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SEC. 515. FEASIBILITY OF ESTABLISHING A UNIT OF THE NA-
TIONAL GUARD IN AMERICAN SAMOA AND IN THE 
COMMONWEALTH OF THE NORTHERN MARIANA 
ISLANDS. 
(a) DETERMINATION REQUIRED.—The Secretary of De-
fense shall determine the feasibility of establishing— 
(1) a unit of the National Guard in American 
Samoa; and 
(2) a unit of the National Guard in the Common-
wealth of the Northern Mariana Islands. 
(b) FORCE STRUCTURE ELEMENTS.—In making the fea-
sibility determination under subsection (a), the Secretary of 
Defense shall consider the following: 
(1) The allocation of National Guard force struc-
ture and manpower to American Samoa and the Com-
monwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands in the event 
of the establishment of a unit of the National Guard in 
American Samoa and in the Commonwealth of the 
Northern Mariana Islands, and the impact of this alloca-
tion on existing National Guard units in the 50 States, 
the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands, 
Guam, and the District of Columbia. 
(2) The Federal funding that would be required to 
support pay, benefits, training operations, and missions 
of members of a unit of the National Guard in American 
Samoa and the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana
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Islands, based on the allocation derived from paragraph 
(1), and the equipment, including maintenance, required 
to support such force structure. 
(3) The presence of existing infrastructure to sup-
port a unit of the National Guard in American Samoa 
and the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Is-
lands, and the requirement for additional infrastructure, 
including information technology infrastructure, to sup-
port such force structure, based on the allocation derived 
from paragraph (1). 
(4) How a unit of the National Guard in American 
Samoa and the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana 
Island would accommodate the National Guard Bureau’s 
‘‘Essential Ten’’ homeland defense capabilities (i.e., avia-
tion, engineering, civil support teams, security, medical, 
transportation, maintenance, logistics, joint force head-
quarters, and communications) and reflect regional 
needs. 
(5) The manpower cadre, both military personnel 
and full-time support, including National Guard techni-
cians, required to establish, maintain, and sustain a unit 
of the National Guard in American Samoa and the Com-
monwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, and the 
ability of American Samoa and of the Commonwealth of
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the Northern Mariana Islands to support demographi-
cally a unit of the National Guard at each location. 
(6) The ability of a unit of the National Guard in 
American Samoa and the Commonwealth of the North-
ern Mariana Islands to maintain unit readiness and the 
logistical challenges associated with transportation, com-
munications, supply/resupply, and training operations 
and missions. 
(c) SUBMISSION OF CONCLUSION.—Not later than 180 
days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Sec-
retary of Defense shall notify the congressional defense com-
mittees of the results of the feasibility determination made 
under subsection (a). If the Secretary determines that estab-
lishment of a unit of the National Guard in American Samoa 
or the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (or 
both) is feasible, the Secretary shall include in the notifica-
tion the following: 
(1) A determination of whether the executive 
branch of American Samoa and of the Commonwealth of 
the Northern Mariana Islands has enacted and imple-
mented statutory authorization for an organized militia 
as a prerequisite for establishing a unit of the National 
Guard, and a description of any other steps that such 
executive branches must take to request and carry out 
the establishment of a National Guard unit.
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(2) A list of any amendments to titles 10, 32, and 
37, United States Code, that would have to be enacted 
by Congress to provide for the establishment of a unit 
of the National Guard in American Samoa and in the 
Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands. 
(3) A description of any required Department of 
Defense actions to establish a unit of the National 
Guard in American Samoa and in the Commonwealth of 
the Northern Mariana Islands. 
(4) A suggested timeline for completion of the steps 
and actions described in the preceding paragraphs. 
Subtitle C—General Service 
Authorities 
SEC. 521. PROVISION OF INFORMATION UNDER TRANSITION AS-
SISTANCE PROGRAM ABOUT DISABILITY-RELATED 
EMPLOYMENT AND EDUCATION PROTECTIONS. 
(a) ADDITIONAL
ELEMENT
OF
PROGRAM.—Section 
1144(b) of title 10, United States Code, is amended by add-
ing at the end the following new paragraph: 
‘‘(9) Provide information about disability-related 
employment and education protections.’’. 
(b) DEADLINE
FOR IMPLEMENTATION.—The program 
carried out under section 1144 of title 10, United States 
Code, shall comply with the requirements of subsection (b)(9)
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of such section, as added by subsection (a), by not later than 
April 1, 2015. 
SEC. 522. MEDICAL EXAMINATION REQUIREMENTS REGARDING 
POST-TRAUMATIC STRESS DISORDER OR TRAU-
MATIC BRAIN INJURY BEFORE ADMINISTRATIVE 
SEPARATION. 
Section 1177(a)(2) of title 10, United States Code, is 
amended by inserting after ‘‘honorable’’ the following: ‘‘, in-
cluding an administrative separation in lieu of court-mar-
tial,’’. 
SEC. 523. ESTABLISHMENT AND USE OF CONSISTENT DEFINI-
TION 
OF 
GENDER-NEUTRAL 
OCCUPATIONAL 
STANDARD FOR MILITARY CAREER DESIGNATORS. 
(a) ESTABLISHMENT OF DEFINITIONS.—Section 543 of 
the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 1994 
(Public Law 103–160; 10 U.S.C. 113 note) is amended by 
adding at the end the following new subsection: 
‘‘(d) DEFINITIONS.—In this section: 
‘‘(1) GENDER-NEUTRAL
OCCUPATIONAL
STAND-
ARD.—The term ‘gender-neutral occupational standard’, 
with respect to a military career designator, means that 
all members of the Armed Forces serving in or assigned 
to the military career designator must meet the same 
performance outcome-based standards for the successful 
accomplishment of the necessary and required specific
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tasks associated with the qualifications and duties per-
formed while serving in or assigned to the military ca-
reer designator. 
‘‘(2) MILITARY
CAREER
DESIGNATOR.—The term 
‘military career designator’ refers to— 
‘‘(A) in the case of enlisted members and war-
rant officers of the Armed Forces, military occupa-
tional specialties, specialty codes, enlisted designa-
tors, enlisted classification codes, additional skill 
identifiers, and special qualification identifiers; and 
‘‘(B) in the case of commissioned officers 
(other than commissioned warrant officers), officer 
areas of concentration, occupational specialties, spe-
cialty codes, additional skill identifiers, and special 
qualification identifiers.’’. 
(b) USE
OF DEFINITIONS.—Such section is further 
amended— 
(1) in subsection (a)— 
(A) in the matter preceding paragraph (1), by 
striking ‘‘military occupational career field’’ and in-
serting ‘‘military career designator’’; and 
(B) in paragraph (1), by striking ‘‘common, 
relevant performance standards’’ and inserting ‘‘an 
occupational standard’’; 
(2) in subsection (b)—
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(A) in paragraph (1)— 
(i) by striking ‘‘any military occupational 
specialty’’ and inserting ‘‘any military career 
designator’’; and 
(ii) by striking ‘‘requirements for mem-
bers in that specialty and shall ensure (in the 
case of an occupational specialty’’ and insert-
ing ‘‘requirements as part of the gender-neu-
tral occupational standard for members in that 
career designator and shall ensure (in the case 
of a career designator’’; and 
(B) in paragraph (2)— 
(i) by striking ‘‘an occupational specialty’’ 
and inserting ‘‘a military career designator’’; 
(ii) by striking ‘‘that occupational spe-
cialty’’ and inserting ‘‘that military career des-
ignator’’; and 
(iii) by striking ‘‘that specialty’’ and in-
serting ‘‘that military career designator’’; and 
(3) in subsection (c)— 
(A) by striking ‘‘the occupational standards for 
a military occupational field’’ and inserting ‘‘the 
gender-neutral occupational standard for a military 
career designator’’; and
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(B) by striking ‘‘that occupational field’’ and 
inserting ‘‘that military career designator’’. 
SEC. 524. SENSE OF CONGRESS REGARDING THE WOMEN IN 
SERVICE IMPLEMENTATION PLAN. 
It is the sense of Congress that the Secretaries of the 
military departments— 
(1) no later than September 2015, should develop, 
review, and validate individual occupational standards, 
using validated gender-neutral occupational standards, 
so as to assess and assign members of the Armed Forces 
to units, including Special Operations Forces; and 
(2) no later than January 1, 2016, should complete 
all assessments. 
SEC. 525. PROVISION OF MILITARY SERVICE RECORDS TO THE 
SECRETARY OF VETERANS AFFAIRS IN AN ELEC-
TRONIC FORMAT. 
(a) PROVISION
IN ELECTRONIC FORMAT.—In accord-
ance with subsection (b), the Secretary of Defense, in con-
sultation with the Secretary of Veterans Affairs, shall make 
the covered records of each member of the Armed Forces 
available to the Secretary of Veterans Affairs in an electronic 
format. 
(b) DEADLINE FOR PROVISION OF RECORDS.—With re-
spect to a member of the Armed Forces who is discharged 
or released from the Armed Forces on or after January 1,
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2014, the Secretary of Defense shall ensure that the covered 
records of the member are made available to the Secretary 
of Veterans Affairs not later than 90 days after the date of 
the member’s discharge or release. 
(c) SHARING OF PROTECTED HEALTH INFORMATION.— 
For purposes of the regulations promulgated under section 
264(c) of the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability 
Act of 1996 (Public Law 104–191; 42 U.S.C. 1320d–2 note), 
making medical records available to the Secretary of Veterans 
Affairs under subsection (a) shall be treated as a permitted 
disclosure. 
(d) RECORDS CURRENTLY AVAILABLE TO SECRETARY 
OF VETERANS AFFAIRS.—The Secretary of Veterans Affairs, 
in consultation with the Secretary of Defense, shall ensure 
that the covered records of members of the Armed Forces 
that are available to the Secretary of Veterans Affairs as of 
the date of the enactment of this Act are made electronically 
accessible and available as soon as practicable after that date 
to the Veterans Benefits Administration. 
(e) COVERED RECORDS DEFINED.—In this section, the 
term ‘‘covered records’’ means, with respect to a member of 
the Armed Forces— 
(1) service treatment records; 
(2) accompanying personal records; 
(3) relevant unit records; and
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•HRES 441 EH 
(4) medical records created by reason of treatment 
or services received pursuant to chapter 55 of title 10, 
United States Code. 
SEC. 526. REVIEW OF INTEGRATED DISABILITY EVALUATION 
SYSTEM. 
(a) REVIEW.—The Secretary of Defense, in consultation 
with the Secretary of Veterans Affairs, shall conduct a review 
of— 
(1) the backlog of pending cases in the Integrated 
Disability Evaluation System with respect to members of 
the reserve components of the Armed Forces for the pur-
pose of addressing the matters specified in paragraph 
(1) of subsection (b); and 
(2) the improvements to the Integrated Disability 
Evaluation System specified in paragraph (2) of such 
subsection. 
(b) REPORT.—Not later than 180 days after the date of 
the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Defense shall sub-
mit to the Committees on Armed Services and Veterans’ Af-
fairs of the House of Representatives and the Senate a report 
on the review conducted under subsection (a). Such report 
shall include the following: 
(1) With respect to the reserve components of the 
Armed Forces—
191 
•HRES 441 EH 
(A) the number of pending cases that exist as 
of the date of the report, listed by military depart-
ment, component, and, with respect to the National 
Guard, State; 
(B) as of the date of the report, the average 
time it takes the Department of Defense and the 
Department of Veterans Affairs to process a case 
through each phase or step of the Integrated Dis-
ability Evaluation System under that Department’s 
control; 
(C) a description of the measures the Secretary 
has taken, and will take, to resolve the backlog of 
cases in the Integrated Disability Evaluation Sys-
tem; and 
(D) the date by which the Secretary plans to 
resolve such backlog for each military department. 
(2) With respect to the regular components and re-
serve components of the Armed Forces— 
(A) a description of the progress being made 
by both the Department of Defense and the Depart-
ment of Veterans Affairs to transition the Inte-
grated Disability Evaluation System to an inte-
grated and readily accessible electronic format that 
a member of the Armed Forces may access to see
192 
•HRES 441 EH 
the status of the member during each phase or step 
of the system; 
(B) an estimate of the cost to complete the 
transition to an integrated and readily accessible 
electronic format; and 
(C) an assessment of the feasibility of improv-
ing in-transit visibility of pending cases, including 
by establishing a method of tracking a pending case 
when— 
(i) a military treatment facility is assigned 
a packet and pending case for action regarding 
a member; and 
(ii) a packet is at the Veterans Tracking 
Application and Disability Rating Activity Site 
of the Department of Veterans Affairs. 
(c) PENDING CASE DEFINED.—In this section, the term 
‘‘pending case’’ means a case involving a member of the 
Armed Forces who, as of the date of the review under sub-
section (a), is within the Integrated Disability Evaluation 
System and has been referred to a medical evaluation board.
193 
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Subtitle D—Military Justice Matters, 
Other Than Sexual Assault Pre-
vention and Response and Related 
Reforms 
SEC. 531. MODIFICATION OF ELIGIBILITY FOR APPOINTMENT 
AS JUDGE ON THE UNITED STATES COURT OF AP-
PEALS FOR THE ARMED FORCES. 
(a) MODIFICATION.—Paragraph (4) of section 942(b) of 
title 10, United States Code (article 142(b) of the Uniform 
Code of Military Justice), is amended to read as follows: 
‘‘(4) A person may not be appointed as a judge of the 
court within seven years after retirement from active duty as 
a commissioned officer of a regular component of an armed 
force.’’. 
(b) EFFECTIVE DATE.—The amendment made by sub-
section (a) shall take effect on the date of the enactment of 
this Act, and shall apply with respect to appointments to the 
United States Court of Appeals for the Armed Forces that 
occur on or after that date. 
SEC. 532. ENHANCEMENT OF PROTECTION OF RIGHTS OF CON-
SCIENCE OF MEMBERS OF THE ARMED FORCES 
AND CHAPLAINS OF SUCH MEMBERS. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Subsection (a)(1) of section 533 of 
the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2013
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•HRES 441 EH 
(Public Law 112–239; 126 Stat. 1727; 10 U.S.C. prec. 1030 
note) is amended— 
(1) by striking ‘‘The Armed Forces shall accommo-
date the beliefs’’ and inserting ‘‘Unless it could have an 
adverse impact on military readiness, unit cohesion, and 
good order and discipline, the Armed Forces shall ac-
commodate individual expressions of belief’’; 
(2) by inserting ‘‘sincerely held’’ before ‘‘con-
science’’; and 
(3) by striking ‘‘use such beliefs’’ and inserting 
‘‘use such expression of belief’’. 
(b) REGULATIONS.—Not later than 90 days after the 
date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Defense 
shall prescribe the implementing regulations required by sub-
section (c) of such section. In prescribing such regulations, 
the Secretary shall consult with the official military faith- 
group representatives who endorse military chaplains. 
SEC. 533. INSPECTOR GENERAL INVESTIGATION OF ARMED 
FORCES COMPLIANCE WITH REGULATIONS FOR 
THE PROTECTION OF RIGHTS OF CONSCIENCE OF 
MEMBERS OF THE ARMED FORCES AND THEIR 
CHAPLAINS. 
(a) INVESTIGATION INTO COMPLIANCE; REPORT.—Not 
later than 18 months after the date on which regulations are 
issued implementing the protections afforded by section 533
195 
•HRES 441 EH 
of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 
2013 (Public Law 112–239; 126 Stat. 1727; 10 U.S.C. prec. 
1030 note), as amended by section 532, the Inspector Gen-
eral of the Department of Defense shall submit to the con-
gressional defense committees a report— 
(1) setting forth the results of an investigation by 
the Inspector General during that 18-month period into 
the compliance by the Armed Forces with the elements 
of such regulations on adverse personnel actions, dis-
crimination, or denials of promotion, schooling, training, 
or assignment for members of the Armed Forces based 
on conscience, moral principles, or religious beliefs; and 
(2) identifying the number of times during the in-
vestigation period that the Inspector General of the De-
partment of Defense or the Inspector General of a mili-
tary department was contacted regarding an incident in-
volving the conscience, moral principles, or religious be-
liefs of a member of the Armed Forces. 
(b) CONSULTATION.—In conducting any analysis, inves-
tigation, or survey for purposes of this section, the Inspector 
General of the Department of Defense shall consult with the 
Armed Forces Chaplains Board, as appropriate.
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•HRES 441 EH 
SEC. 534. SURVEY OF MILITARY CHAPLAINS VIEWS ON DEPART-
MENT OF DEFENSE POLICY REGARDING CHAP-
LAIN PRAYERS OUTSIDE OF RELIGIOUS SERVICES. 
(a) SURVEY REQUIRED.—The Secretary of Defense shall 
conduct a survey among a statistically valid sample of mili-
tary chaplains of the regular and reserve components of the 
Armed Forces, to be selected at random, to assess whether— 
(1) restrictions placed on prayers offered in a public 
or non-religious setting have prevented military chap-
lains from exercising the tenets of their faith as pre-
scribed by their endorsing faith group; and 
(2) those restrictions have had an adverse impact 
on the ability of military chaplains to fulfill their duties 
to minister to members of the Armed Forces and their 
dependents. 
(b) DEADLINE
FOR COMPLETION.—The Secretary of 
Defense shall complete the survey required by subsection (a) 
within one year after the date of the enactment of this Act. 
(c) SUBMISSION OF RESULTS.—Not later than 90 days 
after completing the survey required by subsection (a), the 
Secretary of Defense shall submit to the Committees on 
Armed Services of the Senate and the House of Representa-
tives a report containing— 
(1) the survey questionnaire; and 
(2) the results of the survey.
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Subtitle E—Member Education and 
Training 
SEC. 541. ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENTS FOR APPROVAL OF 
EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS FOR PURPOSES OF 
CERTAIN 
EDUCATIONAL 
ASSISTANCE 
UNDER 
LAWS ADMINISTERED BY THE SECRETARY OF DE-
FENSE. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Chapter 101 of title 10, United 
States Code, is amended by inserting after section 2006 the 
following new section: 
‘‘§ 2006a. Assistance for education and training: avail-
ability of certain assistance for use only for 
certain programs of education 
‘‘(a) IN GENERAL.—Effective as of August, 1, 2014, an 
individual eligible for assistance under a Department of De-
fense educational assistance program or authority covered by 
this section may, except as provided in subsection (b), only 
use such assistance for educational expenses incurred for a 
program as follows: 
‘‘(1) An eligible program (as defined in section 481 
of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1088)) 
that is offered by an institution of higher education that 
has entered into, and is complying with, a program par-
ticipation agreement under section 487 of such Act (20 
U.S.C. 1094).
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•HRES 441 EH 
‘‘(2) In the case of a program designed to prepare 
individuals for licensure or certification in any State, if 
the program meets the instructional curriculum licensure 
or certification requirements of such State. 
‘‘(3) In the case of a program designed to prepare 
individuals for employment pursuant to standards devel-
oped by a State board or agency in an occupation that 
requires approval or licensure for such employment, if 
the program is approved or licensed by such State board 
or agency. 
‘‘(b) WAIVER.—The Secretary of Defense may, by regu-
lation, authorize the use of educational assistance under a 
Department of Defense educational assistance program or 
authority covered by this chapter for educational expenses in-
curred for a program of education that is not described in 
subsection (a) if the program— 
‘‘(1) is accredited and approved by a nationally or 
regionally recognized accrediting agency or association 
recognized by the Department of Education; 
‘‘(2) was not an eligible program described in sub-
section (a) at any time during the most recent two-year 
period; 
‘‘(3) is a program that the Secretary determines 
would further the purposes of the educational assistance 
programs or authorities covered by this chapter, or
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•HRES 441 EH 
would further the education interests of students eligible 
for assistance under the such programs or authorities; 
and 
‘‘(4) the institution providing the program does not 
provide any commission, bonus, or other incentive pay-
ment based directly or indirectly on success in securing 
enrollments or financial aid to any persons or entities 
engaged in any student recruiting or admission activities 
or in making decisions regarding the award of student 
financial assistance, except for the recruitment of foreign 
students residing in foreign countries who are not eligi-
ble to receive Federal student assistance. 
‘‘(c) DEFINITIONS.—In this section: 
‘‘(1) The term ‘Department of Defense educational 
assistance programs and authorities covered by this sec-
tion’ means the programs and authorities as follows: 
‘‘(A) The programs to assist military spouses 
in achieving education and training to expand em-
ployment and portable career opportunities under 
section 1784a of this title. 
‘‘(B) The authority to pay tuition for off-duty 
training or education of members of the armed 
forces under section 2007 of this title.
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‘‘(C) The program of educational assistance for 
members of the Selected Reserve under chapter 
1606 of this title. 
‘‘(D) The program of educational assistance 
for reserve component members supporting contin-
gency operations and certain other operations under 
chapter 1607 of this title. 
‘‘(E) Any other program or authority of the 
Department of Defense for assistance in education 
or training carried out under the laws administered 
by the Secretary of Defense that is designated by 
the Secretary, by regulation, for purposes of this 
section. 
‘‘(2) The term ‘institution of higher education’ has 
the meaning given that term in section 102 of the High-
er Education Act for 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1002).’’. 
(b) CLERICAL AMENDMENT.—The table of sections at 
the beginning of chapter 101 of such title is amended by in-
serting after the item relating to section 2006 the following 
new item: 
‘‘2006a. Assistance for education and training: availability of certain assistance 
for use only for certain programs of education.’’. 
(c) EFFECTIVE DATE.—The amendments made by this 
section shall take effect on August 1, 2014.
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bers of the Armed Forces were killed and wounded; 
and 
(B) award the Purple Heart to each member 
determined pursuant to such review to be eligible 
for the award of the Purple Heart in connection 
with the death or wounding of the member in the 
attacks. 
(2) CONSIDERATION
OF
CERTAIN
EVIDENCE.—In 
reviewing all the evidence related to the incidents de-
scribed in paragraph (1) and the criteria established 
under Executive Order 11016 (Authorizing the Award of 
the Purple Heart), the Secretary of the military depart-
ment concerned shall specifically, but not exclusively, as-
sess whether the members of the Armed Forces killed or 
wounded at Fort Hood and Little Rock qualify for 
award of the Purple Heart under the criteria as mem-
bers of the Armed Forces who were killed or wounded 
as a result of an act of an enemy of the United States. 
(3) SUBMISSION.—The results of the review shall be 
provided to the Committees on Armed Services of the 
Senate and the House of Representatives within 180 
days after the date of the enactment of this Act. 
(4) EXCEPTION.—A Purple Heart may not be 
awarded pursuant to paragraph (1)(B) to a member of 
the Armed Forces whose death or wound in an attack
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•HRES 441 EH 
(1) To require that any head of contracting activity 
taking an action pursuant to subsection (a)(3) or (a)(4) 
to terminate, void, or restrict a contract, grant, or coop-
erative agreement notify in writing the contractor or re-
cipient of the grant or cooperative agreement, as applica-
ble, of the action. 
(2) To permit, in such manner as the Department 
of Defense Supplement to the Federal Acquisition Regu-
lation as so revised shall provide, the contractor or re-
cipient of a grant or cooperative agreement subject to an 
action taken pursuant to subsection (a)(3) or (a)(4) to 
terminate or void the contract, grant, or cooperative 
agreement, as the case may be, an opportunity to chal-
lenge the action by requesting administrative review 
within 30 days after receipt of notice of the action. 
(d) ANNUAL REVIEW.—The commanders of the covered 
combatant commands shall, on an annual basis, review the 
lists of persons and entities previously identified pursuant to 
subsection (a)(1) in order to determine whether or not such 
persons and entities continue to warrant identification pursu-
ant to that subsection. If a commander determines pursuant 
to such a review that a person or entity no longer warrants 
identification pursuant to subsection (a)(1), the commander 
shall notify the heads of contracting activities of the Depart-
ment of Defense in writing of such determination.