Record of Military Service for Members of the Armed Forces Act of 2021
Bill: S.1291 | Sponsor: Sen. Peters, Gary C. (D-MI)
Policy area: Armed Forces and National Security

Summary:
Record of Military Service for Members of the Armed Forces Act of 2021
This bill requires the Department of Defense (DOD) to create the Certificate of Military Service. The Certificate of Military service will be a standard record of military service for all members of active and reserve components of the armed forces to encompass all duty, including that of National Guard and Coast Guard duty.
Under the bill, the document must (1) be standardized, (2) be the same for all members of the armed forces, and (3) replace and serve the same function as a discharge certificate or certificate of release (DOD Form DD-214).
The bill also requires that a current record of service be issued to members of the reserve components upon the occurrence of any of the following events:

To provide for a standard record of service on active duty for members 
 of the reserve components of the Armed Forces, and for other purposes.

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

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Record of Military Service for 
Members of the Armed Forces Act of 2021''.

SEC. 2. RECORD OF MILITARY SERVICE FOR MEMBERS OF THE ARMED FORCES.

    (a) Standard Record of Service Required.--Chapter 59 of title 10, 
United States Code, is amended by inserting after section 1168 the 
following new sections:
``Sec. 1168a. Discharge or release: record of military service
    ``(a) Record of Service Required.--
            ``(1) In general.--The Secretary of Defense shall establish 
        and implement a standard record of military service for all 
        members of the active and reserve components of the armed 
        forces to encompass all duty under this title and titles 32, 
        and 14.
            ``(2) Designation.--The record of service shall be known as 
        the `Certificate of Military Service'.
    ``(b) Nature and Scope.--The record of service required by 
subsection (a) shall--
            ``(1) consist of a standardized summary of the service on 
        active duty, inactive duty, annual training, active duty for 
        training, and State active duty in the armed forces of each 
        member who serves in the armed forces;
            ``(2) be the same document for all members of the armed 
        forces; and
            ``(3) replace and serve the same function as a discharge 
        certificate or certificate of release from active duty for 
        purposes of section 1168 of this title that is performed as of 
        the date of the enactment of this Act by Department of Defense 
        Form DD-214.
    ``(c) Coordination.--In carrying out this section, the Secretary of 
Defense shall coordinate with all applicable stakeholders, including 
the Secretary of Veterans Affairs, in order to ensure that the record 
of service required by subsection (a) serves as acceptable proof of 
military service for receipt of applicable benefits under the laws 
administered by such stakeholders.''.
    (b) Issuance to Members of Reserve Components.--Chapter 59 of such 
title, as amended by subsection (a), is further amended by inserting 
after section 1168a the following new section:
``Sec. 1168b. Record of military service: issuance to members of 
              reserve components
    ``An up-to-date record of service (as provided for by section 1168a 
of this title) shall be issued to members of the reserve components of 
the armed forces as follows:
            ``(1) Upon permanent change to duty status (retirement, 
        resignation, Expiration Term of Service, commissioning to 
        officer/warrant officer, or permanent transfer to active duty).
            ``(2) Upon discharge or release from temporary active duty 
        orders (minimum of 90 days on orders or 30 days for a 
        contingency operation).
            ``(3) Upon promotion to each grade (starting at O-3 for 
        commissioned officers, W-3 for warrant officers, and E-4 for 
        enlisted members).
            ``(4) In the case of a member of the National Guard, upon 
        any transfer to the National Guard of another State or 
        territory (commonly referred to as an `Interstate 
        Transfer').''.
    (c) Conforming Amendments Related to Current Discharge Certificate 
Authorities.--
            (1) In general.--Subsection (a) of section 1168 of title 
        10, United States Code, is amended--
                    (A) by striking ``his discharge certificate or 
                certificate of release from active duty, respectively, 
                and his final pay'' and inserting ``the member's record 
                or military service (as provided for by section 1168a 
                of this title), and the member's final pay''; and
                    (B) by striking ``him or his'' and inserting ``the 
                member or the member's''.
            (2) Heading amendment.--The heading of such section 1168 is 
        amended to read as follows:
``Sec. 1168. Discharge or release from active duty: limitations; 
              issuance of record of military service''.
    (d) Clerical Amendment.--The table of sections at the beginning of 
chapter 59 of such title is amended by striking the item relating to 
section 1168 and inserting the following new items:

``1168. Discharge or release from active duty: limitations; issuance of 
                            record of military service.
``1168a. Discharge or release: record of military service.
``1168b. Record of military service: issuance to members of reserve 
                            components.''.
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