth of Puerto Rico, the District of Columbia, 

2 and the Virgin Islands. 

3 SEC. 5. POST-DEPLOYMENT HEALTH REASSESSMENTS FOR 

4 MEMBERS OF THE RESERVE COMPONENTS 

5 OF THE ARMED FORCES. 

6 (a) SCHEDULE FOR POST-DEPLOYMENT HEALTH

7 REASSESSMENTS.— 

8 (1) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary of Defense 

9 shall provide a Post-Deployment Health Reassess10 ment (PDHRA) to each member of a reserve compo11 nent of the Armed Forces returning from deploy12 ment in Operation Iraqi Freedom or Operation En13 during Freedom as follows: 

14 (A) Not later than six months after the 

15 initial health assessment of such member con16 ducted upon the member’s return from such de17 ployment, and at least once every six months 

18 thereafter for the next 18 months. 

19 (B) After the completion of the reassess20 ments required by subparagraph (A), at the 

21 same time as each Periodic Health Assessment 

22 (PHA) of such member conducted thereafter 

23 while such member remains a member of a re24 serve component of the Armed Forces. 


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1 (2) INDIVIDUALS DISCHARGED UPON RETURN

2 FROM DEPLOYMENT.—In the case of an individual 

3 who is discharged or released from the Armed 

4 Forces upon the individual’s return from deploy5 ment, the individual shall be provided each of the 

6 Post-Deployment Health Reassessments required 

7 under paragraph (1)(A) together with the unit with 

8 which the individual was previously deployed, with9 out regard to the individual’s discharge or release 

10 from the Armed Forces upon return. 

11 (b) REQUIREMENTS FOR CERTAIN REASSESS12 MENTS.—The Secretary shall ensure that not less than 

13 two of the Post-Deployment Health Reassessments pro14 vided for a member of the reserve components under sub15 section (a)(1)(A)— 

16 (1) are performed in person; and 

17 (2) include the participation of a practitioner 

18 trained and certified as qualified to participate in 

19 the performance of Post-Deployment Health Reas20 sessments. 

21 (c) PERFORMANCE OF REASSESSMENTS FOR MEM22 BERS REDEPLOYED FROM OIF/OEF.—The Secretary 

23 shall take appropriate actions to provide a Post-Deploy24 ment Health Reassessment to each member of a reserve 

25 component of the Armed Forces who has returned from 


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1 deployment in Operation Iraqi Freedom or Operation En2 during Freedom before the date of the enactment of this 

3 Act and who has not been provided a Post-Deployment 

4 Health Reassessment as soon as practicable after the date 

5 of the enactment of this Act. 

6 (d) GENERAL REQUIREMENTS REGARDING POST7 DEPLOYMENT HEALTH REASSESSMENTS.— 

8 (1) IN GENERAL.—Section 1074a of title 10, 

9 United States Code, is amended— 

10 (A) by redesignating subsection (h) as sub11 section (i); and 

12 (B) by inserting after subsection (g) the 

13 following new subsection (h): 

14 ‘‘(h) The Secretary concerned shall administer a 

15 Post-Deployment Health Reassessment (PDHRA) to each 

16 member of a reserve component of the Armed Forces re17 turning from deployment to the member’s home station 

18 or county of residence, in the case of a member of the 

19 Individual Ready Reserve, not later than 10 days after the 

20 member’s return to such station or county, as the case 

21 may be, but in no event later than the member’s release 

22 from active duty following such deployment.’’. 

23 (2) FUNDING.—Subsection (i) of such section, 

24 as redesignated by paragraph (1)(A), is amended— 

25 (A) by inserting ‘‘(1)’’ after ‘‘(i)’’; and 


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1 (B) by adding at the end the following new 

2 paragraph: 

3 ‘‘(2) Amounts described in paragraph (1) shall also 

4 be available for the provision of Post-Deployment Health 

5 Reassessments under subsection (h).’’. 

6 SEC. 6. ANNUAL BRIEFINGS FOR MEMBERS OF THE RE7 SERVE COMPONENTS OF THE ARMED 

8 FORCES ON BENEFITS UNDER THE TRICARE 

9 PROGRAM. 

10 (a) BRIEFINGS REQUIRED.—The Secretary of the 

11 military department concerned shall provide to each mem12 ber of the reserve components of the Armed Forces under 

13 the jurisdiction of the Secretary an annual briefing on the 

14 benefits available to members and dependents under the 

15 TRICARE program. The briefing shall be provided indi16 vidually to such member as part of an annual review of 

17 military records and benefits during an Individual Duty 

18 Training period or during annual training. 

19 (b) TRICARE PROGRAM DEFINED.—In this section, 

20 the term ‘‘TRICARE program’’ has the meaning given 

21 that term in section 1072(7) of title 10, United States 

22 Code. 


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1 SEC. 7. STIPEND FOR PRIVATE HEALTH INSURANCE FOR 

2 CERTAIN DEPENDENTS OF MEMBERS OF THE 

3 RESERVE COMPONENTS OF THE ARMED 

4 FORCES CALLED TO ACTIVE DUTY. 

5 (a) MONTHLY STIPEND AUTHORIZED.—Chapter 17 

6 of title 37, United States Code, is amended by adding at 

7 the end the following new section: 

8 ‘‘§ 911. Healthcare for dependents: stipend for con9 tinuation of private health insurance for 

10 certain dependents of mobilized reserve 

11 component members 

12 ‘‘(a) STIPEND AUTHORIZED.—(1) The Secretary con13 cerned may pay to an eligible member of a reserve compo14 nent of the Armed Forces an amount equal to the monthly 

15 cost to the United States of the provision of health care 

16 services to the eligible spouse and covered dependents of 

17 the member under TRICARE Standard, TRICARE 

18 Prime, TRICARE Prime Remote, or TRICARE Extra, as 

19 applicable, during the period of the member’s active duty 

20 as described in subsection (b)(1)(A). 

21 ‘‘(2) The purpose of any payment under this section 

22 shall be to facilitate the continuation by an eligible mem23 ber’s spouse and covered dependents of private insurance 

24 for health care services that covers the member, spouse, 

25 and such dependents as of the time of the member’s call 


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1 or order to active duty as described in subsection 

2 (b)(1)(A). 

3 ‘‘(3) Any payments under this section shall be made 

4 on a monthly basis. 

5 ‘‘(b) ELIGIBLE MEMBERS.—(1) Except as provided 

6 in paragraph (2), a member of a reserve component of 

7 the Armed Forces is an eligible member of a reserve com8 ponent of the Armed Forces for purposes of subsection 

9 (a) if— 

10 ‘‘(A) the member is on active duty for a period 

11 of more than 30 days; 

12 ‘‘(B) at the time of the member’s call or order 

13 to active duty as described in subparagraph (A), the 

14 member is covered by private insurance for health 

15 care services on a self and dependents basis; and 

16 ‘‘(C) during the period of the member’s active 

17 duty as described in subparagraph (A), the mem18 ber’s spouse and any covered dependents would oth19 erwise be eligible for health care services under 

20 TRICARE Prime, TRICARE Prime Remote, 

21 TRICARE Standard, or TRICARE Extra. 

22 ‘‘(2) A member who is an employee of the Federal 

23 Government is not an eligible member of a reserve compo24 nent of the Armed Forces for purposes of subsection (a). 


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1 ‘‘(c) LIMITATION ON ELIGIBILITY OF SPOUSE AND

2 DEPENDENTS.—Payment under subsection (a) may be 

3 made with respect to the spouse and any covered depend4 ent of an eligible member of a reserve component of the 

5 Armed Forces during the period of the member’s active 

6 duty as described in subsection (b)(1)(A) only if the per7 manent residence of the spouse or such covered dependent, 

8 as the case may be, during such period is more than 50 

9 miles from each of— 

10 ‘‘(1) the nearest military medical treatment fa11 cility; 

12 ‘‘(2) any provider of health care services under 

13 the TRICARE program; or 

14 ‘‘(3) any provider of health care services under 

15 the TRICARE US Family Health Plan. 

16 ‘‘(d) AMOUNT OF STIPEND.—(1) Except as provided 

17 in paragraph (2), the amount payable to an eligible mem18 ber under subsection (a) for a month shall be the amount 

19 as follows: 

20 ‘‘(A) In the case of a member whose eligible 

21 spouse and covered dependents would otherwise be 

22 eligible for health care services under TRICARE 

23 Standard during the member’s active duty as de24 scribed in subsection (b)(1)(A), the amount that 

25 would otherwise be incurred by the United States for 


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1 the provision of health care services to such spouse 

2 and covered dependents under TRICARE Standard 

3 during such month. 

4 ‘‘(B) In the case of a member whose eligible 

5 spouse and covered dependents would otherwise be 

6 eligible for health care services under TRICARE 

7 Prime during the member’s active duty as described 

8 in subsection (b)(1)(A), the amount that would oth9 erwise be incurred by the United States for the pro10 vision of health care services to such spouse and cov11 ered dependents under TRICARE Prime during 

12 such month. 

13 ‘‘(C) In the case of a member whose eligible 

14 spouse and covered dependents would otherwise be 

15 eligible for health care services under TRICARE 

16 Prime Remote during the member’s active duty as 

17 described in subsection (b)(1)(A), the amount that 

18 would otherwise be incurred by the United States for 

19 the provision of health care services to such spouse 

20 and covered dependents under TRICARE Prime Re21 mote during such month. 

22 ‘‘(D) In the case of a member whose eligible 

23 spouse and covered dependents would otherwise be 

24 eligible for health care services under TRICARE 

25 Extra during the member’s active duty as described 


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1 in subsection (b)(1)(A), the amount that would oth2 erwise be incurred by the United States for the pro3 vision of health care services to such spouse and cov4 ered dependents under TRICARE Extra during such 

5 month. 

6 ‘‘(2) The amount payable to an eligible member 

7 under subsection (a) for a month may not exceed the cost 

8 of continuing private insurance for health care services for 

9 the member’s spouse and covered dependents as described 

10 in subsection (a)(2) for that month. 

11 ‘‘(e) UTILIZATION OF STIPEND.—(1) Any amount 

12 paid an eligible member under subsection (a) shall be uti13 lized by the member solely to pay the costs of private in14 surance for health care services for the member’s eligible 

15 spouse and covered dependents. 

16 ‘‘(2) Each Secretary concerned shall establish appro17 priate mechanisms to ensure the proper utilization by 

18 members under this section of amounts paid under sub19 section (a). 

20 ‘‘(f) INELIGIBILITY OF SPOUSE AND DEPENDENTS

21 FOR HEALTH CARE UNDER TRICARE.—The spouse and 

22 covered dependents of a member to whom a payment is 

23 made under subsection (a) for a month shall not be eligible 

24 for health care services under the TRICARE program 

25 during such month. 


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1 ‘‘(g) DEFINITIONS.—In this section: 

2 ‘‘(1) The term ‘covered dependents’, in the case 

3 of a member of a reserve component of the Armed 

4 Forces, means any dependent of the member de5 scribed by subparagraph (D) or (I) of section 

6 1072(2) of title 10. 

7 ‘‘(2) The term ‘TRICARE program’ has the 

8 meaning given that term in section 1072(7) of title 

9 10.’’. 

10 (b) CLERICAL AMENDMENT.—The table of sections 

11 at the beginning of chapter 17 of such title is amended 

12 by adding at the end the following new item: 

‘‘911. Healthcare for dependents: stipend for continuation of private health insurance for certain dependents of mobilized reserve component 

members.’’. 

13 SEC. 8. TRAINING ON MATTERS RELATING TO MENTAL 

14 HEALTH. 

15 (a) TRAINING FOR RESERVE COMPONENT UNITS.— 

16 (1) UNIT-LEVEL TRAINING REQUIRED.—The 

17 Secretary of Defense shall carry out a program to 

18 provide comprehensive training on mental health 

19 matters to units of the reserve components of the 

20 Armed Forces. The training shall be designed to 

21 provide information to unit commanders and per22 sonnel on a unit-wide basis. 

23 (2) COMBAT-RELATED STRESS.—The training 

24 required by this subsection shall include training on 


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1 the identification and treatment of Post-Traumatic 

2 Stress Disorder (PTSD), Traumatic Brain Injury 

3 (TBI), and other combat-related stresses. 

4 (3) SCHEDULE FOR PROVISION OF TRAINING.— 

5 The training provided under this subsection shall be 

6 a required element under the Training Management 

7 System for the units of the reserve components, and 

8 shall be provided in the course of the Annual Train9 ing Calendar for such units. 

10 (b) OUTREACH AND TRAINING FOR MENTAL

11 HEALTH CARE PROVIDERS.—The Secretary of Defense 

12 and the Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall jointly take 

13 appropriate actions to provide outreach and training to 

14 State and local mental health care providers on the diag15 nosis and treatment of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder 

16 (PTSD), Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI), and other mental 

17 health disorders and conditions associated with service in 

18 the Armed Forces in areas of combat operations and other 

19 areas which such disorders and conditions may arise. 

20 SEC. 9. FUNDING FOR MENTAL HEALTH CARE FOR MEM21 BERS OF THE NATIONAL GUARD. 

22 (a) AVAILABILITY OF DEFENSE HEALTH PROGRAM

23 FUNDS.—Subject to the provisions of appropriations Acts, 

24 amounts available for Defense Health Program shall be 

25 available for programs described in subsection (b) for 


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1 members of the National Guard not on active duty in the 

2 Armed Forces who incurred a psychological or mental ill3 ness or injury on active duty in the Armed Forces as dem4 onstrated by existing medical records or, in the absence 

5 of such records, by the opinion of a licensed medical pro6 vider in the State where the member resides. 

7 (b) COVERED PROGRAMS.—The programs described 

8 in this subsection are programs as follows: 

9 (1) Programs to assist members of the National 

10 Guard described in subsection (a) in case manage11 ment in the receipt of non-clinical care for an illness 

12 or injury described in that subsection. 

13 (2) Programs to advise members of the Na14 tional Guard described in subsection (a) on the re15 ceipt of care and treatment for an illness or injury 

16 described in that subsection under the TRICARE 

17 program. 

18 (3) Programs of psychological health treatment 

19 for members of the National Guard described in sub20 section (a) for an illness or injury described in that 

21 subsection. 

22 (4) Programs supporting the efforts of the mili23 tary departments to update and maintain military 

24 health electronic records systems. 


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1 (5) Such other treatment programs as may as2 sist a member of the National Guard described in 

3 subsection (a) for an illness or injury described in 

4 that subsection, as determined by the State Surgeon 

5 General of the National Guard of the State in which 

6 the member reside, the Director of Psychological 

7 Health of the State in which the member resides, 

8 the mental health or equivalent agency of the State 

9 in which the member resides, or the Director of the 

10 Psychological Health Program of the National 

11 Guard Bureau. 

12 (c) BUDGETING.—The Assistant Secretary of De13 fense for Health Affairs shall coordinate with the National 

14 Guard Bureau and other personnel and logistical elements 

15 of the National Guard in determining the budget require16 ments of the National Guard for the programs described 

17 in subsection (b). 

18 SEC. 10. MEASUREMENT OF ACHIEVEMENT OF DEPART19 MENT OF DEFENSE OBJECTIVES FOR PAR20 TICIPATION OF MEMBERS OF THE RESERVE 

21 COMPONENTS IN THE ARMED FORCES THE 

22 TRANSITION ASSISTANCE PROGRAM. 

23 (a) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary of Defense shall 

24 carry out appropriate actions to develop the following: 


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1 (1) Specific mechanisms for the reliable meas2 urement of the participation of members of the re3 serve components of the Armed Forces in the Tran4 sition Assistance Program. 

5 (2) Plans to ensure that the participation of 

6 members of the reserve components of the Armed 

7 Forces in the Transition Assistance Program meet 

8 annual Department of Defense goals for the partici9 pation of such members in that program. 

10 (b) REPORT.—Not later than 90 days after the date 

11 of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Defense 

12 shall submit to the Committees on Armed Services of the 

13 Senate and the House of Representatives a report setting 

14 forth the actions the Secretary proposed to meet the re15 quirements of subsection (a). 

16 SEC. 11. PRE-DEPLOYMENT AND POST-DEPLOYMENT 

17 BRIEFINGS OR MEMBERS OF THE INDI18 VIDUAL READY RESERVE WHO DEPLOY AS IN19 DIVIDUALS. 

20 (a) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary of Defense shall 

21 take appropriate actions to ensure that each member of 

22 the Individual Ready Reserve who deploys as an individual 

23 is, to the extent practicable and appropriate, provided in 

24 pre-deployment briefings and post-deployment briefings 


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1 the same information as members of the Ready Reserve 

2 who deploy as members of a unit. 

3 (b) REPORT ON SOLDIER READINESS ACTIVITIES.— 

4 (1) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 180 days 

5 after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Sec6 retary shall submit to Congress on soldier readiness 

7 activities for members of the Individual Ready Re8 serve who deploy as individuals. 

9 (2) ELEMENTS.—The report required by this 

10 subsection shall include the following: 

11 (A) A list of each pre-deployment briefing 

12 and each post-deployment briefing provided to 

13 members of the Individual Ready Reserve who 

14 deploy as individuals. 

15 (B) A comparative analysis of the pre-de16 ployment briefings and post-deployment brief17 ings provided members of the Individual Ready 

18 Reserve who deploy as individuals with the pre19 deployment briefings and post-deployment brief20 ings provided members of the Ready Reserve 

21 who deploy as members of a unit. 


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1 SEC. 12. SENSE OF CONGRESS ON THE ASSIGNMENT OF 

2 MEMBERS OF THE NATIONAL GUARD TO 

3 FULL-TIME NATIONAL GUARD DUTY IMME4 DIATELY UPON RETURN FROM DEPLOYMENT. 

5 It is the sense of Congress that a member of the Na6 tional Guard who is returning from deployment in a con7 tingency operation or homeland defense mission for a pe8 riod of one year or longer— 

9 (1) should not be required to commence full10 time National Guard duty immediately upon return 

11 from such deployment; but 

12 (2) should be permitted to elect to postpone 

13 commencement of deactivation from active duty sta14 tus until at least 90 days after return from such de15 ployment. 

Æ 


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